December 2009
AUDIO BOOK REVIEWS
by Jonathan Lowe
Is it fair to call the Dalai Lama a wise guy? He certainly doesn't seem like
a holy man, although that is what he's considered to the people of Tibet. To
us in the West, he's the closest thing we have to the proverbial
wise-man-on-the-mountain, although he's now in exile in India. In his new book
THE ART OF HAPPINESS IN A TROUBLED WORLD, written with Dr. Howard C. Cutler,
who interviews him and supplies both context and commentary, the Dalai Lama
discusses in depth the philosophy and science of achieving peace of mind, using
anecdotal examples to illustrate his points. What is happiness, and how can we
overcome the "us" versus "them" conditioning that we use to separate each other
into stereotypes to foster racism and aggression? There are logical answers here
that are as simple and beautiful as Einstein's equation E=MC². That they
come from the mouth of the Dalai Lama, through the voice of narrator Marc
Cashman, seems both appropriate and ironic in that, while the message is down
to earth and filled with compassion evoking equality, it comes from a man
usually addressed as "His Holiness." (Random House Audio; 14 hours
unabridged) |
Is it right that a person should complain when required to pay taxes on part
of their income after having their yacht taken away, and after living in
luxury for almost one hundred years at taxpayer expense? No, you might agree,
it's not right. And so Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon did not
complain, nor did her daughter. She merely ordered another drink. A martini.
As THE QUEEN MOTHER, officially chronicled by William Shawcross, Elizabeth
enjoyed an idyllic childhood, a very long life, the admiration of her subjects,
plus she got to wear the Crown Jewels to state functions and endless
appearances, parties, and celebrations. Even her daughter's Golden Jubilee was
an unmatched procession of floats, bands, and aircraft at which Donald Trump
might have salivated. As read by the author, a famous BBC broadcaster, (along
with Sophie Roberts, who supplies quotes or passages in the Queen Mother's
voice), this biography not only recounts the splendor of being royalty (a
fading anachronism in our modern age), but also tells Elizabeth's personal
story, including her refusal to take refuge during the bombing of London,
and her disinclination to comment on various later scandals. That she loved
the military, horse racing, and music is quite obvious in this extensive and
approved biography, and Shawcross maintains an almost regal English viewpoint
throughout, his tone only changing when describing the horrors of WWII, and
the Crown's reaction to it. Unlike pop stars of today, who are our only
royalty, Elizabeth did not comport herself inappropriately, but led a full yet
discreet life as the embodiment of her country. Knowing her role well, she
also passed that knowledge on to her daughter, although whether it will
continue is anyone's guess. Shawcross has obvious affection for the subject,
as he has written extensively about the Royal Family in the past, and his
natural British accent also bears the seal of Royal approval, being the
genuine article. (Random House Audio; 10 hours unabridged) |
Next, that aging hippie and comedian by the name of George Carlin is gone now
(he died in June 2008), but his legacy and history remain to be plumbed in
LAST WORDS, a new biography written with friend Tony Hendra (a British
comedian and author). Narrated with similar gruff gusto by his brother
Patrick Carlin, the audiobook recalls George's very earliest memories on the
streets of New York, and includes his days on the road in various clubs from
Dayton to Hollywood, his battles with censorship, his unusual meeting and
marriage to his wife Brenda, her succumbing to cancer, his drug use, and his
search for a new voice, after being associated as much with the 70s as
platform shoes and disco. Carlin's subject matter moved from the typical to
the political in the 1980s and 1990s, when he appeared often on The Tonight
Show, HBO, and SNL, culminating in his 2001 Grammy win for
Brain
Droppings, and he also loved to play with words and ideas, with zero
respect for anyone or any institution. Carlin was also hard on himself, and
sadly, some of this book relates to his hopes to continue doing standup into
the future, which was not to be. Patrick Carlin sounds a lot like George, both
in voice and in mindset, and no one could have related George's thoughts and
words better. The audiobook also features opening commentary with Tony Hendra
and Kelly Carlin-McCall about her father. (Simon & Schuster Audio; 6 hours
abridged) |
Finally, while it might be difficult to sort out all the characters in a P.G.
Wodehouse tale, the attempt is a genuine pleasure, given the masterful
interpretations of narrator Martin Jarvis. In SUMMER LIGHTNING the ninth Earl
of Emsworth fears his prize pig with be snatched by Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe,
while Parsloe fears Clarence's debauched brother Gally will publish scandalous
memoirs implicating him. Set in a castle, there is a butler named Beach, a
romance involving Clarence's niece Millicent, along with some private eye
detecting regarding the thefts, and patently absurd dialogue from a great
British humorist, all brought to amazing life by the inimitable skill of stage
and screen actor Jarvis. How does Martin do it, knowing instantly the correct
inflection, tone, voice, and mental states of a dozen very, very quirky
characters? We'll have to ask him, won't we? (CSA Word; 5 hours unabridged)
(For interviews with audiobook narrators, visit Jonathan's blog at
AudiobooksToday.Blogspot.com) |
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