TOPIC: Harry Potter Question

Yes I am a snob when it comes to unabridged books, you should see the size of some of the unabridged versions.  Clancy's books often go to 30-40 tapes or CD's.  Hubard's Battlefield earth was 36 tapes, kept me busy for a whole month.  <br /><br />I am not so sure that all audio books are abridged.  Most of the Fantasy and Science Fiction I listen to is clearly marked "unabridged"  Since I usually read and listen to the same book (with some time inbetween, I admit) I would think it would be obvious if an entire thread was taken out.  <br /><br />And yes while abridgments have a decent profit margin, They are not as popular as you think.  The library by me has thousands of books most unabridged.  All of my audio books are unabridged (and marked as such) as well.  I agree with Henwy, cutting parts out, even if "approved" by the author, ruins the story in most cases.  I have only listened to a few abridgments, and well, they just did not compare to the books.<br /><br />I prefer my snobbery, thank you....

Sorry, I was not clear about the whole abridged thing.<br /><br />Almost every book you buy off the shelf is abridged from its original work (i.e. author final draft).  Editor's love to cut the fat and knock out sub-plots.  My point was that you are, in fact, listening to abridged representations of the author's work -- even though the book and the audio book says "unabridged".<br /><br />See Stephen's Kings "The Stand" for a good example.  He later added back several hundred pages cut from the original "unabridged" novel.  So...don't be too snobby.  Most of your high-class unabridged audiobooks have already been "abridged" by the publishing house before it was even printed. <br /><br />I love reading big novels like those of Tom Clancy -- I actually prefer them.  But I also enjoy the ocassional short story -- as it is a viable medium as well with its own strengths.  I believe this is analogous to the whole unabridged/abridged audio book dichotomy.  You guys are missing out on some good "short stories".

Jeff,<br />While yes, if you must split hairs, most every book published is “abridged”.  Your insistence on the term applying to all books, however, is semantics.   And while literal, you know as well as I that the common usage of the word “abridged” (in publication advertising) refers to the original published text, whether butchered by the editor/publisher or not.  <br /><br />So let me be very clear.  As I choose to use the term, “abridged” audio books do not contain all the information from the original published text.  Since I often read the book first, then listen, I find the abridgments downright frustrating.<br /><br />Since you are insisting on playing the semantics card, let’s not refer to (or compare) “abridged” (as I define the term) audio books as “Short Stories”.<br /><br />Purposefully written short stories are an art form all to themselves and have defined beginning, middle, and end.  They are crafted to deliver all the information necessary in a smaller package.  As such, they are of value and are very entertaining.   True short stories in audio form are worth listening to.<br /><br />Abridged stories (from the original published novelized version) often have too much of transitional information, flavor, and character development information removed for brevity and do not satisfy me in the way the entire text would have.  If you talk to established authors (maybe Widseth can comment here) there is a very different mindset and technique to writing a true short story versus a novel and just abridging the novel by “removing the fat” do not make the two equal.<br /><br />I am glad you find “abridged” audio entertaining, (I’ll suppress a snipe here).  I however, can not stand them.  Even if I have not read the entire text, I often find I can tell where parts of the story are missing and it drives me nuts.<br /><br />I will stick to my “faithfully reproduced in audio” books (i.e. unabridged), whether short stories or novels, thank you. <br />Dave<br />

You guys are making me want to sit down and watch a movie!  WITH or WITHOUT popcorn!

Don't get me started on movies "based on" novels.....

I love movies based on abridged audiobooks!  <br /><br />                          :hal:

*grabs bag of popcorn and sits down to watch Jeff and Dave instead...*

<br />I love movies based on abridged audiobooks!  <br /><br />                          :hal:<br />

<br /><br />You are an #$$....    :violent1:<br /><br /><br />...but I mean that in the nicest way possible.... =D

*hands Jeff a handful of popcorn to throw at Dave...*

LOL! Bro you are such an enabler. heeheheheh<br />Y'all are too funny. Thanks for the smile and laugh.

Alright then...you asked for it!  =D<br /><br />Yeah,  those movies based on the written word really suck.  I wish they had never made "To Kill a Mockingbird ", "Gone With the Wind", "Jaws", "The Hunt for Red October", "The Enemy Below", "The Guns of Navarone", "The Bridge on the River Kwai", "Stand By Me", "Schindler's List", "Die Hard", "Jurassic Park", "From Here to Eternity", "LA Confidential", "Silence of the Lambs", "Seabiscuit", "Band of Brothers",  "2001: A Space Odyssey", "True Grit", "War and Peace", "The Godfather", "The Exorcist", "The Color Purple", "My Left Foot", "Driving Miss Daisy", "GoodFellas," "Forrest Gump",  "Apollo 13",  "High Fidelity", "Casablanca", "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "All About Eve", "From Here to Eternity", "Doctor Zhivago", "M*A*S*H", "The French Connection ", "All the President's Men", "Amadeus", "Dangerous Liaisons ", "Sling Blade", "The Cider House Rules", "The Green Mile", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Chicago", and those "Lord of the Rings" movies!

WHEW - Ferris Bueller's Day Off is safe!