MADreads

Listening instead of reading

August 23rd, 2006 Mary K. - Central

Some books seem tailor made for reading aloud, especially with a reader who is clearly skilled and seems to be enjoying herself portraying all the characters.  Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter books and C.J. Critt (who is alas no longer the narrator) reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books are some of the best in my opinion.

One of my all time favorite audiobook narrator is Barbara Rosenblat, the reader of the Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters. This is part of a series about Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson, both Egyptologists who spend part of every year in Egypt excavating tombs. They have a dashing young son, Ramses, and twin grandchildren. In every book the family is involved in a series of adventures, and there is always a crime to solve, usually done so very competently by the parasol wielding and list writing Amelia. In this book, they are involved in the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 by the real life Howard Carter. There is also a subplot involving Emerson’s brother Sethos and a mystery that needs solving.

Rosenblat’s strength as a narrator is in her rendering of the voices of the different characters. I heard an interview with her and Elizabeth Peters on a previous tape and they clearly have developed a close friendship, Rosenblat has even been to Egypt with Peters. To quote the Recorded Books blurb, Rosenblat “is to audiobooks what Meryl Streep is to film.”

Listen to this one for the story and the performance. I have never “read” (i.e. a print version) of any of the Peabody series because the audio experience is such an enjoyable one. This is part of a long series and while it might add to your enjoyment to read them in order, it is not crucial.

Entry Filed under: General, Mystery