Talking Books

I've been going to the gym a lot lately.
That's a lie.
I've been going to the gym a lot for me lately, especially because for a while I wasn't going at all. Anyway, as I'm desperately trying to lose about six spare tires and gain a six pack before beach season in December, I've been listening to a lot of books.
A woman I met recently called audio books "reading with your ears." The Wellington Public Library calls their collection "Talking Books." I prefer the slightly outmoded "Books-On-Tape." Whatever it is, I think I'm in love. With audio books.

Here are some benefits of listening to your old standards and new favorites on your ipod:
1. Multi-tasking. You're always walking or driving or running, and there's always time to listen to stuff.
2. You don't learn to hate songs you love while your muscles burn at the gym. That always happens to me.
3. No more eye strain. Staring at a computer all day is hard on your retinas. Reading is nearly as bad.
4. Size. Digital files are amazing and fit in your purse way better than regular books.
5. Professional readers usually have cool voices.
6. Renting audio books from the library = lots less paper waste.

Most importantly for me, I get to read for fun, without feeling like I should be spending my time reading nonsense about Mansfield.

So far I've listened to: Black Dogs by Ian McEwan, The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan,
The Great Gatsby, and I'm halfway through The Old Man and the Sea. Next on my list are Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame and Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. I toyed with the idea of renting War and Peace, so I wouldn't have to take anything out of the library for a while, but thought better of it.