Becky

This is a farce...which is okay, there are few funny moments. But a farce usually isn't effective over 30 minutes, and I gave this up within that time. It's not a story, it's a performance. Doesn't translate too well to audio.

This book is the best I've read from Audible since I've become a member. The audio itself is a little sketchy...I believe it wasn't recorded in the same way as most books. But none of that matters, just turn the radio up higher, and on headphones, you don't even notice it.
Natalie Goldberg is a treasure. Her accented style of speaking makes the reading sound cozy, like you are getting stories from a neighbor or friend. And if you don't want to write, this book is still immensely enjoyable and pleasurable. I don't know if it has to do with Natalie's practice of Zen Buddhism, but her speech is slow and measured, without being monotonous. Everything is explained, you are never left to wonder. The entire effect made me feel peaceful whenever I listened. And it's a good long book....I can't remember exactly, but I'm thinking in the realm of 5 hours. I wish it had gone on longer.

The content is good. The book as a historical is probably a good read. The speaking manners of the narrator...with clipped or stilted way of talking is annoying. She pronounces the Indian words very carefully with an even more exaggerated stitled manner. Mentioning the Indian translation of the words is fine, but then to go back and use them later, with no visual reference is expecting a lot from this listener. I can't remember what a foreign word means 20 minutes of narrative later...especially when I haven't seen the word in written form. So I missed many of the meanings ascribed to the words later.