James

I found the narration to be pretty good. With a few exceptions, I like it when authors read their own material. I think he did a good job with pacing and tone.

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend this book. The first couple of stories are good because they are fresh and new, especially for a first-time Saunders listener. The plots are intriguing and presented in a good way - a key word here, a phrase there - like slowing opening a present by the corners. But it just started getting repetitive. The characters seemed so similar, their situations were different in the details but not that different in the nature of the conflict. The internal conversations of the characters went from interesting and entertaining to repetitive and predictable. A couple of times while I was listening in my car, I found myself talking to the narration saying, "Yes, I get it. Move on!"

It seems like a lot of people like this book, so who am I to say. I don't usually write reviews, but wanted to give me thoughts, for what they're worth (probably not much).

This is a great book, some of the best story-telling I've ever read. I'm not going to say as good as John Irving, but very worth the time.

The premise, which at first take seems a bit awkward, is handled very well and in a very engaging way.

The narration was flawless. What can I say...one of the best selections of fiction I've downloaded from Audible, a grand journey.

There's really nothing bad to say, except that perhaps that the take-away message is not exceptionally deep and profound.

Highly recommended!

I wouldn't say I'm a rabid Coupland fan, but I've enjoyed his works for a number of years, so I have a bit of perspective with regard to his writing. This book was a disappointment. I thoroughly enjoyed Microserfs, and given the comparisons that have been made between that book and this, I was looking forward to the listen.

It just seemed as though he was patting himself on the back the whole time, making references to himself in his own book, as though he is such a strong presence in the social consciousness. It reminded me of the really cheesy scene in Ocean's Twelve where Julia Roberts dressed up as 'herself' to help out with the heist. It's just not effective and comes off a bit smarmy.

And his way of writing random pages of words/characters/phrases in his books, which I don't mind, doesn't come across effectively in the audio version.

I'm giving it 3-stars because it did have a few redeeming qualities and comical aspects to the characters, but definitely not his best effort.

Should you get it? I don't know....there are better ones out there.

This is a good book, with some solid ideas. The detail with which he explains his theories is both good and bad. For one thing, in the printed version, there are a lot of charts, so in the audiobook the narrator reads off all the repetitive stats from the charts in a very long, monotonous way. In the text version, you would just glance at the chart, get the gist, and move on...in the audiobook, you have to listen to it for over 5 minutes sometimes. A little annoying, because you get the concept after the first few examples, then have to listen to him drone on through the whole chart.

Also, a lot of the advice relates directly to Americans only. I am Canadian, and though I found the general theories sound, the specific advice (401k, etc) was not as helpful.

All in all, a worthy buy.

I don't watch a lot of sports, and especially not football, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This book is laid out as a documentary in which the author spends a season following the fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. It is very well-written. The author does a fantastic job of painting the picture in your mind. The narrator does a brilliant job of bringing it to life, with good inflection and a talent for replicating deep southern accents.

Despite what the Publisher's Review says, this book is only sprinkled superficially with anthopological and psychological analyses of fan-mania. Those looking for an in-depth study will want to look elsewhere, but there's enough insight to give die-hard fans some pause to reflect on their behavioural habits.

4-Stars because it was very enjoyable. Not 5-stars, as those are reserved for classic must-reads, which this is not.

I'm a pretty big Simpson's fan, and as soon as I saw this audiobook, I bought it.

In a word...disappointing. While she does a great job as Bart, Nancy Cartwright is no literary wordsmith. The whole audiobook has the feel of a highschool public speaking presentation. Her narrative voice is unique and somewhat charming for the first 30min, then it sort of grates on the mind. ie. "The B-Sharps"

With some reasonable "behind-the-scenes" content, I might recommend borrowing the hardcopy version from the library (which would eliminate the voice issue). If it were a movie I saw at the theatre, I'd say wait for the video and rent it. If you're a member, and are at a loss for something to order before your Renewal Date hits, order it with no high expectations. If you're not a member, save your money and go to the library.

PS. I just finished Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer. If you're looking for an entertaining, well-written audiobook with a great narrator, check it out.

Enjoyed the listen. Skillfully combined details with easily understandable language, and an ample measure of ironic quips thrown in. The only downside...there's nothing in it you'd care to discuss with anyone else, ie. friends, family or co-workers, unless you're an anthropologist or geologist, in which case you'd be familiar with all the content anyways. Regardless, worth the download.