Need Recommendations on Audio Dramas

[LadyCalvinist]

This summer I am going to be doing a lot of driving and while I have lots of music and tons of sermons, I am thinking that I would like either a book on tape, possibly Wodehouse, or an audio drama, such as something by lamplighter theater. Any suggestions?

 

[py3ak]

Jim Dale does a wonderful job reading Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland.

The matching of Timothy West as reader with Anthony Trollope as author is very hard to equal.

 

[Hamalas]

Focus on the Family Radio Theater has done a TON of high quality audio dramas. Lots of the classics (Oliver Twist, Screwtape Letters, Chronicles of Narnia, Silas Marner, etc...) plus some of their own original stuff (Father Gilbert Mysteries, C.S. Lewis at War etc...).

 

[Jeri Tanner]

The Pilgrim’s Progress narrated by Nadia May was very good when I listened several years ago.

 

[Logan]

The Pilgrim’s Progress narrated by Nadia May was very good when I listened several years ago.

I'm listening to it right now and enjoy her reading.

 

[Pergamum]

I have listened to 100's of books from Audible.com. They have a good selection.

There are many good WWII and history books I have listened to. There is a dramatized Dante's Divine Comedy. There are other dramatized books as well.

 

[M_Scott]

... not sure if you're a fan of the golden age of radio but there are numerous archives of such classics as Sherlock Holmes, Father Knows Best, Nero Wolfe, Westerns, Detectives, even some Churchill speeches.

-> https://archive.org/details/oldtimeradio

I had forgotten Robert Young did the radio version of Father Knows Best prior to the TV show.

If you're at all interested, there's the "Download Options" on the right side of the page. The "Show All" link will allow you to pick the files you want from a long list, the "MP3" tab If I recall correctly will download the episode list as an archive in a zip file, probably not what you want, pretty large.

 

[JOwen]

I have listened to 100's of books from Audible.com. They have a good selection.

There are many good WWII and history books I have listened to. There is a dramatized Dante's Divine Comedy. There are other dramatized books as well.

I'd be interested in your WWII recommendations Perg. Sifting through so many titles it's really hit and miss.

 

[Pergamum]

I'd be interested in your WWII recommendations Perg. Sifting through so many titles it's really hit and miss.

Yes,

Best of all is Eugene Sledge's classic: "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
https://www.audible.com/pd/With-the...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=DM9QGV7T32MR8R0YHHG2

Then everything by Robert Leckie that has been turned into audio, particularly "Helmet for my Pillow": https://www.audible.com/pd/Helmet-f...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JH0J70HPYW42MY3Y64NZ

I have a particular interest in the War in the Pacific since my grandfather and uncle fought there, and I particularly like hearing about Guadalcanal and there are a number of great books on this battle, the best being:

"Midnight in the Pacific" by Joseph Wheelan: https://www.audible.com/pd/Midnight...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=T582V9DEWYJN579DPSAF

And "Bloody Ridge and Beyond" about the famous Edson's Raiders by Marlin Groft: https://www.audible.com/pd/Bloody-R...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=7744GAQAW9B2JQPZZYBG


"Morning Star: Midnight Sun" by Jeffrey Cox is about the aviation war in the Pacific in the early years, when we were often outnumbered: https://www.audible.com/pd/Morning-...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=QAB3481BQD4SEQ489Y34

"War in the South Pacific: Out in the Boondocks" is one of the best because it is an oral history from the soldiers who fought in the Pacific (which they cleaned up I think for editorial reasons and to expunge cussing, but otherwise good, I want to hear it straight), by James Horan: https://www.audible.com/pd/War-in-t...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=QAB3481BQD4SEQ489Y34

"Voices of the Pacific" by Adam Makos is great: https://www.audible.com/pd/Voices-o...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM

And "Spearhead" also by Makos is excellent and will soon be a movie: https://www.audible.com/pd/Spearhea...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=EJX4T1NPPQ8YMTB1HTF9

"Nemisis" The Battle for Japan" by Max Hastings is long and very detailed, but good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Nemesis-...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM



Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers is great: https://www.audible.com/pd/Band-of-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=XQA8MS5DVEJ9NCWN8NRA

