Huh. That’s an interesting idea, Mangetout. I know we have a computer microphone thingy somewhere (note my use of complex technological terminology). I’ll ask my husband how good it is, and how to set up recording space etc.
It’s amazing how differently books read aloud- we tried several that just didn’t work, like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and The Left Hand of Darkness. There’s an Ursusla K. Le Guin essay on the difference between authors who ‘hear’ their work, and authors who ‘see’ it, and the difference in written rhythm. if a books reads aloud well, you can get lost in the feel of the words.
Most of the Discworld books are available in audio format, I think. If I were to record I’d probably do Robin McKinley or L. M. Montgomery. Or maybe Garth Nix. We’re Tolkien/Lewis-ites, but Mr. Lissar hasn’t read Till We Have Faces yet: that’s a possibility. Bugger. McKinley wouldn’t be public domain. L. M. Montgomery would be, though. And someone bloody ought to record Deerskin and Sunshine, although I don’t want to infringe on copyright.
So far, my compiled list goes: The Golden Gate, Persuasion, Good Omens, The Princess Bride, The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Momo, A Fortunate Life, Charlotte’s Web. I’ve read most of Discworld, but Mr. Lissar has only read Night Watch and Thief of Time, so I might do The Truth or Going Postal. I liked Good Omens, but I remember occasionally feeling like Pratchett/Gaiman was shouting “Message, people! Message! Pay attention!”
Epic poems and classic plays are good choices, since they are meant to be communicated aloud. I don’t have a lot of experience here, but Sir Gawain and the Green Knight could be good. I also retold that and Beowolf as stories, not epic poems, to our older daughter, and it was fun.
That would have to be Patrick McManus - another good suggestion.
I’ll also put a plug in for Shakespeare, but those may work better as a dialogue - a comedy such a Taming of the Shrew maybe?
Oh, finally, maybe Dickens - my mom read A Christmas Carol on a car trip, and it was neat.
We’ve both read Alphabet of Thorns, but I could maybe get A Song for the Basilisk out of the library.
jsgoddess, have you read the new Garth Nix anthology yet? Mr. Lissar read me Endings and the story about the Lady of the Lake. It’s a great collection.
I think my favourite authors (just for everyone’s reference, and because I’m sure you all care) are Robin McKinley, C. S. Lewis, Garth Nix, Tolkien, Diana Gabaldon, Annie Dillard, L. M. Montgomery, Chaim Potok, and Tad Williams. I’ve read practically all of everything they’ve written. I have lots of secondary favourite authors, but those ones are on top.
I wonder how Cynthia Voigt reads aloud. A Solitary Blue might be good.
We should have some friends over and do a Shakespeare play aloud. A comedy. Maybe in a month or two.
Ooh, A Song for the Basilisk is an excellent choice.
No, I haven’t read anything by Nix other than the Abhorsen books (which I thought were spectacular) and the first book in the Seventh Tower? series, which was fine but had no closure at all.
Schuyler, Patrick McManus! Of course. Thanks for doing my thinking for me.
I’ve been reading to Zyada for a while now, lately some of Sampiro’s stories found on this very board, and tonight some selections from archy and mehitabel. (Scroll down for the pieces I’m working through. My favourite might be ‘archy interviews a pharaoh’, but I recall some of the later ones fondly and might change my mind.
Maybe I’ll do some more poetry after that. This thread has some great suggestions, and this one has some prose I like.
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Yaaay, someone else who’s read (and loves) them all! I just finished re-reading them for the bajillionth time last month. A question, since we’re here: in Anne’s House of Dreams, Anne and Susan (or is it Anne & Leslie?) are talking about “shortening” Little Jem. Do you know what that means? Is it just that he gets to wear shorter baby dresses, or is it something else? The way they talk about it sounds more significant than just the clothes.
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Let’s see. You probably have them, but in case you don’t: there are a ton more L.M. Montgomery books, if you both like those – the Emily trilogy, and the Pat books, and the miscellaneous others.
Have you read anything by Anne Lamott? I haven’t read her fiction, but I love her non-fiction: Traveling Mercies and Operating Instructions were both wonderful. She’s so funny and honest, and she has led an interesting life, to say the least.
If you can do the accents at all, Brian Jacques’ Redwall series is wonderful. I like the Jane Austen idea, too.
I don’t know about reading it aloud, but I looooved The Twentieth Wife, by Indu Sundaresan. It’s completely captivating – I didn’t want it to end (I didn’t like the sequel as much, though).
We have Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott, and I’ve read Travelling Mercies and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. We both really like her writing. She’s really funny and honest. She, Annie Dillard, Madeleine L’Engle, and Kathleen Norris are my favourite still alive writers who write about Christianity. Annie Dillard sometimes scares me, she’s so direct.
