Audiobooks for long train trip

Cafe Society
1

I’m taking a 50-hour trip (bus to Chicago, then the Southwest Chief to LA and the Sunset Limited up the coast). And I’ve got some longer audiobooks I could load on my phone.

I’ve done this before, and found out that the train jostled a little too much to do any real artwork, and I got motion sickness after reading a few pages. So last trip I stared out the window while I listened to stories set on trains.

I’ve got some A-Books that have been long enough that I’ve been hesitant to start them if I have a busy week ahead. But that won’t be a problem!

Here are my longest ones:

The Hallmarked Man – The latest Robt. Galbraith (yes, someone gave money to a transphobic, but that’s already done, so I might as well listen). I’ve put it off because someone said there were so many characters they had to keep notes. And it’s over 30 hours!
• So, anyone read this? Is it worth it?

Sherlock Holmes – ALL of the stories (72 hrs). I just bought this because it’s read by Stephen Fry!

The Widow – I’ve passed on a lot of John Grisham, but I read that this was a good ol’ whodunnit. Less than half the length of The Hallmarked Man…
• Any good?

Artemis – Andy Weir. I’d bought Project : Hail Mary for the trip, but couldn’t wait, finished it already.
• Is Artemis up there with his other work?

I could just focus on shorter works by some random favorite authors: the latest Sulari Gentill and Alan Bradley, older classics from Tony Hillerman (and his daughter), Brad Meltzer, David Rosenfelt and some Manly Tales of Adventure from Hammond Innes.

So what’s your first reaction? Any of the long ones worth investing my entire trip in? Anything else you’d recommend? Thanks for the help…

2

I was going to suggest Project : Hail Mary. I’m curious what others think of Artemis; it’s on my to-do list.

If you like Murdebot and have a premium Spotify account, those are included. Spotify does have a limit of 15 hours of audiobooks per month, though.

3

I’m going to ask: why don’t you just enjoy the train? Why isolate yourself from others by listening to an audiobook the whole way?

I’ve done long train trips before, on Canada’s Via Rail, and part of the fun and charm of the journey is getting to know your fellow passengers. In the lounge car, in the dining car, in the hours and days you’re going to be together.

I can also understand audiobooks for trips measured in hours, such as on an aircraft.

But I cannot understand why one would isolate oneself on a train for a few days, listening to audiobooks. The best part of the trip, IMHO, is getting to know your fellow passengers.

4

The Sunset Limited goes from LA to New Orleans. Perhaps you mean the Coast Starlight?

Nah, the best part of an Amtrak trip is sealing myself up alone in my roomette and staring out the window while I eat my steak & prawns dinner that came included with the price of the sleeper.

5

I love Sherlock Holmes.

6

I sometimes listen to audiobooks when I’m driving, but I discovered that driving distracts me enough that I really need to listen to something exciting and fast-paced to follow it. When I fly or ride along with someone, I usually take advantage by listening to teaching audiobooks (e.g. The Great Courses). The lectures on history are my favorites and I learn quite a bit. Plus, they are in bite-size lectures, so I can listen for a short time, turn it off and enjoy conversation or scenery, and then go back to it.

7

Thanks for the advice, Dopesters. Any other recommendations?

IF I like Murderbot?!? I’ve been through the series six times. There are “full cast” audiobooks as well, and I have both versions of them all.

I agree, and I got “adopted” by a huge Amish family (4 generations) on my last trip. But between chatting with them and playing New Testament Apples to Apples, there were still spells of an hour or two with nothing to do.

And I do get “peopled out”…

I found that audiobooks were best because I could “read a book” while focused on the scenery (we went through Navajo Country close to sunset - spectacular, especially since I’d never been through the Southwest).

8

I loved The Martian and Project Hail Mary, so bought Artemis as soon as it was released. Ugh. Weir tries to channel a teen aged girl and fails miserably. IMO, she was not only unbelievable, but a thoroughly repellant personality. A minor plot point concerns a reusable condom: 1) Ick and 2) Why?

Save your money. I bought TLOTR voiced by Andy Serkis; it never gets old.

9

Now you’ve got me thinking about taking along some old “classics” from my backup drive : LOTR, Harry Potter, Wooster & Jeeves, Jack Reacher/Travis McGee/Philip Marlowe/Flavia DeLuce…

And thanks for the cautionary word. Got a similar caveat about The Widow from a friend (during the Puppy Bowl today).