As well as Ambrose's Citizen Soldier: https://www.audible.com/pd/Citizen-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=7X193XWP05VZV1F0N40K

And Ambrose Pegasus Bridge (I really liked this one): https://www.audible.com/pd/Pegasus-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=0WBWKMR273Z0EYPC9Y8R

Eugene Sledge's friend Sid Phillips has a very entertaining memoir, "You'll be Sor-ree!" which I loved: https://www.audible.com/pd/Youll-Be...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=HWPXQMYRYKKZEF909MJ3

"Easy Company Soldier" by Don Malarkey was good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Easy-Com...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=N68PZST6EPY4BXQKQVXK

"If you survive" by George Wilson is an officer's memoir of leading troops from Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge and the end of the war: https://www.audible.com/pd/If-You-S...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM

This is only a partial list, there is also a submarine warfare book (Silent Service) and a book about President Bush (1) and his flying record (Flyboys?) but I've got to go for now...

All of these true memoirs were good about the daily lives of soldiers.

A few WWII books from the German side were excellent (since I list the USSR as a bigger bad guy than the Germans on the Eastern Front and believe we never should have aided them):

Of these German memoirs, "Soldat" by Siegfried Knappe is the best: https://www.audible.com/pd/Soldat-A...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=T13K0NHEDDCFWP516TR0

Then "At Leningrad's Gates" by William Lubbek is pretty good: https://www.audible.com/pd/At-Lenin...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=FT2VM257GZR1HWW9WPW4


"Adventures in my Youth" by Armin Scheiderbaur was also good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Adventur...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=2Q3XS7SSGPBD661AJRSF


"Panzer Commander" by Hans von Luck is also quite good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Panzer-C...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM




This list is only for WWII. If you want recommendations for Vietnam, Korea, or the ancient world, let me know. I like the Greek-Persian War period and there are some good versions of Herodotus. I listen to audiobooks while hiking or canoeing village to village or visiting church to church when in the US or traveling. Or lifting weights. Or doing chores. Pretty much, I always have an audiobook with me and go through about 1-2 a week. I've listened to hundreds and spend all my extra on Audible credits.



Finally, for fiction:

Note: I normally don't listen to fiction but Jeff Shaara researches so well and uses the real life testimonies of soldiers such that his fiction books are prettty much like history. Look up his WWII novels (The Rising Tide, the Steel Wave, and No Less than Victory), they are great: https://www.audible.com/series/Nove...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=85KFDMJR3QRBAE8GF2QE

 

[LadyCalvinist]

Brethren,
Thank you for all your replies I appreciate it. I should have said that I do not have a smart phone, just a flip phone, so I cannot do apps. I can download from Amazon and itunes.

But I will check out focus on the family and the ones you mentioned Perg.

 

[JOwen]

Yes,

Best of all is Eugene Sledge's classic: "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
https://www.audible.com/pd/With-the...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=DM9QGV7T32MR8R0YHHG2

Then everything by Robert Leckie that has been turned into audio, particularly "Helmet for my Pillow": https://www.audible.com/pd/Helmet-f...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=JH0J70HPYW42MY3Y64NZ

I have a particular interest in the War in the Pacific since my grandfather and uncle fought there, and I particularly like hearing about Guadalcanal and there are a number of great books on this battle, the best being:

"Midnight in the Pacific" by Joseph Wheelan: https://www.audible.com/pd/Midnight...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=T582V9DEWYJN579DPSAF

And "Bloody Ridge and Beyond" about the famous Edson's Raiders by Marlin Groft: https://www.audible.com/pd/Bloody-R...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=7744GAQAW9B2JQPZZYBG


"Morning Star: Midnight Sun" by Jeffrey Cox is about the aviation war in the Pacific in the early years, when we were often outnumbered: https://www.audible.com/pd/Morning-...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=QAB3481BQD4SEQ489Y34

"War in the South Pacific: Out in the Boondocks" is one of the best because it is an oral history from the soldiers who fought in the Pacific (which they cleaned up I think for editorial reasons and to expunge cussing, but otherwise good, I want to hear it straight), by James Horan: https://www.audible.com/pd/War-in-t...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=QAB3481BQD4SEQ489Y34

