Nowadays, I spend more time listening to books than I do reading them. ... Well, that's not entirely true. I am still reading a lot of textbooks for seminary. But I spend more time listening to books for fun, then I do reading books for fun.
It's simple logistics, really. ... I spend a lot of time traveling, running and walking our two dogs. And so in all three, there is prime book listening time in all of those activities. ... Whereas, time to sit down to enjoy a novel is more spare.
My audio book service of choice is Audible, but I do dabble a bit in Chirp as well. ... And if you would have told me three years ago that I would have become the large fan of audio books that I am now, I wouldn't have believed it. Just because I love the printed word so much.
But regardless, if I'm reading ... or listening, what I enjoy the most is coming across a read ... er, a listen ... that surprises the heck out of me.
The most recent of which was the Audible Original called "Phreaks."
First, let's cover some of the contextual ground: Audible Original, are audiobooks produced by Audible that aren’t available anywhere else. As a member of Audible, you get access to purchase these "Originals" or use your free monthly credit on them. Additionally, Audible offers up several free "Originals" to subscribers each month.
And my newest, favorite Audible Original is "Phreaks."
Written by Matthew Darby, at 5 hours 10 minutes, this is a quick listen, but keeps you engaged with a talented cast including Christian Slater (of all people!), Ben McKenzie, Carrie Coon, Justice Smith and Bree Klauser.
"Phreaks" was only released on Aug. 4, and so it is still fairly new. ... But if you have the Audible service, you have to go get this read ... er, listen!
As described by Audible: "The year is 1970. Emma Gable, a blind teenager coming of age in a small industrial town in Western New York, is about as far from the seismic cultural transformations rocking campuses and city streets across America as a person can get. Emma escapes the chaos of her dysfunctional family by dialing up random numbers on the phone in her bedroom, just to see who'll answer.
"But when a fateful call connects her to a mysterious band of proto-hackers calling themselves 'Phone Phreaks,' the revolution comes home, changing Emma's life for good. Because Bell Telephone, the world's biggest corporation, is not amused that a handful of teenagers suddenly have the power to seize control of its vast and lucrative network and bend it to their will.
"Bringing down the Phreaks is the corporate goliath's number one priority, but for Bell Security Agent Bill Connolly, the crusade becomes personal as he struggles to outwit and outmaneuver an adversary that seems always one step ahead of him.
"Phreaks is the story of a fracturing family struggling to redefine itself as the world changes rapidly around it. Set at the dawn of the information age, its characters struggle with the same issues that define us today: privacy and surveillance, misuse of personal data, the ownership of ideas, our century-long obsession with the telephone, and the thirst for community that's driven us, since the dawn of time, to seek out new ways to 'reach out and touch someone.'"
So, let me just say, that I downloaded "Phreaks" on a whim. Being a member of Audible, I get access to multiple free Audible Original productions each month, and this was offered up as a free download as part of the August free Original offerings. ... The description seemed like a hoot, but frankly, when I saw that Christian Slater was part of the cast, I was sold. That is why I took the free download. ... I have not regretted it since listening to the production this week.
Simply put: This book is a phenomenal read. The cast is world class, and the sound effects add so much to the experience. But what I was most impressed with was the depth of the story. What started out as surface level story about some freaky, technologically advanced teenagers in the '70s that messed with "Ma Bell," turned out to be a very sophisticated story that probes the many layers of family and the identities forced upon us by society.
I don't want to give too much away about the story, and honestly, Audible's description above, I think should be enough to interest you, but the character of "Emma" is entirely fascinating. And if you've ever felt like the kid that no one paid attention to, or the kid that was being unfairly stepped on by the greater cosmic design, then Emma will resonate with you.
My hats off to author Matthew Darby. ... His creation that was specifically designed for an audiobook was brilliant. Looking at his website, he seems like a creator similar to me. He just wants to tell stories, and in this new, crazy, digital world, he's telling stories online, in audiobooks and in designing video games. ... And I dig that. Had I more courage myself, I would launch my storytelling career in this new digital format. ... But duty calls, and there are bills to pay, and tuitions mounting, both for me and my kids.
The truth is that this story -- "Phreaks" -- resonated with me because it was so original, so daring, so intimate ... that I am jealous. While Matthew Darby is out there in the digital space, killing it with his story creations, I'm stalling with my corporate gig so that I can get my kids through school. ... Whew, was that too much vein opening?
Ok, if you are a lover of stories and a member of Audible, then go get "Phreaks." ... You will not be disappointed! ... I'm certain that you will thank me!
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