Grateful

Today I am grateful for the spoken word. I guess this is sort of a continuation of last week’s Grateful. After last week and enjoying some beautiful poetry. I continued on my exploration and celebration of poetry and even was tempted to explore alittle further into the the world of fiction. But what differentiated this exploration from those of last week was that I exploring exclusively digital audiobooks and other recordings.

I love books and sitting down with either a traditional or eBook to enjoy the written word. When I can and I find a new author I like I tend to want to devour their work … sort of like literary gluttony … and it is for this reason that I have found an appreciation in digital audiobooks. I find that when I find an author I like I tend to sit and read and I guess ‘gobble down’ books. What I like about the digital books is that it makes you slow down. And this is a good thing. It is nice to use as a time to relax more … and also a better way to appreciate the books.

made me think alot about the process of writing but also how I was consuming the writing of others. It really made me think of how my eye flys I got the idea of slowing down when I read from a book and I am rediscovering that is a companion/aide in the development of creative writing called ‘A Writer’s Book of Days’. (Don’t worry I have no notions of me becoming a author. I have no delusions of grandeur. But I do find the process of writing relaxing and therapeutic … but I digress).  One of the sections talks about the process of writing by hand as a means of slowing down the writing process. Allowing a greater connection between the pen, the heart and the breath … to slow down the process to provide a greater connection with the writer physically and mentally to what is being written … to bring the page alive. While this goes against my nature … it made me think alot about the process of writing but also how I was consuming the writing of others. It really made me think of how my eye flys over the page and how I can just zoom through reading. Maybe it is better to slow down a bit and savour the words … and be more ‘in the moment’ with the writing. Maybe I will get a greater appreciation of the work with the time it takes to listen. hmmm …

PLUS … I have to admit I have also found it very indulgent when you find a book you like and you find an amazing narrator. So many books are available today (and for so little) being read by some great actors and speakers. So many people with wonderful voices you can enjoy reading to you … how about Derek Jacobi reading Daughter of Time or I, Claudius or .. Ian Richardson reading The Prince by Machiavelli or A Tale of Two Cities  or Kenneth Branagh reading King Lear or King Richard III (with others) .. or Judi Dench reading Seven Ages: An Anthology of Poetry with Music (Unabridged Selections) (with Ralph Fiennes & others) or The Importance of Being Earnest (Dramatised) … or Ralph Finnes reading The English Patient or … I think I could go on and on for hours.

These are all available by Audible … a website by Amazon that I have just found. It offers so many great audio books available for Mobile Devices (including iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry). They offer their books to be sold separately but their best offer is through membership. I am planning on joining after I finish my current audio book … but my dilema is … which book first?

 Joining Maxabella loves…. in this weeks I’m grateful for…