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I've noticed that most of the 'star turns' on audiobooks are people who are terrible readers--try Brad Pitt reading Cormac McCarthy one day, or maybe, don't--I'd much rather listen to a professional narrator. Reading aloud is such a unique skill. This book as written has an exceptional voice, one of my favorites, and I hope you try it again one day after the Donna Tartt sound fades a little.

lark wrote: "I've noticed that most of the 'star turns' on audiobooks are people who are terrible readers--try Brad Pitt reading Cormac McCarthy one day."

Oh dear, Brad's a ham actor at the best of times. I can well imagine him wreaking havoc with McCarthy's prose. I probably will give 'True Grit' another shot in future. There was a great story there in between Tartt's wierd sighs and clicky mouth sounds (ugh). In the meantime, I've decided to play it safe, so I'm off to listen to Keanu Reeves' classic take on Tolstoy's 'War and Peace.'

lark wrote: "I've noticed that most of the 'star turns' on audiobooks are people who are terrible readers--try Brad Pitt reading Cormac McCarthy one day, or maybe, don't--I'd much rather listen to a professiona..." It's been around 50-50 with me. I loved John Malkovich reading Vonnegut and Benedict Cumberbatch reading Methamorphosis.

Malkovich and Cumberbatch were stage actors. Those kind of actors, with that training, are very aware of their voices and how to use them. It’s not snobbery to say so, they just have an experience level some screen actors, like Pitt, don’t.
Donna Tartt reading True Grit is just a bizarre choice. How did that even happen?

Andy. If I remember correctly True Grit was a favorite of Donna Tarts or something similar to that and she wanted to bring it to audio for people to hear. I had seen the newest movie version of it a few years back and enjoyed it a lot. I did a sample of the audiobook with Donna and didn’t choose it. My intention from the beginning was to read the author words without someone else’s interpretation. I was glad I did. I hear you about audiobook readers. Last couple of years have found much dissatisfaction with the readers.

Rebecca wrote: "Malkovich and Cumberbatch were stage actors. Those kind of actors, with that training, are very aware of their voices and how to use them."

Rebecca, I hadn't thought of it like that, but yes - I'm sure you're right. I have to say I've been quite lucky with my audiobooks so far. Generally, the readers have been fantastic. Donna, though, was just awful. She gave all of the characters this sort of lazy, cynical drawl that made them sound a little like Forrest Gump, and kept making a weird, clicky sound when she pronounced certain words. Dehydrated, I guess. She should have drunk more water before she began to record...

I have always ranked this one, "Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry and "The Big Sky" by A.B. Guthrie Jr. as my all-time favorite western novels. Mr. Portis' masterful use of the rhythms of speech transported this reader back to the mythic American West. I do appreciate the "heads-up" on this audiobook performance. Cheers!