tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post3774847921217442185..comments2024-03-18T21:16:50.744+00:00Comments on Prometheus in Aspic: ECW - in which I almost discuss audiobooksMSFoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-28016526635567026112014-01-11T19:52:58.882+00:002014-01-11T19:52:58.882+00:00Thank you, Mr Kinch - that really is extremely use...Thank you, Mr Kinch - that really is extremely useful. I shall follow these up with interest - much appreciated<br /><br />Cheers - TonyMSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-39576257361387889242014-01-11T15:02:48.695+00:002014-01-11T15:02:48.695+00:00I greatly enjoy audiobooks and it can be very frus...I greatly enjoy audiobooks and it can be very frustrating when librivox comes out with something particularly interesting only to find that it has been read in a particularly uninspiring way. I find the best thing to do is to follow particular readers who know their business and stick with them. I've tried recording for Librivox myself and gave it up as a bad job as it would appear -ahem- that my talents lie else where. <br /><br />I've always found Mike Harris, Mark Smith, Phillipa, Peter Yearsley and Andy Minter worth listening to and there is another chap, whose name escapes me, who did a lot of Saki stories (Beasts & Superbeasts), that is very good. <br /><br />There is also audiobooksforfree.com. These are very, very good and they are read by professional actors. You can listen to their Sherlock Holmes collection in the human read audiobooks section of Gutenberg. Other stuff can be downloaded from their website, but only at 8kbs/s which is rather poor. Better quality recordings can be downloaded for a fee. I bought their complete set on dvd in 2005 for $180 which has been a great investment, though most of the original DVDs are scratched to hell by constant and repeated use. <br /><br />British Audio Books (http://britishaudiobooks.blogspot.ie/) is well worth a look. The reader, Felbrigg Herriot, reads public domain books with an emphasis on military history and fantastic fiction and they can be downloaded for a small fee. He's currently marching through the second volume of Oman. His pronunciation of some Spanish placenames can be a little odd sometimes, but I've enjoyed them. His stuff is available from a number of online audiobook sites, but he substantially discounts direct sales. <br /><br />Melyn Bragg's "In our time" is well worth a look too. It's a cracking non-fiction podcast and well worth listening too. <br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/iot<br /><br /><br /><br /> Conrad Kinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683395740934527502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-79717290969098472312014-01-11T07:50:14.612+00:002014-01-11T07:50:14.612+00:00Just another small step towards world domination -...Just another small step towards world domination - don't anybody say you haven't been warned. :o))MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-69405559414718443122014-01-11T02:31:34.217+00:002014-01-11T02:31:34.217+00:00The Prometheus Podcast! I believe such things are...The Prometheus Podcast! I believe such things are popular with those that can understand them.Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04053555991679802013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-18307732114931571392014-01-10T18:44:38.772+00:002014-01-10T18:44:38.772+00:00Yes - the LibriVox initiative is so well-intention...Yes - the LibriVox initiative is so well-intentioned that I feel very bad about offering any criticism. In a way, it typifies what is a major limitation of the whole Internet - it is a colossal source of free information - unbelievable - but unfortunately it is devalued by being mostly crap. Lowest common denominator - the people who have the time to contribute are typically those who are so dull they are not required elsewhere.<br /><br />Look at this blog, for a start...MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-74523229736995602792014-01-10T18:22:09.287+00:002014-01-10T18:22:09.287+00:00I downloaded a translation of a medieval devotiona...I downloaded a translation of a medieval devotional text from that site once, and it was ready by an aged lady just this side of a coma. A pity, as it is all well intentioned.<br />I rather suspect that ECW types wouldn't have sounded much different than Shakespearean English, but even if there were no unfamiliar or archaic words in the way, I doubt most people could understand them today because they are all so bleeding thick. Even 19th century orations by Lincoln and Disraeli would be impenetrable to people today because they require several brain cells engaged to follow. <br />I loved your line about Richard Harris. I think Charles I went to the block in that film simply so he wouldn't have to listen to Cromwell any more. A great film, with great scenery chewing by RH.Mad Padrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00410143683610813671noreply@blogger.com