Starting a new job comes with a host of other new things: new co-workers, new benefits, new boss, new office space, and new location. For me, this is the first time in my career that I will have a significant commute, and by significant I mean more than 15 minutes. I have always been fortunate to live close enough to work that the time it took to get there, either by car or by foot, was never much of a consideration in my morning routine. So adjusting to my new 25+ minute drive on a major, and sometimes clogged highway will take some getting used to, but I am determined to see the silver lining and make the best of it. So in addition to getting more than my fair share of daily news from NPR, I thought that sampling some audiobooks might be a fun way to pass the time and also get me closer to my reading goal for the year.
My brother-in-law has been a long-time member of audible.com, a site that offers the widest selection of digital audiobooks for download. For $7.49 a month, I get one free download and 30% off of any additional downloads. I’m putting myself on a 3-month trial to make sure that I actually take advantage of the free credit each month and also to see how many audiobooks I can get through in 30 days.
I’m already on track to finish my first free download before the end of the month. It’s Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon and I chose it so that I could join in the conversation taking place over at The Everygirl where they’re doing a Random House Book Club. If you’re at all interested in a live video conference with the author, which she will be doing when we’re finished with our reading, there’s still time to catch up, and trust me it will not take you long. Even though I got the book to help pass the time in the car, I find myself carrying it around with me listening wherever I am – doing laundry, cooking, sitting in bed – I just hate to turn it off!
I don’t see audiobooks as a replacement for reading; I see them as a way to “read” and experience even more than I would be able to with books alone.
a little old fashioned 
I commute about 30-35 minutes. I LOVE audio books!! You might enjoy checking out this year’s audio book award winners at http://www.theaudies.com/
Wow – that is a great resource! I’m not sure what to listen to next. What are you currently listening to?
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. It’s for book club. Interesting so far. As for podcasts, how about Splendid Table?!
hi katelyn! not to redirect the conversation, but what about podcasts? as “2005” as they sound, many are alive and well. have itunes automatically download it and upload to your mp3 player overnight. then listen to it as you drive.
No, that’s a great point. I used to listen to podcasts all the time and for whatever reason have gotten away from them. Any recommendations besides some of the staple public radio ones like “This American Life”, “Studio 360”, etc.? What do you listen to regularly? Thanks John!
I second John’s podcast suggestion! Besides “This American Life” I like the podcasts from Slate magazine, especially the Political Gabfest. It’s funny you mention Audible – Audible is a sponsor of the Political Gabfest and each week on the show, they share a recommendation for an audiobook listeners might enjoy. The next best Slate podcasts after the Political Gabfest are the Culture Gabfest and the Double X Podcast.
I also listen to “The News From Lake Wobegon” (excerpted from each week’s Prairie Home Companion) and Stephen Fry’s Podgrams (which he doesn’t do anymore but you can get the old ones).
Happy commuting!