Book Notes, Part 2

I can't say that I'm pleased with the new Typepad.  I am having problems formatting, and what's worse fixing the formatting errors after the fact.  I can only hope it will get better as I get more familiar with it (and learn what annoying things to avoid).

More frustrations.  I'm learning the shortcomings of listening to audio books on my MP3 player.  It's nearly impossible to listen to anything in the cold, dark, windy November mornings (just when I need a little distraction  most).  Aside from the fact that the wind has been so miserably strong that the little earplugs actually blow out of my ears (and why is it that no matter what direction I happen to be walking, the wind is always hitting my face, and never at my back?), and it's really hard to navigate the little buttons wearing gloves to say nothing of getting those earplugs put back comfortably in my ears?  Trivialities I know, but I've become very dependent on my little player on my morning and evening walks.

I've also discovered that nonfiction is really very hard to follow in audio.  In all fairness those technical difficulties I've been experiencing do nothing to enhance the experience.  I've been listening to Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August, which is interesting, but how is one supposed to keep track of all those heads of state--kings,princes, tsars, emperors, and all those generals?  The world changed irrevocably after the death of Edward VII.  Tuchman begins the book with his funeral in 1910 and then goes into the Germany's desire for military superiority and their plans on how to achieve it (mainly via Belgium and into France).  They thought they could accomplish it in a matter of only a few months (doesn't that sound familiar?).  And I'm in need of maps, and the War has not even broke out  yet.  If I make it through all 21 parts of this audio, I think my  only goal will be to get a general idea of that first month (which is what the book covers) of the War.  Further reading will be necessary.

On a happier note, I'm completely immersing myself into Elizabeth Jane Howard's The Light Years.  I did read this once before, but I've managed to forget most of the story it seems.  I have the vaguest sense that it's all a little familiar, but I couldn't tell you what's going to happen next.  I've decided to take the suggestion that I should read Howard's autobiography Slipstream alongside the four books.  I won't start right away, but it will be interesting to compare fact with fiction.  By the way the novel begins in 1937, and EJH has a wonderfully comfortable writing style and she writes about an infinitely interesting family (the book includes charts of the family, which come in quite useful).  One reviewer called it a "wonderful old stuffed sofa of a book".  I like the way that sounds, and they captured what I'm feeling so far perfectly. 

One more note that's sort of exciting.  I complain about my city never attracting any or many literary figures that interest me.  As it happens my public library will be hosting author, Vicki Myron, author of Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.  She'll be speaking and signing books on December 6.  I should take advantage of this literary opportunity, since there are so few of them locally, and it sounds like it could be fun.  And don't you think Dewey was just about as cute a cat as could be?  I don't know any library cats, but I have met a couple of bookstore cats.  Somehow I imagine her book would be very pleasing to listen to on audio, too (and requiring no maps!).

Comments

[Sylvia]

Hmm, and here I was jealous of all the people who are on the new platform already! I tried the new comment system today and was not terribly impressed. I wish they would work out the problems before releasing their updates.

I agree that nonfiction audiobooks are hard to listen to. I have the same problem you do, that is, keeping track of all the facts and names. I now stick to fiction on audio.

[Danielle]

Sylvia--I wish they would work out the bugs first, too!! I wish I could go back to the old version. I haven't played around in it much (no time yet), but you seem to get more options in the new version. Still, when I tried things that I didn't like, I couldn't make it go back to the old way. For example yesterday's post is partially justified to align both left and right sides. I decided I didn't like that and tried to get it back to just left justified. As you see I couldn't quite make it work and decided to give up on it. This post should have had two photos, but I had problems sizing the second one, then tried to delete them both, and could only get rid of one, but it seems to look okay, so I finally left that, too. The spellcheck quite frankly sucks (pardon my language). Now it highlights in yellow the words it thinks are wrong, only it picks up only parts of words sometimes--like "those" it highlighted only "ose". Now really, what's going on there? And it missed words that were spelled wrong. Very irritating. What has changed with the comment function--I think I have not yet spotted all the changes! I suppose I'll get used to it...
And as for NF audio books--I will listen to a bit more, but I already feel a little lost in the second chapter and that seems like a bad thing. Maybe I would do better with a biography than a book on history. I do really enjoy fiction, though, and have plenty of other books loaded I can listen to as well!

[BooksPlease]

I keep meaning to read Slipstream and actually read the first few pages a while ago then other books demanded that I read them. I love EJH's books and would love to have time to re-read them. I expect I've forgotten most of the detail of the stories by now.

The Soup's On blog is on Typepad and I found it difficult to post on there before - I use WordPress, which I like and find much easier to use than Blogger (where I started). I haven't tried it for months because of that.

[litlove]

Oh I feel for you, having the horrid wind whip your earphones out! How frustrating! It's like when I wake in the middle of the night and reach for my mp3 player and find the battery's gone flat. And I hadn't thought about the difficulties of listening to non-fiction on audio but I can see how right you are. You need more story-based non fiction, like David Sedaris or someone. I get chills down my spine thinking of the Cazalet chronicles - I loved them so the first time around. The BBC did a TV version, and it was good, but not quite so wonderful as the books. And I do hope you enjoy Slipstream - I loved it.

