There's a great resource offered by libraries that often falls under the radar. Talking books, whether on cassette, CD, or audio book, aren't often used, but should be! They can supply hands-free entertainment in the car, on a run, or while making dinner. There are many great titles in every genre offered by the Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive, and ready for use.Below are a few titles just added to the library's collection. See if any spark your interest! Do books about love catch your heart's eye? Born in Ice by Nora Roberts may be a great talking book for you. The book is about Brianna Concannon, an innkeeper in Ireland that runs a bed and breakfast. Her lodging is visited by a famous American author, Grayson Thane, looking for a place of respite to write his next bestseller. Will something transpire between the two, or will their opposite personalities, as different as fire and ice, keep them apart? Fans of family dramas may pick up a copy of I Do Not Sleep by Judy Finnigan. Twenty years ago, Molly Gabriel lost her 20-year-old son to a sailing accident. His body was never found, and his loss still haunts Molly. Molly returns to Cornwall to try and find out what really happened, and goes to Joey's best friend, Ben, to find some sort of closure or explanation for the unexplainable tragedy. Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb would be a great one for lovers of crime and mystery. The novel takes place in New York, where a body of a woman has just been discovered in a luxury apartment. The murderer has left a message... to a specific detective. The note is for Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who is famous for her high-profile cases and her marriage to Roarke, a billionaire businessman. Eve has become accustomed to the public attention and gossip from the media, but now she has a whole new fish to fry. There is a killer out there obsessed with her and her work. She has to watch her step as she deals with the dangerous mystery criminal, who is thirsting for her approval... and possibly blood. Eve will have to risk everything to catch the killer, and no one in her life is safe. These are only a few of the new selection added to the library's compilation of talking books that are available to borrow. Even more talking and audio books are available in the library catalogue. Take a listen and you may just find your new favourite pastime!
'Let me tell you a story'...who can resist that invitation? With longer evenings and warmer weather I have no more excuses for postponing my 'fitness programme'. So out come my walking books and I am out the door with my favourite walking companion - an audiobook.No more boredom, no more pedometer watching, no more short cuts. I can even go the extra mile and still look forward to the next walk. And the high moral ground is luxurious - exercise of body and soul! Most narrators are superb and can take you right into the story, making you feel like a privileged insider. There is only you and another human voice telling you a story. Dialogue jumps into life with the skilled narrator taking on different accents and voices. Coming to the end is like saying goodbye to a person as well as a book.Many books have an audio version - CDs or MP3. Most of the classics are available in audio format so this is also a good way of renewing an old acquaintance.Here are some audiobooks that I have enjoyed in the last year:- 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' by James Joyce'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins'The Virgin Suicides' by Jeffrey EugenidesI would love to hear from anyone else who enjoys the experience of an audiobook. Please let me know your favourites!
Too busy to read?? Did you know that Dublin City Public Libraries now houses a large selection of books on mp3 players? These portable mp3 players come with the audio book already downloaded onto them. No need to download CD’s or cassettes…all you need to do is pop in your earphones and you’re ready to go.These players are designed with the busy reader in mind, whether you’re sitting on the train, out running, or walking into work these portable players are perfect for readers on the go. It will even remember where you stopped. You can borrow them from any Dublin City Public Library and just like books; they can be borrowed for a period of three weeks. Check out the library catalogue and see if your book is in stock on mp3. Not only do we have lots of your favourite fiction titles such as this years One City One Book choice ‘Ghost Light’ by Joseph O’Connor, we also have items such as Pimsleur’s 'Learn to speak Portuguese in Eight Easy Lessons'. This portable player is ideally suited to a task such as learning a new language, where it helps to hear the words and how they are pronounced. This item also comes in Spanish, French etc...There is no need for books to study, this way you can study anywhere and whenever you like!
