Jane Austen -- Out Loud

I think I've mentioned here that I love Jane Austen.  Have I mentioned that I also love audio books?  Well combine the two and I'm in a little corner of heaven. 

Over the past few years I've collected most of the Jane Austen books on audio tape or CD, but there has been one version that I was never happy with.  I had a version of Pride and Prejudice that was read by a woman with a deep and gravely voice.  At first listen I thought, oh this will be fun, she can do all the men's voices as well as the women's, but the overall effect was ... well, in a word, awful.  Horrible.  Icky, even. 

The voice and the dramatic ability of the reader is SO important with audio books.  Especially with something in a period piece like the Jane Austen works.  Now, maybe I'm a bit spoiled having listened to Jim Dale do all the Harry Potter books, but honestly, if you're going to have somebody read through a whole book, unabridged, it ought to be somebody who is pleasant to listen to.  It doesn't even have to be Jim Dale quality for me, but it does need to be pleasant, and not overly singsong (don't get me started on having Michael York reading ruining The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia boxed set I got -- although I have to say the bad experience was nicely balanced by the heaven of listening to Jeremy Northam reading The Silver Chair - oh yummy yummy, I could just eat him up!)

ANYway, despite the gruff voice that grated on me, I held onto my Pride & Prejudice tapes and listened to them frequently, not wanting to admit that I had wasted money. 

Fate rescued me!  One of the tapes broke.  All gucked up in the tape player!  Whoohoo!!  I was free to order a new copy without guilt.

Shopping with no ability to preview the voice of the reader is majorly frustrating!  That's worth an email complaint or two.  But I'm here to tell you that the new CD version has arrived and is splendid, mahvelous, so soothing to the ear it's brought me back to my full state of bliss, in my little corner of heaven here, with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice (read by golden throated Irene Sutcliffe!)

Color me happy!

Comments

[Chandigarh]

Great post! I'm a big Austen fan too. Chick flick or not.

[jessica]

a bad reader can ruin a good audio book for sure!

[Karla]

I love Jane Austen on audiobook! And you are so right that the reader makes a world of difference. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Felicia]

I think Jim Dale's groovy voiced spoiled a lot of us :)

[Jan]

I was just introduced to this blog and feel like I have found a kindred spirit. How wonderful! I really enjoy this blog. Will that cream cheese brownie recipe be coming soon? I can't wait.

[Gina]

Great post! I'm a big Austen fan too. Chick flick or not, my husband took me to see Becoming Jane, and he enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. I've featured Jane on my website this month, actually!

[Celeritas]

Have you heard the Stephen Fry Harry Potter book?

[teathyme]

I stumbled across this site and read your last entry. I, too, am a lover of all things tea as well as Jane Austen and audio books.
I have been very pleased with audible.com. They allow you to preview each book before purchasing - so you CAN hear the voices first! ;) Then, you download the purchased book to your computer and listen to it on your computer or write it to cds and listen to it in any cd player or you can listen to it on an ipod or other mp3 device.

[Lord of the rings audio books]

Audio books are here to stay . I am in love with them . Not only its interesting to hear voices , you can enjoy them while moving. I hear audio books all the time in my car . One of my friend is so crazy about audio books . He takes long routes to get back to his home . You can find some cheaper audio book library online .

[Ree]

Congratulations on ruining your tapes:)
Enjoy listening!
Ree

[vicki]

Anne Hathaway plays Jane Austen in "Becoming Jane." Have you seen the movie?

Another recent movie was good, altho critics didn't think so..."The Jane Austen Book Club"

Both movies are called "chick flicks" but I rather enjoyed them. They are on DVD.