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Back Road BearsI can't sew and watch TV, I get too distracted and either miss a good scene or put legs on backwards. :doh: So.... I've been thinking that maybe listening to books on CD would be good.
Are there any books in particular you guys would recommend?
Are there some narrators who are better than others?
Harry Potter is at the top of my list but what else???
I don't like mystery or suspense and if it's TOO educational I'll fall asleep! 
Suggestions????
Apple Dumpling DesignsI'm going to be no help here...but I tried books on CD/tape and I'd get distracted and realize that I had no idea what was going on and have to hit rewind. 
I've always been a huge fan of reading and since all my eye problems I rarely read books anymore...or at least nothing like I use to. My boss suggested books on tape to me and I actually borrowed a few...just didn't work for me.
Good luck...
Swan Valley BearsHi Daphne,
I think it would be great to listen to books on cd while working on bears. I used to rent them when I was going to be in the car by myself for a long drive. Two questions:
1) What kind of books do you like to read? (my faves are mysteries (not much help to you) and historical fiction)
2) Have you checked your local library for books on CD? Ours has them and also our video store has them.
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsYes, Daphne they work great and I "read" most of the Harry Potter books that way. They are wonderfully narrated. They actually keep you on task because your mind can't stray to other things, like painting the family room or the fact that you need to do some laundry. You hands can be happily occupied and your mind is as well!
Christchurch, New ZealandHi Daphne
I’m a great talking book fan and listen to them while I walk to work, walk the dog, renovate, garden etc etc…and although I don’t listen to them much while making bears I must admit I do get more done listening to them than watching TV.
A nationwide bookstore here in NZ produces an annual top 100 books as voted by the public so I just check out the local library to see if the have the books on that list available as talking books.
A couple I have ‘read’ recently that are good are Kate Atkinson “Behind the scenes at the museum” (great narrator) and Jodi Piccolt “My sister’s keeper”.
I tend to go by the book rather than the narrator but I do prefer woman narrators…and older men are probably my least favourite.
Happy listening
Mel
DoodlebearsHi Daphne I'm almost at the end of listening to the Half Blood Prince on CD (Harry Potter again). It's a great way of doing two things at once. Other than H.P. I've not listened to any others...some may say sad but hey you can't beat J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter stories now can you! 
Hugs Jane. 
I have all the Harry Potter stories and listen to them over and over again whilst making bears. I have so far listened to all six of them about 4 times. I'm back to the first one again at the moment. They are expensive to buy, so I borrowed most of them from our local library, and copied them onto my iPod. I have thought about listening to other stories, but I haven't bothered so far - maybe when I'm fed up of Harry Potter!
BruinwerksHi Daphne,
I've never listened to BookCDS while making bears, but wouldn't dream of a long car trip without one! My favourite (besides the everpopular Harry Potter ) is the "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith. It isn't a mystery series, but a really interesting character driven read about life in Botswana. Trust me...sounds weird, is fabulous!
As somebody else here said, the local library is a great resource for these.
Anyone else here read this series?
Baird'sBears
I love audiobooks--it takes some practice to follow them whilst working on something else, but the brain eventually adapts.
I subscribe to www.audible.com, which has gazillions of titles of all kinds, and allows me to stream books online or download and burn them to CD. The cost is quite reasonable.
Since I tutor English essay writing, I often need to review a novel or play to prepare for a student's project. As an ex English prof, I've already read most of the high school and university curriculum, but audiobooks allow me to 'reread' Hamlet or Great Expectations whilst working on a bear or cleaning the oven (as if!). It's been a major timesaver.
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsHow funny that so many of us are "into" Harry Potter!
Bears by Jodi I don't miss any thing But books on tape sound cool. Never thought about it. I will have to try some time.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Great topic! ANYTHING George Guidall (sp?) reads is guaranteed to be great!
I wear my Walkman 24/7. (DH has my iPod...)
