Comics, podcasts, and iPad apps

Apparently, this Saturday is International Read Comics in Public Day. I think this is a good idea. Reading anything in public is a good idea, so why not comics? I have a small collection of comics and graphic novels in the library and they are immensely popular! And for anyone who thinks that comics are not a legitimate art form, I challenge you to read The Arrival by Shaun Tan - I say read but it is actually wordless. It is absolutely stunning! In fact, I might just make it Book of the Week next week.

Now, I'm not a big comics reader, I get a bit overwhelmed by the pictures and tend to just read the words and skip the pictures which means I lose a lot of the story. But I do understand their appeal, after all, a good story is a good story regardless of delivery system. When I have taken the time to pore over the pictures, like when I 'read' The Arrival, I do find they can be enjoyable. I'm just always in to much of a hurry!
Speaking of comics, over the summer I downloaded the DC Comics app to my iPad. The app was free and some of the comics are free so I thought I'd check it out. Well, this turns out to be a great way for me to read comics! The app has a feature where it will either display a whole page at once or you can scroll pane by pane through the page. This helps me not get so overwhelmed by the pictures and helps me navigate through the panes without getting confused. I really like it! I've been reading mostly grown-up comics though, which also makes it more enjoyable!
I've also been using my iPad to read books - can you imagine!? I've bought a few books from the iBook store but I've also downloaded a ton of free books on my Free Books app. These are books that are out of copyright and have been digitized by Project Gutenberg. Lots of great old books. I'm reading one now by E. Nesbit called The Five Children and It from 1905. It's about a group of siblings who find a sand fairy who grants them wishes. It's very english and very old fashioned and very charming.
And speaking of delivery systems, you know I've been listening to audiobooks all summer, but I also like to listen to podcasts. Mr. Richards and I have been listening to old Jack Benny radio shows and Mr. Richards has discovered an old science fiction radio show called Dimension X. These shows are from the '40's and '50's but are still very entertaining. I've also been listening to the Pinkwater Podcast. Earlier in the summer, I listened to The Neddiad by Daniel Pinkwater and then I discovered he produces a weekly podcast in which he reads from his books and essays. Through listening to his essays, you can hear how his personal experiences become part of the stories he writes.

So tell me what you've been listening to.