[Darlene]

Danielle, Are you using the earbuds that fit right inside your ear? They come with 3 different size adapters to match your ear canal and those babies stay in! Also, put your hood up or get a headband to keep the wind noise out. I walk about 10 km a day with my dog and would be lost w/o my iPod.

[Sylvia]

I'm sorry to hear about the problems with the system. The new commenting system was just launched as part of "Typepad Connect," which is going to be a commenting system anyone can use on any blog to track comments, and will become built-in with Typepad. It's nice because it uses avatars and allows threading of comments, but there are bugs. The big one for me is that it conflicts with the Amazon product previews code and puts a whole lot of gobbledegook at the end of the page. Their suggestion is to remove the Amazon code. Aaarrgghh!!!

Typepad isn't as helpful as they used to be. I think they have gotten too big and complicated to keep up with the technology. I think it's still the most versatile platform out there, though, so I guess we have to put up with it.

[Stefanie]

It's been windy here too and no matter which direction I ride my bike the wind is blowing in my face. It wore me out that Thursday and Friday I drove to work because I couldn't deal with it anymore.

Have fun going to see the Dewey author. Please report back on it :)

[Sylvia]

I misspoke: Typepad is not the most versatile platform out there, Squarespace is, and it's cheaper! I am seriously considering switching if Typepad doesn't get its act together...

[Danielle]

BooksPlease--I have had no problems with Typepad until now, but I find this switch a bit annoying. I don't like Blogger at all. Wordpress seems good--at least to post comments on. I'm looking forward to reading Slipstream--and am really enjoying The Light Years (the first Cazalet book). The story seems familiar, but it's sad how much detail from books I lose after a while!
Litlove--I think I'd really like David Sedaris on audio. I've yet to come across him at the library and am contemplating subscribing to Audible (paying for audio books), though I haven't quite talked myself into that (it could be really dangerous!). Just reading NF there is so much to keep straight and remember, it seems impossible on audio. Maybe a nice travel narrative or something would work. I love EJH's novels, so I imagine her autobiography should be very entertaining as well!
Darlene--It's weird as one earbud stays in really well and the other not so much. I must have different size ear canals!! I should look for an adapter. And I tend to wear one of those head bands that cover my ears--it will only require a little forethought to get myself together in the morning as I am always unraveling the cord to my player and turning it on as I walk!
Sylvia--I am so behind the times!! I hadn't even heard of this commenting system--how interesting. If the bugs are at all as annoying as what was happening with Bloglines it is not going to be pretty. I've had good luck with Typepad so far, but if they don't fix these new problems I should take a look at other providers as well. I had not heard of Squarespace--I've only just taken a little peek, but their blogs look pretty spiffy, too. Thanks for the heads up. I really do need to check out the Typepad blog and find out what's going on and what other users are encountering.
Stefanie--Riding a bike in the wind would probably be more irritating than walking as you are already creating your own blast of air as you go. I don't blame you for driving--I always look forward to those mornings my husband doesn't have to work and can drop me off!! And I will definitely report back on Dewey--I hope to be able to go!

[Cornflower]

Slipstream was wonderful - I enjoyed it so much I wrote to EJH to say so and got a lovely letter back.

[Dorothy W.]

I haven't tried much nonfiction on audio (and I listen in the car, which is probably easier than listening while walking in the wind!). I'm afraid I'd always want to be backing up and listening to things over again. I need to pause a lot with nonfiction to let things sink in.

[Danielle]

Cornflower--How cool. I finally started Slipstream today--I couldn't wait any longer--right after reading a section in The Light Years and I can see where she got her inspiration for characters! I can't wait to read more.
Dorothy--I am also a very slow NF reader--particularly history, so I'm not sure I'm going to continue on with The Guns of August. There is no going back with audio, unless you want to listen to an entire section again--not really practical. I may stick with fluffy-ish fiction reads. Maybe a biography would work or something lighter with NF. I wonder how other people manage it, as there is lots of heavy duty NF audio to choose from at my library!

[Matt]

Dewey is soooo cute! I have the book sitting on my night-stand and will start reading it on Thanksgiving Day. I envy you that the author will have a literary event. You're going right? :)

After thoroughly enjoying the audio books of Guernsey Literary, I listen to more of other titles. Think Dewey would be a fun one as well.

[Danielle]

Matt--Dewey as a kitten was darling, and very pretty, too, as a cat! I am planning on going to hear the author speak and may just have to buy one of the autographed copies of the book! Literary events here are few and far in between, but that will be a busy weekend as the Thursday before is my library's book sale, too! The Guernsey book would have been a great book to listen too--I like this sort of audio book and need to find more like them.

[Euro Crime (Karen M)]

I use "marshmallow" ear phones - bit like ear plugs - and these are much better than the ear phones I got with my cd player. I commute on a train that gets noisy when the windows are open and in the past I couldn't hear my book! I think they'll stop in better as they expand to fit you ear rather than hook in.

[Danielle Torres]

Karen--I have never seen those, but I will look for them now. Mine do just sit in your ears and they don't always work very well--one or the other is always falling out. I've also decided that my ears are not the same size, which I think is sort of weird! Also I have a trouble drowning out traffic when I'm walking--not so much with music, but I can never seem to get the volume up loud enough with books to cut out all the noise.