It has AM/FM (Nat'l Public Radio!), CDs & MP3s. I could not work, drive or sleep w/o it!!! I've always said - it you're holding a book you're not holding work.
It takes me a long time to fall asleep, and I wake several times in the night (old lady syndrome/trips); I'll check in the morning how much I actually heard, starting at track 6 - 10, but ususally back all the way up to track 1. That's it - less than 5 mins & I'm out. So much for that old theory about learning a foreign langauge while you sleep!!
My only problem is that MP3s play for 10 - 15 hours, so they either wake me up are are slurping up the battery juice while I'm asleep, and still playing in the morning! So I save those for daytime listening.
iPod - Chapters: I had trouble downloading my Amy Tam books, as the chapter/tracks listed themselves in numeric order -
1
11
12
13...
2
20
21
etc..
How do you do it so that the whole thing is in one complete-as-written order? Please advise!!
Aside from the few I own, all of mine come from Library. What a treasure. Most libs are linked into extended library systems and the collections are wide open to all patrons.
"No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith.
Hi Cheryl (we were next to each other in Schaum. the year your pieces didn't arrive..) I heard my first one while on vacation last week. Parts of it were excellent but it seemed disjointed, making it was easy to fall asleep to...
Spoken word seems like a good generic name, at least I haven't come across it yet. Books on Tape, Recorded Books.. these are all copyrighted company names.
I'm into hosp for my second knee in the morning; the first done last winter is so successful that I can hardly wait!!!!! I've already packed 5 'books' plus 3 paperbacks (Amazon Used Bks) and some NFing - think that'll hold me for 2+ weeks??
Apple Dumpling DesignsThis is interesting...I seem to be the ONLY person who has responded that CAN'T do books on CD/tape. I wonder if it has something to do with being a more visual learner. I always hated lectures in college because my mind would wander off or I'd get really sleepy.
Here I am again....the odd duck. QUACK QUACK...it's because I'm a web-footed Oregonian, isn't it?
Back Road BearsOoooh, some great suggestions!
Thanks!!!
Patty - Historical Fiction probably wouldn't keep me interested either! 
HA! We can't all like the same things though now can we??!! :)
Shantell - I didn't like listening to a teacher/prof. droan on in school either and was a very poor student because I NEVER paid attention and had a mind that wandered something awful! But a few years ago when I was traveling by car every day for my job as a retail district manager I listented to a few... the Nichols Sparks books... on tape and it was wonderful. I actually couldn't WAIT to get back in the car to drive to the next place so I could continue on with the book! I did find a few narrators that put me to sleep though, just wich I could remember who they were. Anyway, I'm rambling. Perhaps you need to get a 'book' that is of real interest... one that you'd actually sit down and read. Perhaps you listen then?
Eileen - I'll have to check out that website.
Bobbie - OT.... Cheryl's pieces didn't arrive to Schaumburg????? 
You are kidding right????? That's the only thing I'm nervous about with traveling there to do this show.... that UPS will loose my bears and I'll be standing there with an empty table!!! Hearing that didn't help!
I do hope you have the same success with your other knee this week! Sounds like you'll have plenty to keep you occupied! Big hugs!!!
Now, y'all need to know that I HATE libraries. I have an embarassing allergy to them that I'd rather not share but it's true, I do! It's been years since I've set foot inside one. Perhaps it's time to revisit.... we have what looks to be a very cute little town library here where we moved to 2 years ago. Everyone loves it and knows the librarian so I'll think of it as getting involved with the community! :crackup:
I'm really excited about getting into these!!!! Perhaps I'll even try a Shakespear novel............. broaden my horizons a bit! It's never to late to be a 'well read' person is it??? :crackup:
Laurie Lou BearsShantell you aren't the only one with a wandering mind as when I was at high school I was always told off for not listening as I spent more time looking out of the window and day dreaming.My school reports used to say that Laurie doesn't know what page we are on let alone what line and at the end of a lesson they used to tell us what homework we had to do and then I realised I hadn't listened to a single thing and didn't even know what the subject was about. 
