When I take my 45 minute aerobic walk each morning, I usually listen to something light and easy - a romance or a children’s book, since my brain isn’t always awake and alert.

But on the airplane, I’ll actually have quite a few hours to listen and I should pick something that I can really get into…Maybe a good John Sanford mystery, or James Rollins’ new book.

I’ve had customers tell me some wild stories of when & where they listen to audiobooks.  One lady was training for a long distance swim, so she bought a waterproof CD player and rigged up something that she could listen while she trained.  Another customer hiked the Appalachian Trail last year and listened a few hours each day, but had to limit himself to amount of listening so that he’d have enough books to get him through his 2 week hike!  Probably the most common places to listen are in the car, on the treadmill, weeding the garden, riding to work,   but I’m sure  you have an unusual story of when you listen.  What is the longest time you’ve spent listening at one time?  I listened to a complete James Patterson book (Step on a Crack) one night when I was painting our dining room….it’s a 7 hour book and I started about 6pm….finished the book and the walls around 1:30a.m. My arm was sore the next day, but boy does it look nice!

Tell me your listening stories…..when, where?

We also have a number of books on the subject of finances, by David Bach.  Start Late, Finish Rich  shares his no-fail plan for “achieving financial freedom at any age”.   And Bach’s newest Go Green, Live Rich  outlines 50 simple ways to make your life, your home, your shopping, and your finances greener– at the same time saving the planet and saving money.

Just this week we received the newest book by Ken Fisher titled The Only Three Questions That Count, Investing by Knowing What Others Don’t.  I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet, but would love to hear from someone who did….Anyone out there who’s read or listened to it?  Let me know.  Would you recommend it for some good information?  (And for those of us who haven’t read it, we’re dying to know: What are the only three questions that count??)

For all parents who are sending their children off to that exciting ‘First Day’, I want to remind everyone that we have a lot of CD audiobooks for children of all ages.  Don’t forget about that younger brother or sister who isn’t old enough yet to go to school.  How about a special CD + book for them so they can listen & ‘read’ along?..We have book + CD of a lot of the Dr Seuss books (who doesn’t love Dr Seuss?) and a good selection of Thomas the Train books that come with CD. 

We also have that precocious kindergartner, Junie B Jones on CD, Anne of Green Gables, Magic Tree House, the Artemis Fowl series and so many more…. To check out our whole selection of children’s books, click on the link to the right and it’ll take you right to our website.

If you don’t find a specific book you’re looking for, just call or email us and we’ll do our best to find it. We are happy to order for you and will even ship it free! (Remember we offer a 15% discount for Educators) We look forward to hearing from you. 

In the meantime, good luck with that bittersweet first day of school when the kids head out the door and you finally have a chance to sit down and enjoy that second cup of coffee!

Have you ever read or listened to a book that was so good you find yourself recommending it to everyone you know?  Well, we have a dish of stickers on the counter with a sign next to it that asks that if you enjoyed the book and want to recommend it, please put a star on the case as a sign to the next person that it’s a good book.

A lot of people come in to rent a book and ask “What’s good?”  We can always recommend our favorites, but we also explain our ’star’ system and they’ll look for the books that have stars making their selection easier.   

Have you read or listened to a book lately that rates a star?  Let me know….

A popular book this summer has been Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.  It was chosen by the ‘T.C. Reads’ group as their 2008 choice. (T.C. Reads is a reading initiative established to encourage everyone to read and discuss the same book).  I also found out recently that some colleges have listed Three Cups of Tea as a summer reading choice for incoming freshmen for Lit. classes.

The book tells of Mortenson’s journey in 1993 to climb the world’s second highest mountain, K2, in Pakistan. An illness sidelines him and he spends time recovering in a remote Pakistan village.  The lack of educational facilities in the village, inspire him to make a promise to the people that he will return and build a school for them. 

To date, he has built 55 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan’s poorest communities.

Feedback that we’ve gotten from those who have listened to the book shows that people have enjoyed it, but feel that  the middle of the book drags a bit.  Lots of descriptions and information that isn’t necessarily useful to the story. But overall, it rates a star from many who have listened to it.

For any who are interested, the author, Greg Mortenson, will be speaking here in Traverse City on Monday, Sept 21 at the City Opera House.  Tickets are $10.  Website for information is TCReads.Org.

Have you read the book?  Did you enjoy it?  Do you think you’ll go see the author when he’s in town? Give us some feedback about this or another of your favorites.