Carol Kubala is a retired librarian and a longtime Bookreporter.com fan. She’s also an old hand when it comes to audiobooks --- and has plenty of wisdom to share. Here, Carol lets us in on the secret to great narration, as well as how she designates which audiobooks to listen to and when (hint: thrillers are great for multitasking). She also discusses the valuable and oft-overlooked relationship between audiobooks and exercise.

Question: How long have you been listening to audiobooks?

Carol Kubala: So long it is hard for me to remember. Over 20 years, I’m certain. I started listening while ironing, and it just grew from there. It allows me to get in so much more reading time. I do consider a book listened to a book read.

Q: When and where do you listen?

CK: Pretty much anywhere I can. I listen while I work and while I play; in the car; while I walk; and especially when I’m doing household chores. There is nothing like a good audiobook to wile away the time spent cleaning a bathroom or raking leaves.   

Q: What kinds of books do you like to listen to best?

CK: I will listen to most genres and am evenly split between fiction and nonfiction. Thrillers pass chore times quite quickly. The task is done before I know it. Books with complicated plots take more attention on my part, so I save these for walking or tasks where my mind might not wander as much. There are times when the audio is moving too slowly for me (even when I’ve sped up the text) that I’ll just have to get the physical book to read.

Q: Where do you buy/borrow audiobooks from?

CK: I borrow both physical and e-audio from my public library. If they don’t own it, and it’s something I’d really like to hear, I would ask if they would like me to donate the cost of its purchase. That’s a win-win for me. I get to listen, and the library and the community benefit by having it in their collection.

Q: Do you listen with anyone else, or is it a solo experience?

CK: When my husband and I travel, we often listen to an audiobook, usually nonfiction. Otherwise, I’m a lone listener.

Q: What percentage of your reading is done via audiobooks?

CK: I’ve ramped up my listening as I try to increase my walking exercise. I’d estimate 35 percent. I figure it’s better to walk and listen than spend hours sitting while enjoying a book.

Q: Do you have favorite narrators? If so, tell us about them.

CK: I do, but rather than name names, I’ll tell why certain narrators appeal to me. I like a narrator who can de-differentiate smoothly between characters and doesn’t overdo a role. Narrators who pace well --- not too fast, not too slow --- get my vote. Pronunciation is important, as well as choosing someone familiar with the language of the location of the book.

Q: What are some of the most memorable books that you’ve listened to?

CK: It is often the narrator that makes the format memorable. The late Frank Muller’s narration of Stephen King’s THE GREEN MILE was excellent in my opinion. He just brought the characters to life. 

ANGELA’S ASHES is one case where author narration was a plus. Frank McCourt’s reading of his own work was a joy to listen to. His accent alone makes this a gem.

Favorites my husband and I share are THE BOOK THIEF by Marcus Zusak, brilliantly narrated by Allan Corduner, and several of Bill Bryson’s travel narratives, narrated by Bryson himself. 

It can be annoying when a publisher changes narrator midstream in a series. Barbara Rosenblat became Anna Pigeon to me, and I was so disappointed when another narrator was chosen to narrate the character. Thank heavens the publisher reconsidered and brought Barbara back.

Q: What is the last audiobook you listened to? Tell us about it.

CK: THE GOOD HOUSE by Ann Leary: Set in a small coastal New England town, it’s the story of Hildy Good. By day Hildy is a successful realtor, by night she struggles with alcoholism. Her denial is hard to watch, sad even, but don't for a moment think this book is a downer. It is wickedly funny and made me laugh out loud so many times that if you saw me walking and listening, you might have questioned my sanity. At first I wondered if I could listen to Mary Beth Hurt’s narration of this. Ms. Hurt's tone was a bit shrill, craggy even, varying from low rasp to high giddiness in a split second. As I became acquainted with the character Hildy Good, it became clear that there is only one word to describe this performance: Perfect!

Q: Is there anything about the format of audiobooks that you don’t like or would like to see changed or improved?

CK: I think the audiobooks themselves are fine; it’s the devices that cause minor problems for me. This occurs more frequently with e-audio. Each device is different, and this causes some confusion for me. Technology!