The Wonders of Listening

I don't know if there are many people who listen to Audiobooks, or even to spoken word on the radio but I just love having people talk to me. I also subscribe to a number of podcasts. During the summer, where I have a lot more time on my hands, it sometimes gets so bad that I don't know what to do unless someone is talking to me!

My favourite audiobooks and radio series' are as follows:

1. Animals of Farthing Wood.



This was my childhood. It was on the BBC for 3 series, and I had an audiobook. I must have listened to it every night until the cassette tapes broke, and then I think insisted that I got new tapes and wore those out. It was amazing, and from the TV series anyway, it was real. The animals died which is uncommon in children's TV nowadays. I found the intro theme on Youtube, and the nostalgia had me tearing up!

2. Earthsearch



When I grew up a bit mum let me in on the wonders of Earthsearch. It's a sci-fi radio drama from the 1980's, set on a ship that has been searching for an earth type planet, and when it returns home, the earth has vanished. It's amazing, as is the sequel and the spin off series. We also abused this until the cassette's gave out. Thankfully, the BBC brought out CD version's of it so we now have those to see us through.

3. Old Harry's Game



A radio comedy set in Hell of all places. As a Christian, you would think I wouldn't approve as it does have a tendency to be a bit... well... blasphemous. But, I really, really enjoy it. Mum and I have spent countless hours on car journeys, outside on the grass, or just sitting by the CD player listening and guffawing at this hilarious series, written and starring the same guy who writes for BBC's Outnumbered.

4. Pillars of The Earth



I bought this as a book for Mum ages ago. I just liked the front cover, I don't even think I looked at the synopsis. She said she enjoyed it when she finally finished reading but I was put off by the sheer size of it. It's  a MASSIVE 976 pages of tiny print. This is the sort of book that you either love or hate. Then it was turned into a TV mini series made of the book starring Donald Sutherland, Ian McShane, Eddie Redmayne, Matthew Macfayden and Hayley Atwell. I LOVED the series, and so decided to get into the book... however, I cheated. I signed up for an audiobook website, and was given a credit for a book. I wanted to find the biggest book I could, and this was it. A massive 40 hours of audio. And I lapped up every second. I did the same for the sequel World Without End (also now being turned into a mini series!)

5. BBC Radio 4 / Radio 4 Extra

Everything from drama's to books to comedies. Whenever I run out of things to listen to, I always go and check out BBC iPlayer to see what's there that I can listen to. Some of my favourites are the dramatised Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Poirot, Agatha Rasin and Cabin Pressure.

Do you listen to programs on the radio? Or Audiobooks? Have you a favourite?

Sarah xx

The Pillars Of The Earth

I love Ken Follett!

Well, never personally met the man, but what I suppose I should say instead is that I love his creation. The Pillars of The Earth was a book he wrote, and published in 1989.

I bought the book for my mum for Christmas one year when I was younger and didn't really put much thought into present buying. Usually mum was the book with the coolest cover, and dad the item with the funniest meaning, like some novelty socks or tie.

Twenty years after it was published it was made into a 8 part TV series by Starz. It was broadcast in the UK on channel 4 in October-November and it was amazing!

Check out the trailer!



I loved Matthew MacFadyen in Pride and Prejudice, and Little Dorrit and he was yet again superb in this. He does period drama's so well! I'd never heard of Eddie Redmayne but he was amazing, and so easy on the eyes!

It's such an all star cast too! Ian McShane does such a satisfying 'baddie'. Then there's Donald Sutherland as the Earl of Shiring, Rufus Sewell as Tom Builder. More shameless name dropping: Hayley Atwell, Sarah Parish, Tony Curran, Alison Pill and young Skye Bennett made a superb effort for her first big job.

The series had me gripped, to the point where I actually couldn't wait to find out what happened next and watched the finale online as it had been aired in America before here. It was just breathtaking, and I can't wait until I get the DVD for Christmas so I can watch it all again (even though I already have seen each episode twice now!)

The soundtrack is also a dream to listen to. It's written by the little known Trevor Morris, who created the soundtrack to The Tudors, and some rather low key games. He really needs a bit more credit for his work!

Then to the book!

Althought I know my mum has the book SOMEWHERE, our house isn't exactly catalogued and she has no idea where she has left it. SO, I decided to give the audiobook a try.

Itunes was my first port of call, but the preview button didn't work, so I couldn't test out the voice. It would have been a waste of money, £15 or something like that, if the voice had just annoyed me... Then I tried Audible, an American site where you pay $14.95 a month and can download one audiobook free that month, and get money off the rest. You're also allowed a 14-day free trial, and can get one book, for free, during this time. I couldn't resist and signed up straight away! It didn't take too long to download POTE, which, by the way is over 40 hours long! I'm already over half way through the book, which although different from the mini series, is just as good!

Audiobooks work much better for me, as I spend a lot of time walking to and from classes, and then travelling at the weekend. I can also do other things while listening, which you can't with a book. Don't get me wrong, I love reading, and still do, but I'm limited to whatever time I spend on the loo, and maybe a few minutes snatched before bed.

And another plus point for Audible, I tried to cancel my membership before my free trial ended, and they offered to half the price of the membership to $7.95 for the first 3 months! I didn't turn it down, needless to say. Reccommend me some books?

By chance I'm also reading a book at the moment which is set in the same time as POTE, around the Civil war in England. This has no doubt had an effect on where my head's at, as all my idea's are somewhat medieval influenced, but with a twist. I'll maybe reveal more if I think I'm going to stick at the plot I'm currently working on. I'll let you know!