As a longtime reviewer for Bookreporter.com (and a former chat host for our Bookaccino chat room when we were on AOL in the late ’90s), Roz Shea is quite the avid reader. Roz recently retired as the executive director of a local land trust, giving her more time for public speaking on the history of Kings Ranch and the Sonoran Desert --- and, of course, reading! Retirement is significantly busier than Roz expected, but she couldn't be happier. Enjoy her interview here, where she discusses her love of audiobooks, which have been a part of her life for 25 years.

Question: How long have you been listening to audiobooks?

Roz Shea: I remember listening to Elizabeth George on a tape recorder, among others, while walking on my treadmill at least 25 years ago. So even before audiobooks came out on CDs. 

Q: What made you start listening?

RS: My mother, who was losing her eyesight, was listening to books for the blind, which were recorded by volunteers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a godsend for her as she was a former book editor and an avid reader. 

Q: When and where do you listen?

RS: I listen on long airplane flights or car trips for the most part. My first travel book was A WALK IN THE WOODS by Bill Bryson. We were planning a trip that involved driving through northeast Arizona and New Mexico, where radio reception was virtually nonexistent, and when we could actually pick something up, it was usually in Navajo language. My husband and I laughed ourselves silly listening to Bryson talk about his attempt at conquering the Appalachian Trail. I’ve since listened to at least three more Bryson books. I listened to JANE EYRE on a very long flight to Thailand some years ago, and several others on overseas flights that can run more than 15 hours. I sometimes read books for review on tape when the hardcover version is not available. Stephen King and James Lee Burke come to mind. I often listen in my reading chair in the living room or the dreaded treadmill. I tried reading in bed, but would wake up when I heard the recorder click off. The next day, I’d have to back up, usually all the way to the beginning!! 

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

RS: Humor, mystery, suspense --- things to take my mind off the travel time. 

Q: What do you use to listen to audiobooks?

RS: I’m old-fashioned: I listen on a CD player with earbuds.

Q: Are the books that you listen to different from the kinds of print and eBooks you read?

RS: Not really --- I read a lot of different genres, and I’ll take them any way I can get them. I doubt if I’d read a biography or serious nonfiction --- I’d prefer something lighter, so if I missed something (or dozed off), I wouldn’t get lost. However, my youngest daughter read Hillary Clinton’s recent book and said it was great --- almost like having a conversation with her.

Q: Where do you buy/borrow audiobooks from?

RS: I usually download them from the Internet. Several friends (I polled my book club for this interview) download from the city library. I haven’t tried that yet, but keep meaning to take advantage of that service. I know a number of people who use that method exclusively.

Q: Do you share your audiobooks with anyone?

RS: I occasionally hand off my CDs to a friend who shares my taste in reading.  

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

RS: Strictly solo. 

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

RS: Maybe 10 percent? I read several books each month, but the majority are hardcovers or paperbacks, often from the book exchange.

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

RS: Will Patton, who narrates James Lee Burke, really stands out. As a professional actor, he is able to deliver all the voices in Burke’s broad cast of characters, even women, with vocal nuance that leaves the reader clear on who is speaking. I’ve enjoyed listening to two installments of Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series narrated by Davina Porter. Some authors are also excellent narrators --- Bill Bryson is a good example, and Stephen King narrated THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE, which was a real treat. 

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

RS: The aforementioned Stephen King book, because he re-created the characters who were first introduced in The Dark Tower series, which I devoured several years ago in hardcover and soft. I want to listen to more of the classics of the 19th century --- a goal for a future date.

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

RS: WAYFARING STRANGER by James Lee Burke, narrated by Will Patton. Burke drew on real-life historical bandits, Bonnie and Clyde. He introduced a character into the story who was the father of one of his regular series characters, Billy Bob Holland. It was fascinating to hear Burke reach back into a real event and treat it like historical fiction.

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

RS: Purchasing audiobooks in CD form is very expensive. I try to look for them at my favorite book exchange. I’ve tried downloading Audible books on my early model Kindle (probably should be in the Smithsonian, but I don’t want to give it up), which has very poor audio quality. I’ve left a large hint to Santa Claus to leave me a more modern version for Christmas.

For extra credit:

RS: I polled my trusty and well-read book club and family for their thoughts on audiobooks. Almost all listen in cars and long trips. They are all addicted to their eReader/phone combos for multiple purposes, but still prefer the book in the hand. My offspring are much more up to date in their audio habits. My older daughter listens on her Nook, her iPad and even her phone. I haven’t advanced to that state of the art yet. She listens while she cooks, cleans and even during breaks at work.