Patricia's Story

“I’ve been a Calibre member for about three years, since I discovered the charity while searching for an audiobook of Rosemary’s Baby.

“I don’t listen to loads of different stories; I tend to listen over and over to stories I know and like. There’s something familiar and comforting about that. And yet, it never ceases to amaze me how, each time you listen – and even though you know what’s coming next – you can still feel the suspense building. It’s almost better when you know it’s going to happen as you have the benefit of looking forward to it too! Despite the familiarity, it’s always a unique experience, every time I hear it.

“I listen on my laptop – I find it more reliable than the app on my phone – and the sound quality is great. There’s so much variety and a huge range of different genres. Calibre is a high-calibre service – a cut above everything else I listen to. The readers are exceptionally good.

“I think Peter Marinker (who narrates Calibre’s version of Rosemary’s Baby) is absolutely brilliant. So much so that I’ve searched for and hugely enjoyed other titles narrated by him.

“There’s a real skill to narrating a story, I think. Knowing when to pause and how to build suspense, being able to use different voices to represent different characters.

“I’m not such a big TV fan – I’d rather listen to a story than watch a film. Not only does listening allow you to do other things (sometimes I’ll catch up on household chores while I listen), but it also allows you to imagine. It gives your brain more to do and think about. You can use your imagination and creativity in a way you can’t when you’re watching something. I love to imagine what characters look like, how they’re feeling… There’s so much power in the spoken word, especially on its own and with no visual cues.

“For example, I watched the film of Rosemary’s Baby first and thought it was brilliant. When I found the audiobook, I thought it was even better. And when I went back to watch the film again, I was disappointed. I just love the way the story is constructed – I’ve probably listened to it all the way through at least half a dozen times.

“I’ve always loved stories, especially Thomas Hardy’s: Jude the Obscure, Tess of the D’Urbevilles, The Mayor of Casterbridge – I love them all. I first read Jude the Obscure at school. Since then, I’ve watched and listened to everything I could find, but nothing beats the audiobook narrated by the brilliant Stephen Thorne. He narrates so beautifully, switching seemingly effortlessly from Queen’s English to broad Dorset dialect. He does the regional dialect so well – he really brings the characters to life and makes the whole story come alive. I remember buying the audio cassette of Jude the Obscure back in the day. It was lovely to find Jude on Calibre with the same narrator.

“I always had problems with reading, and my mum took me to be assessed for dyslexia when I was about seven or eight years old. I was fortunate to have had a very helpful teacher, who gave me extra lessons. And as a result, my reading improved, but I still struggled. It’s much easier for me to understand a story if I can listen to it, rather than having to read it. The beauty of audiobooks is I don’t miss out. I can still have as good an access to the experience of reading as someone else who can read more easily.  

“Before I discovered Calibre, I didn’t really used audiobook services. Instead, I’d listen to stories on YouTube. I found an interesting mix of factual stories that had been dramatised, including interviews and narration. I could also access short stories from favourite authors like Hardy and Edith Wharton, and plays such as Macbeth and The Crucible.

“My dyslexia means I’m quite dependent on audio in forming and exploring words and ideas. But it’s brilliant that audiobooks both inspire and enable me to do this.

“I’ve joined Toastmaster to bring me out of my shell a bit – stop myself being so solitary – and build my confidence in public speaking. My social skills aren’t great, and I can feel a bit fazed by talking to people I don’t know. Audiobooks help me push myself out of my comfort zone. How powerful to be able to speak with clarity and engage an audience like the best narrators do.

“As well as helping me grow and learn in the real world – audiobooks offer the best escapism. Stories give me companionship and familiarity, they entertain me, cheer me up, make me happy, even frighten me at times! They have the power to open up a whole new world of imagination. They take me to another place, out of this world, and I like being there – it feels really good. Life would be quite dull without audiobooks, not least because the world they transport me to is more exciting than the real one!

“Big thumbs up to Calibre – thank you and keep doing what you do.”