Sunday 20 January 2013

Miranda Hart: Is it just me? Audiobook

As a busy working individual (with an Iphone with a number of apps which I spend far too long playing on), I tend not to read as regularly as I would hope. A solution? Audiobooks! The most recent audiobook I have downloaded is Miranda Hart's little book of silly musings, read by the woman herself, called 'Is it just me?'. I went for this as it's somewhere between an autobiography, stand up comedy and listening to Radio 4. I enjoyed Alan Carr's audiobook autobiography not long ago, and so I thought I'd try Miranda's.



The good thing about autobiographies that are by people you like- they are read by people you like. I wouldn't sit down and read through a book by my favourite comedian in a million years, as I am something of a literary snob who reads mostly modern classics and other highly regarded novels. Yet, if it is being read to me by them I class it in the same vicinity as trashy TV, or a radio programme, and therefore it is not a waste of my time.

Miranda's audiobook has so far been a little hit and miss. I particularly enjoyed her list of why she hates going to the Hairdresser's, because I hate going to the Hairdresser's for exactly the same reasons. I've become a little bit irritated by her insistance of speaking to '18 year old Miranda' every 5 minutes, and explaining changes that have happened since she was 18 to herself, but half of the time doing a slightly posher and more annoying accent. Despite this, she does share my sentiments about a lot of things, or seems even more worried about many everyday acitivties than I do, and therefore makes me feel a little less alone. I do think a lot of her writing is exagerrated to keep up with the 'character' of Miranda: No one is that clumsy.

As something to listen to whilst cooking, trying to sleep in  bed, or driving, I would recommend this audiobook. These are times where I would otherwise be wasting time, so a little bit of hit-and-miss hilarity is always welcome. Any laugh is a bonus. However, I don't think I would spend an evening listening to this, or choose it over reading a good book when I do finally settle down to a literary escapade. I don't think I'm learning as much about Miranda as I did about Alan Carr in his autobiography, but then I don't think Miranda's plan here is to tell us about ourselves. It's more of an attempt at observational comedy.

Do you listen to audibooks? Do you have any recommendations to make?