All About the Audio 
I have come to the conclusion that it is much more difficult for me to select books to listen to than those I read in print. I wonder if others have the same dilemma? Here are two of the things I find myself dealing with when choosing audiobooks (and the ways I get around them!):
* The types of books I enjoy listening to are often very different from the ones I sit down and read. I have always been primarily a reader of fiction (especially thrillers, suspense, science fiction and fantasy), but I have found I enjoy listening to nonfiction. Since I'm not usually paying attention to nonfiction reviews, etc. I have to work harder to find ones that have some appeal. In addition to reviews and recommendations, I suggest keeping track of which audiobooks you enjoy most to look for recurring themes that you can use when browsing the nonfiction audiobook section (for me that means primarily memoirs, travel narratives and history). You might also want to note the readers you enjoy and use that as a guide. For example, I know some people will listen to literally anything read by George Guidall, and that has led them to listen to a wide variety of books. I am hit or miss on this system as I find a certain reader can become so strongly associated in my mind with a certain story that I am a bit disoriented when they are suddenly the "voice" for a completely different set of characters. Fortunately, after a certain amount of time I find that association diminishes and I can go back to readers I've enjoyed.
* There aren't as many reviews for audiobooks - or at least there didn't seem to be to me! I've since found there are a lot out there, you just have to search a bit harder. One nice new review source is AudioFile Magazine which the Library now has in the Reader Services area (and note that they have a great website as well). The Library also has complimentary copies of BookPage which reviews a few audio each month and I use the various resources on the "Audio" page of the Library's website for links to several different review sources. Last, but certainly not least, I've realized that many people are getting into audiobooks, so now in addition to asking whether they have read anything enjoyable lately, I ask if they've LISTENED to a good book!
mcs
p.s. I can think of other issues as well - what are yours? More importantly, if you ever feel "stuck" please talk with us at Reader Services. We're happy to brainstorm new book ideas with you - both in print and audio!



Chicago-area author Jim Kokoris will be speaking about the writing life and reading from his latest novel at a program on Thursday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m., sponsored by the St. Charles Public Library Foundation. A dessert reception at 6:30 p.m. precedes his presentation. The program is free and open to the public, but if you plan to attend the reception, we request your reservation in advance. Tickets are $10 for the reception, and checks can be made payable to the St. Charles Public Library Foundation and either mailed to the library or dropped off at the Business Office with Virginia Tsipas.
Kokoris to be "a shrewd and compassionate observer" of the human condition in its analysis of his most recent work, 



It’s England during the French Revolution, and beautiful, rich, 17 year-old Savoy (disguised as a highwayman) sets out to find her father and brother who have been condemned for supporting the French. Savoy’s mission takes her to dangerous, exciting underworlds of Paris and London. Capturing the romance, political /class struggles and the drama of the 18th century, Rees’s readers will not be disappointed with her richly detailed descriptions of period clothing, architecture and technology, not to mention her fresh take on the “ highwayman.” For Young Adults and up.
In this revealing autobiography from one of the world’s greatest athletes, readers learn of the harsh, lonely childhood of Andre Agassi whose father (a former Golden Gloves fighter) forced his son to become a champion, like it or not. Such pressure was not without consequences as Agassi experienced sorrow and failure in both his professional and private life. However, since his marriage to Steffi Graf and his acceptance of the game he once hated, Agassi’s life has taken a more hopeful turn. Read this extremely honest, heartfelt memoir written with J. R. Moehringer as ghostwriter. A cautionary tale for Young Adults and up.
The movie 
Can't get enough of the entertaining and multifaceted 
Not knowing much about Iceland, I didn’t know what to expect when I popped 


Though a novel, Eggers's book is a true account of the adventures of Valentino Achak Deng, one of 3,800 Lost Boys from Sudan (Lost Boys because they were unaccompanied minors) who survived years in refugee camps of Kenya and Ethiopia. We learn of the unimaginable sufferings of these children as Achak narrates his frightening, sometimes wonderful experiences of escape, rescue and hardship ...even after settling in Atlanta. What Is the What carries the emotional impact of an epic with touches of humor, poignancy and wisdom. Dion Graham's narration pulls the listener into this harrowing reality, yet the warmth of Valentino's personality plus Eggers's gift as a writer makes one reluctant to leave this world when the book ends. An unforgettable witness to the beauty and power of one individual...not to be missed!