Audio distraction: podcasts, audio books, radio on demand

Like lots of those already mentioned - but didn’t spot the Podcast ‘Fortunately’: Jane Garvey, Fi Glover and guests. Is a rather riotous, informal chat. Great fun & kind of feel like you’re joining them at the Broadcasting House café. Radio 4 podcast, available free on iTunes etc.

 

@RuthT I’ve added under comedy/entertaining

 

I love 99% invisible. Design and architecture fun facts, like how curb cuts came into existence or why pools are shaped the way they are.

20 minutes long episodes, very comfortable voice and tempo. No need to concentrate very hard.

 

Ooh, only just found this thread, podcasts and audio books are what has kept me sane!

I've had a traumatic few days because I got a new phone and had to transfer everything after discovering the brilliant podcast app on my old phone wasn't available anymore.

I have 2 types of podcast; daytime ones that make me laugh or might be scary and evening/night ones for trying to wind down/fall asleep. Some of the comedy ones can be very irreverent, probably not to everyone's taste!

Kermode and Mayo's Film Review
The Dork Forest
Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP if you're a cool kid )
The Dollop
My Dad Wrote a Porno
WTF with Marc Maron (can be hit and miss, plus he's very loud!)
My Favourite Murder
Dr Death (a new one which is a fascinating case but very graphic medically)
In the Dark
Missing and Murdered
James Bonding (if you're a fan of the films)
Undisclosed (the much more in depth/accurate follow up to Serial, can be heavy going sometimes)
Crime Writers On
The 45th
Simon Mayo's Books of the Year
The West Wing Weekly
The Smartest Man in the World

The best thing about podcasts is one leads you to another via recommendations from the hosts.

I use Listening Books, (cheap/free subscription for people with illness) via the Libby app and my library has a good selection of audio books too on the same app, I don't concentrate on books as easily but it's still a good distraction.

 

Hi, guys. I was looking forward to 47 hours of an audio book, I received one of Proust's books yet the reader's inflections made it too hard to listen to.

I need some recommendations.

I'm looking for things that are light, that don't deal with death, health or medical. Intelligent and humorous is good. Something easy to follow. Thanks for any suggestions. I hope the next readers are easier to listen to.

 

If it's light and entertaining you're looking for . . .

https://www.google.com/search?q=Bill+Bryson+audio+books&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9wdbg3-TiAhVNRKwKHZVHDcYQsxgIMQ&biw=1600&bih=757https://www.google.com/search?q=Bil...bg3-TiAhVNRKwKHZVHDcYQsxgIMQ&biw=1600&bih=757

 

Thank you @Snowdrop! I completely forgot about Bill Bryson. He was someone I wanted to read his writing someday.

Just ordered some with the free delivery service for the blind (and they do for us home bound too). Also you inspired me with this to search for some other topics of interests along the lines of international, expats and adventures. Also checked out some spy stories too.

Hi, Trish. Yes wish I could listen to mysteries and detective stories. (They are popular with so many people.) They sneak into my dreams but not in a good way.

Thank you for your suggestion for if I someday I buy an Audible book. That's good to know that they have that option and do that.

I do give it a good try to see if I can learn to adjust and listen to some of the ones that are hard to listen to. Sometimes I can. Unfortunately this one I couldn't. Thankfully the Braille institute can tell me who the reader is and block any books I chose if they are the reader.

 

I've had to give up one of my favorites, Donna Leon, because I can't tolerate the reader of her audiobooks, and can no longer read the book itself.

 

If you're on Amazon Prime you can get 3 months trial of Kindle Unlimited free, think offer started today and finishes on Monday. Audio books included. Renews at £7.99 a month after that. You can unsubscribe at any time. I'm not sure whether to give it a try or not!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/hz/subscribe/ku

===========>>>
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited Reading. Unlimited Listening. Any Device.

Explore over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks and selected magazine subscriptions on any device.
===========>>>

Not sure if above link will work if you don't have Prime, but I thought best to put it in to try and make it easy if anyone wants to try.

 

I think it’s only 1 month without Prime, but I’ve had several 1 month trials at separate times and come away with a free book every time. Once they even offered me a $20 coupon to stay, another free book

 

I have an audible subscription 24 books a year it’s about £105 so works out to just over £4 an audiobook. I actually get through 24 books quite quickly so keep renewing my yearly subscription early - like every few months or so. I listen to a lot of YA fantasy + romance, I love it so much, really takes you into another world entirely, also I re listen to Harry Potter lots of times and Harry Potter podcasts on overcast.

 

(If anyone else here likes children’s fantasy or YA fantasy,
Or romance fiction please feel free to give me recommendations! - either older books or newer ones as well).

 

Ohh!! A fellow HP fan! I adore Stephen Fry’s narration. Same for me too, they are my choice when I cannot listen to other things. Have you listened to the other audiobooks: quidditch through the ages, fantastic beasts, crimes of grindelwald movie special, and history of magic?

 

Eddie redmayne does fantastic beasts narration and oh my gosh it’s amazing. I love Eddie!

 

Amazons kindle unlimited is a good alternative to audible as many of the books they offer have audible narration included. It costs the same as audible but you can borrow multiple books to listen to from a selection rather than getting to own 1 book a month from audible.

 

Our library has a good audio book and ebooks online range. They use a couple of apps for access. ( press reader is one)

I didn't t know much about it previously as have not really used library since kids were small.

Great for when you can't physically get to library. They also have a 4 weekly delivery and pick up service for those within the town for hard copy books.

My daughter has "read" a couple of audiobooks and has started Harry Potter " the goblet of fire ", one of her favourites.

There are also online magazines available - saves a fortune in subscriptions.