I run. In general, I like running, but sometimes it gets a bit tedious. To combat that, I often listen to books while running. A few months ago I discovered www.audible.com - a place where I can download books to listen to while running. Whooo-eee! It’s great!
Only now, when I need a new book, I can’t seem to find one that appeals to me. So I open the choice to the masses - which book should I get next?
There are certain requirements that must be met. I can’t really listen to very complex books while running, because my bleeding lungs, feet, and legs take up too much of my attention. I need light reading, upbeat, the equivalent of “beach books” - ie, those paperbacks you pick up while on vacation that you’d normally not be caught dead reading but are fun to read while you’re sitting next to the pool with a drink with a tiny umbrella in it.
I prefer unabridged books, but will consider abridged ones if necessary.
That’s about it. Previously, I’ve downloaded and listened to:
The Nanny Diaries
The Devil Wears Prada
Under the Banner of Heaven
Middlesex - which wasn’t a good pick. It’s interesting enough, but requires too much brain power to listen to while running. Couldn’t finish it.
The first three were good books for running. Very light, and if I zoned out for a minute or two I could easily pick up the story line.
Do you like John Grisham? I also saw Stephen King’s From A Buick 8, which I just finished a couple of weeks ago and liked. Janet Evanovich is terrific. Her books are very light reads. It’s best to try to start with One For The Money if you can. That’s 10 books right there if you like the first one.
Grisham is a bit too pulp fictiony for me. I’ve read his books and enjoyed them, but can’t get too excited about yet another Grisham book. I’ll check out Janet Evanovich.
Third for Evanovich. And I’ve heard good things about the Shopaholic books. Terry Prachett’s fun, if you’re into that sort of thing [what sort of thing? uh… social commentary/satire wrapped up in a wacky fantasy novel]. They’ve got Moving Pictures, which I haven’t gotten to yet, but is very probably good.
I see that there are a good many books available by Maeve Binchy. “Circle of Friends” is probably the best. (Firefly Summer is the best by her that I have read.
These are easy reads and Binchy really has a way with words and descriptions.
Garrison Keillor’s “News from Lake Woebegone” are better heard than read. Light, sweet, amusing, touching.
Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy”, “Restaurant at the end of the Universe”, “Life, the Universe, and Everything”, and “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”. Mad, mad, mad.
**Lola Carlyle Reveals All ** by Rachel Gibson. Probably not on audio.
Any Amanda Quick or Jayne Ann Krentz book. (same woman, diff. genre. Quick - regency romance. (Which I love.) Krentz - contemporary. Very much brain candy that is hard to resist when decontaminating your mind from the toxicity of the world. (Remember, there is comfort is formulaic writtings.
Another notch up the totem pole from complete fluffy would be: **Girls Poker Night Out ** by Jill Davis. Somewhere along the lines of Bridget Jones Diary.
