4k mile drive: audiobooks? Narnia?

[reh]

I'm looking for something to listen to on a long drive (almost 4k miles) I've got coming up. I'm thinking about getting The Chronicles of Narnia audiobook (iTunes link), but is it worth $65? I did enjoy the movie that was out recently, so I thought it might be nice to hear the whole story.

Also, for anyone that has already purchased this from iTunes, how large is the download? My connection is decent, but it's not the fastest (about 35 to 40 kilobytes per second).

 

[irain]

Hey. I'd buy it. 4,000 miles is a longride. I'm not really a fan of fictitious novels, but as far as my liking for fiction goes, Narnia has my vote. I saw the movie and I don't think it served the novel any justice. If you're interested in the more in depth, complete version, then go for it. $65 is worth it, in my opinion.

 

[BoyBach]

I'm looking for something to listen to on a long drive (almost 4k miles) I've got coming up. I'm thinking about getting The Chronicles of Narnia audiobook (iTunes link), but is it worth $65? I did enjoy the movie that was out recently, so I thought it might be nice to hear the whole story.

Also, for anyone that has already purchased this from iTunes, how large is the download? My connection is decent, but it's not the fastest (about 35 to 40 kilobytes per second).

It's definitely worth a read/listen, 'Narnia' is a classic children's story.

 

[reh]

Cool, I just might go for it then. And it should last me just about the whole trip, so I won't have to buy anything else.

 

[macquariumguy]

If you haven't read any of the books, note that the prose is somewhat challenging having been written 60+ years ago. I read them recently and really had to concentrate to get the most out of it.

They're good books and worth a read (children's books or not) but might not be the best thing to listen to while driving.

 

[d wade]

not sure who you are traveling with but what i do is... i download stand-up comedy shows.

the HBO specials are usually 60-90 mins which is quite long. and you can laugh and have fun and sort of zone out while driving. laughing usually makes time fly.

also.. i have sirius satellite radio, and howard stern can make 5 hours go by in a flash. he's hysterical. you can get his shows on mp3 as well.

 

[reh]

I'll be traveling alone. That's why I need something to listen to, I might go bonkers otherwise. I have thought about comedy and I'm still considering buying some. However, the idea of hearing a story sounds kind of appealing.

I listened to the preview of Narnia on the iTMS and liked the narrator's voice and the overall feel. It's still kind of my frontrunner at the moment. Thanks for all the input!

 

[balamw]

Have you considered buying the same audiobook for $38 used on Amazon. Then when you are done simply sell it back to someone else on a long car trip.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00...965584/ref=sr_1_4/102-1436820-9489731?ie=UTF8

Note that since there are multiple books here there are also multiple narrators.

B

 

[reh]

I did look at amazon, but I very much dislike that POS store. So I'd rather not give them any money. I will look more into the used market though. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks.

 

[jsw]

For such a long ride, I also recommend audiobooks. The stand-up routines are good for a change of pace, but a good long book series will make the hours melt away.

You don't want something too deep because you want it to help you pass the time, not completely distract you. Narnia is fine, and the narrators are top-notch. Is it long enough, though? I forget the total time of all of the books.

Harry Potter, believe it or not, is also a good listen.

I'm thinking, though, that buying a few books of different types, or at least authors, might be better in case you grow weary of the one series you bought to last you the whole trip.

 

[balamw]

Harry Potter, believe it or not, is also a good listen.

The narration is top notch, and the subject matter is quite entertaining! Much more accessible than Narnia too since the use of language is a bit more modern.

I agree with the comments to have some variety and perhaps some shorter material as well.

Another "light" series of books I have enjoyed as audiobooks, but would never buy or read as books are Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. It's largely the narration by Lorelei King that makes them so enjoyable for me.

B