AB 09 | Dash of Confidence and Thug Notes

The Audiobooks.com Podcast | Let Us Tell You A Story

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Welcome back to the Audiobooks.com podcast! We are so excited to share with you some of the items on our reading list, discuss a bit of how narrators have impacted our audiobook choices, and hint as to what's coming next. We hope that by sharing some of the things we are reading (or listening to), it will encourage you to read them as well so that we can have a discussion about these audiobooks.

There is plenty to discuss from a technical, or even entertainment, side of audiobooks, but here at the Audiobooks.com podcast we are avid book lovers. What good is discussing an audiobook without actually discussing what the book is made of?

NEWS

In August of 2015, Thug Notes: A Street-Smart Guide to Classic Literature was released. The book is written by Sparky Sweets, Ph. D., and the audiobook is narrated by Greg Edwards, running 6 hours and 19 minutes in length. Whether you know classic literature like the back of your hand, or you never have anything to comment on when the discussion is brought up in social circles, this book was written for everyone who has a funny bone.

The book is based off a web series from 2013, hosted by the author, and are still available on YouTube (search for Thug Notes, you’ll find it!). You might call it colloquial, insofar that it speaks in familiar conversation (depending on your definition of familiar), you might call it a parody, but it astutely finds its way to the heart of each piece of classic literature, makes the work appealing and comprehensible, and far less daunting. Maybe it’ll make you actually want to read Crime and Punishment!

UPCOMING

It’s still the beginning of September, but October is quickly approaching! As we finally start to bring out the sweaters and jeans, request pumpkin spice lattes at the cafe, and watch the leaves turn, it’s also time to start thinking about the season of reading. Next month we’ll be diving into some horror and suspense novels! The likes of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Chuck Palahniuk, Dan Simmons… Or if you want to go a bit further back, the father of horror H. P. Lovecraft or Henry James.

There are plenty of options, so stay tuned to hear what we’re reading, and send us an email if you have a recommendation!

IMPORTANCE OF THE NARRATOR

In talking about possibilities for our horror and suspense kick in October, Addy shares that she was just not able to get into Stephen King’s Finders Keepers, narrated by actor Will Patton. Patton has a very unique voice and is generally very crucial to the characters he plays on television and film. But this brought up a very interesting discussion of how a narrator can make or break a book. When a narrator’s voice is too unique, does it turn you off?

The face-off of narrators this week ended up being Wil Wheaton vs Will Patton, as Addy said it took no time at all to cruise through the first six chapters of Ready Player One narrated by Wil Wheaton. Brian expressed a concern, before beginning the audiobook himself, over whether he’d like Wheaton as a voice actor having enjoyed his presence in a little space odyssey you might have heard of… Star Trek?

THE CONFIDENCE CODE

In preparation for this week’s episode, Addy listened to The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance. The book was written by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman and released back in April of 2014. The audiobook is narrated by Sandy Rustin and runs 6 hours and 47 minutes.

This book comes highly recommended by Addy, for women and men. Though the book is directed toward women, its truths aren’t specific to women. Utilizing science and society’s understanding of confidence, this book breaks down the different layers that comprise the often ambiguous state of being. Confused either with arrogance, when used in excess, or self-loathing, when not used at all, this book’s usefulness comes in how it breaks down what confidence is, how our body uses it and interprets it, and why women use it so differently than men.

Fair warning, it’s a bit science-heavy. Technical terms aside, it’s interesting, at the very least, to be clued in to how involved all the processes are. If you struggle with confidence, like many do, this book provides some reassurance that what is happening to your body occurs for a variety of reasons and that those reasons are conquerable! This book isn’t a how-to, but it does assert that we are capable of learning to be confident.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Addy is learning Italian! Capitalizing on Audiobooks.com’s supply of Pimsleur audiobooks, she will be working her way through those language helpers. And, in the meantime, Rework by Jason Fried is also in her queue (narrated by Mike Chamberlain).

Brian is reading Ready Player One, as discussed, and we’ll be ready to talk about that book in a week or two! He also got interested in Thug Notes and wants to start that audiobook as well.

What’s in your queue? Let us know!

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Books & Resources Mentioned

The Confidence Code by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay

Finders Keepers by Stephan King

Thug Notes by Sparky Sweets PhD

Learn To Speak Italian with Pimsleur Learning Programs

Rework by Jason Fried

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline