I’m an unabashed and very vocal fan of audiobooks. I fell in love with listening to stories almost 20 years ago when I was driving between Amherst and Boston for band practices and gigs. In the early days it was old time radio shows like the Shadow. A few years later I was living in Connecticut and driving to Boston to see my girlie. At a precursor to the contemporary dollar store I bought a few abridged novels. I was so hooked.

Some years later I discovered digital unabridged novels and started downloading to the old mp3 player like a fiends. I now have well over 250 in my library and I’m not slowing down.

I have friends who say they’d rather buy oriental car floor mats or a solid gold back scratcher than waste their money on having someone read to them. Hey, to each his own, but I listen to a couple books a months (aside from what I read because I still do actually read, believe it or not). Mowing the lawn, washing dishes, chopping wood – all chores that I look forward to because they involve audiobook listening. And the drive to work is a breeze. I am even calmer with all the aggressive drivers on the road when I’m listening. Sweet!