Daphne you will just have to find some tapes that interest you but it will be the same as the telly probably so that if it is too boring you will get your sewing done and if it is interesting you will get half way through the tape and find you stopped sewing!!!!
Laurie :hug:
Back Road BearsDapne you will just have to find some tapes that interest you but it will be the same as the telly probably so that if it is too boring you will get your sewing done and if it is interesting you will get half way through the tape and find you stopped sewing!!!!
Ha! I'm DOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!!! :crackup:
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Daphne, I think that Cheryl FedExed them - because we laughingly said that some of us should drive to Tennessee (from Chi) overnight and get them there.
But, No fears, as they arrived late Sat (if I remember correctly) and they were all sold within a few hours on Sun, traditionally the slower day. Cheryl's work is brill!!!
BruinwerksBobbie - OT.... Cheryl's pieces didn't arrive to Schaumburg????? You are kidding right?????
Hi Daphne
Its true! It was my first trip to Schaumburg and I was a nervous wreck. I had FEDEXed everything to the hotel and for whatever reason US customs decided to hold on to everything and not allow it in the country. I spent all of Friday on the phone to Fedex in Tennessee and the lady there couldn't understand my Western Canadian accent and I was having trouble with her Tennessee accent.
Long story short, They finally decided to 'let' Amber and Connie import them for me but they had to fill out stacks of papers which Fedex faxed to the hotel. I had 15 minutes from the time the fax came until the customs office closed for the weekend. I just remember running like a crazy person with the hotel manager through the hotel with the finished papers to fax and just made it. The bears made it on Saturday after the preshow and I don't think everything ever did get unpacked properly and I sold out for the first and only time that day. God bless Connie and Amber for everything they did for me, I couldn't have done it without them!!BTW, later in a conversation with Fedex, they admitted there was absolutely no reason to have held up my stuff 
It was just 'one of those things'
It has never happened again, honest!
Aaaah ...don't know what I would do without my Harry Potter tapes. I have all of the books on tape and listen from #1 to #6 .. ... I have lost count as to how many times I have listened to them.
On some, I hear things I missed before. Love Jim Dale as the narrator and all the different characters he portrays.
I have gotten several good ones from our local library, mysteries to Zane Gray. And when I'm not listening to the books, I listen to music on tape.
It is kinda hard to watch what you are stitching and a good movie on TV. I'm sure you will enjoy them Daphne.
Hugs,
Wanda
Bruinwerks. Cheryl's work is brill!!!
Hi Bobbie, have I told you lately that I love you?
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Thx Cheryl - and that sounds like a great title for a song!!
hggzzz - b
Baird'sBearsNow, y'all need to know that I HATE libraries. I have an embarassing allergy to them that I'd rather not share but it's true, I do!
:crackup: Me too, Daphne--love books, hate libraries, librarians loathe me on sight . . .
I don't know what it is, but I'm always at odds with the system, and finally gave up trying. The public library claims I owe $200 for four books I actually paid for when I lost them. No way will I fork it over. Now I buy, mostly used and audio, or go without. Or send my Hubs or daughter to borrow for me.
Bobbie, luv, I hope your second knee comes out as well as your first!
Mountain Dreamer BearsI love books and libraries! Books on tape or CD are especially great. Thanks for that link Eileen, the libraries here in the boondocks are tiny with limited resources and I've already listened to all their interesting books on tape/CD so this is a great resource! I like Amazon too. Especially when I get a good used book really cheap.
Daphne, if you like Harry Potter, you would probably like The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They are among my favorites. Also, the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich are a real hoot... light and entertaining. I don't know if they are on audio CD though, ...wait, I'll check .... yes! Amazon has them on CD. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Money-Stephanie-P … F8&s=books
have fun!
Bobbie, Good luck and best wishes on yoru surgery! :hug:
