After years of listening to the audio book for Fragile Things (written and read by Neil Gaiman), I finally picked up the print version, because usually the feel and look of a print edition is a lot neater and story-ish than the audio version (until Apple releases scented iPods in “New Book Smell,” anyway).
And I was disappointed. It might be because I’ve heard the audio book so many times, but I kept trying to hear his voice in my head as I was reading. There was something… missing.
Maybe it’s because Fragile Things is a book of short stories (and occasional poems), and so listening feels more natural than reading, because you don’t need to get it all in one go. Or maybe it’s because the way he says things is every bit as good as what he’s actually saying. But at any rate, if you’re planning on reading Fragile Things, try the audio book first.
You can listen to an excerpt online here.
Side note: It was nominated for an Audie Award in 2007.