help meeeee

[alexseanchai]

My brother's birthday is in three days. He is asking for audiobooks. I am going to venture the guess that podcasts would also be welcome (though I suspect podfic would not). He is offering zero guidance on which ones. I have no idea what books he already owns in any format, except that he owns a very great deal of Catholic nonfiction in hardcopy, and also some Tolkien. I asked him in September to name a few genres he wants to read in or subjects he wants to be educated on so I would have a place to start. (I know Catholic theology on the "I went to Sunday school with the parish until I got confirmed" level. He knows Catholic theology on the "I have a Master's in theology from Franciscan" level.) He has not responded.

What should I get him, or recommend to him? The less money I need to spend, the better. (Though I assume pointing him at Amazon Music's $0.00 dramatic reading of the KJV is cheating.)

Comments

[codyne]

Since he has Tolkien, maybe C.S. Lewis? As another old-school Catholic fantasist.

Umberto Eco? I thought he was Catholic until I checked his biography just now, and it turns out he was an ex-Catholic, but his novels are steeped in theology and philosophy. I've only read a couple of his books but they were both really good. "The Name of the Rose" is a murder mystery set in a 14th century Benedictine monastery, that's why I thought of Eco. He's also written a lot of non-fiction, but I haven't read any of it.

That's all I can think of at the moment but if any others occur to me I'll let you know! Hope this helps.

[alexseanchai]

I'm pretty sure he's read all the Lewis there is? But yeah.

Oh, hm. Thank you!

[alexseanchai]

I got him The Name of the Rose. He can damn well deal with the belatedness, but since he seems to want the audiobooks for his cross-country drive, he doesn't quite need to have them yet anyway.

Thanks :)

[codyne]

Glad I could help! I hope he likes it.

[malkingrey]

If all else fails, there's always a gift certificate that he can use to pick out his own.

(Unless he's one of those annoying people who don't like getting gift certificates because a gift is supposed to demonstrate how well the giver knows you, or something.)

[alexseanchai]

This is true.

I don't know? He did give us a birthday wishlist. It's just that the other things on the list are CD holders for his car and blank CD-Rs...

[tptigger]

^^^ That was my suggestion

[alexseanchai]

:)

[alatefeline]

Get the New York Time's book reviews top seller in a category or two he might like and plus a gift card if you can afford it. Add on a free podcast or two.

Or bother him for clarification.

Seriously, if his ask is so vague, he'd better be polite about receiving anything in that vague category. I know you want to delight your sibling, but he has to cooperate to maximize the positive interaction here.

[alexseanchai]

...that's a really good idea, actually.

I bothered him again this morning. I expect no response to that either.

This is all true...

ugh brains why assholes?

[rosefox]

Neil Gaiman's self-read The Graveyard Book.

[alexseanchai]

I thought I'd thanked you for this suggestion already? Oops. Anyway. Thanks! I got it. He can damn well deal with the belatedness, but since he seems to want the audiobooks for his cross-country drive, he doesn't quite need to have them yet anyway.

Thanks :)