"Voices of the Pacific" by Adam Makos is great: https://www.audible.com/pd/Voices-o...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM

And "Spearhead" also by Makos is excellent and will soon be a movie: https://www.audible.com/pd/Spearhea...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=EJX4T1NPPQ8YMTB1HTF9

"Nemisis" The Battle for Japan" by Max Hastings is long and very detailed, but good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Nemesis-...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM



Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers is great: https://www.audible.com/pd/Band-of-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=XQA8MS5DVEJ9NCWN8NRA

As well as Ambrose's Citizen Soldier: https://www.audible.com/pd/Citizen-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=7X193XWP05VZV1F0N40K

And Ambrose Pegasus Bridge (I really liked this one): https://www.audible.com/pd/Pegasus-...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=0WBWKMR273Z0EYPC9Y8R

Eugene Sledge's friend Sid Phillips has a very entertaining memoir, "You'll be Sor-ree!" which I loved: https://www.audible.com/pd/Youll-Be...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=HWPXQMYRYKKZEF909MJ3

"Easy Company Soldier" by Don Malarkey was good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Easy-Com...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=N68PZST6EPY4BXQKQVXK

"If you survive" by George Wilson is an officer's memoir of leading troops from Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge and the end of the war: https://www.audible.com/pd/If-You-S...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM

This is only a partial list, there is also a submarine warfare book (Silent Service) and a book about President Bush (1) and his flying record (Flyboys?) but I've got to go for now...

All of these true memoirs were good about the daily lives of soldiers.

A few WWII books from the German side were excellent (since I list the USSR as a bigger bad guy than the Germans on the Eastern Front and believe we never should have aided them):

Of these German memoirs, "Soldat" by Siegfried Knappe is the best: https://www.audible.com/pd/Soldat-A...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=T13K0NHEDDCFWP516TR0

Then "At Leningrad's Gates" by William Lubbek is pretty good: https://www.audible.com/pd/At-Lenin...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=FT2VM257GZR1HWW9WPW4


"Adventures in my Youth" by Armin Scheiderbaur was also good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Adventur...877-5b1296874b4a&pf_rd_r=2Q3XS7SSGPBD661AJRSF


"Panzer Commander" by Hans von Luck is also quite good: https://www.audible.com/pd/Panzer-C...357-dab3dee05ca1&pf_rd_r=XPWFDVJ3ST0P70EQDAAM




This list is only for WWII. If you want recommendations for Vietnam, Korea, or the ancient world, let me know. I like the Greek-Persian War period and there are some good versions of Herodotus. I listen to audiobooks while hiking or canoeing village to village or visiting church to church when in the US or traveling. Or lifting weights. Or doing chores. Pretty much, I always have an audiobook with me and go through about 1-2 a week. I've listened to hundreds and spend all my extra on Audible credits.



Finally, for fiction:

Note: I normally don't listen to fiction but Jeff Shaara researches so well and uses the real life testimonies of soldiers such that his fiction books are prettty much like history. Look up his WWII novels (The Rising Tide, the Steel Wave, and No Less than Victory), they are great: https://www.audible.com/series/Nove...5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=85KFDMJR3QRBAE8GF2QE

A veritable Buffett! Thank you.

 

[Eoghan]

Surprised nobody mentioned Librivox?
I also listen to talk shows by Jerry Doyle (I am a big Babylon 5 fan)
The radio CD's for the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy?
Judge Dredd audio CD'd
Most bestseller books have an audio CD
I an driving for a voluntary organisation 2 days a week and the different vehicles often have broken CD players so I use an FM transmitter with my mp3 player and retune the radio.

 

[Logan]

Surprised nobody mentioned Librivox?

The quality of the readers on Librivox is incredibly hit or miss for me (and I have participated as a volunteer myself). I enjoyed the Dracula collaboration they did but some of the others treated what should have been exciting passages like they were reading a dictionary.

 

[greenbaggins]

Rob Inglis narrating Tolkien is marvelous. Nuff said.