12+ My son loved books. And I loved reading to and with him in his early years and watching him grow into an independent reader. However, in his teenage years, he became a "reluctant reader". Thankfully, my son found audiobooks. And with a family account, he and I are building libraries of our favourites.
My son's library includes the seven-book Harry Potter series and Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, both narrated by the silken voice of Stephen Fry. He's also added several travel books by Michael Palin, whose travel documentaries inspired my travels in the 1990s.
My library reflects how I read traditional books, with several on the go at once. At the moment, I'm dipping in and out of classics like Selected Hemingway Stories, Fahrenheit 451 and the Orwell Collection (Animal Farm and 1984). And in the nonfiction category, I'm enjoying The Storyteller by Dave Grohl and Can't Buy Me Love by Jonathan Gould (29 hours and 52 minutes on The Beatles!).
I have finished a dozen other audiobooks, fiction and nonfiction. And if pressed for my favourites, I would nominate three books:
Note: Click on a book cover to view on Amazon (affiliate links).
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin
Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman
Traditional Books vs Technology
There are often debates in the ABC Book Club between traditionalists, those who prefer "real" books, versus those who have embraced technology, ebooks and audiobooks.
I love the feel of a "real" book, its weight in my hands and the tactile pleasure of turning pages. But I've also got a Kindle and various ebook apps on a tablet. And I share my blog posts and other writing for reading online on Tall And True.
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As I observed in another blog post, To Kindle or not to Kindle?, "real" books come in various formats and media nowadays. I still have a pile of paper-based books on my bedside table. But I have ebooks, too.
And, thanks to my son, when I'm out and about, I also have audiobooks.
© 2021 Robert Fairhead
With thanks to Felix Lichtenfeld from Pixabay for sharing the image of the audiobook.
N.B. You might like to read this earlier post on my son's journey with books, Bedtime Stories.
Robert shares his writing on Tall And True and blogs on his eponymous website, RobertFairhead.com. He also writes and narrates episodes for the Tall And True Short Reads storytelling podcast, which features his short stories, blog posts, and other writing.
Robert's book reviews and other writing have appeared in print and online media. He has published three short story collections — Both Sides of the Story (2020), Twelve Furious Months (2021) and Twelve More Furious Months (2022) —, a microfiction anthology, Tall And True Microfiction (2023), and a collection of speculative fiction, One Day in the Life of Alex's AI and Other Speculative Fiction (2024).
In addition to writing, Robert's favourite pastimes include reading, watching the Sydney Swans Aussie Rules football team with his son, and walking his dog.
He has also enjoyed a one-night stand ... as a stand-up comic.