(Audio) Book report

I don't have a bad commute, all things considered. I've lived in three cities in my life, all with notorious commutes. In fact, a recent New Yorker article mused on the worst commute cities in the U.S. noting that Washington, D.C. (city #2 for me), San Francisco (never lived there, but would like to), New York (nice to visit), and Los Angeles (city #3 for me) all have bad commutes that are exacerbated by geographical impediments (mountains, rivers, bays, and the like). The worst commutes, the article contended, are those that are bad simply because of planning. The two cities cited as simply bad because transportation engineers and urban planners let everyone down were Atlanta (city #1 for me) and Houston (drove through it once, didn't get stuck). Anyway, despite having lived in three of the six worst, I've never had a horrible commute. I say this even while mentally counting bus commuting when I was in graduate school in the "not horrible" category.

My current commute is fine, though I can't use the L.A. freeways to any good effect in it. It's a surface street commute and one that I would like to do by bicycle sooner rather than later. Gas in L.A. running $3.45 right at the moment and all.

In the less fit that I should be zone than I'm in now, I'm driving. I waver in and out of what I like to do while driving. Sometimes I can be an NPR person. Sometimes I'm a sports radio person. When it occurs to me, I plug in my ipod.

I'm currently in a phase. A books on CD phase. These happen every so often. Sometimes, the right kinds of things prompt it, like Sarah Vowell writing a new book. What I like to listen to is not at all the same as what I like to read. I love Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events on CD. I read the first book (yes, I know they're for adolescents), but not any of the rest. I adore them on CD. Adore as in I'll pay full retail adore. I like being read to, I guess.

I would never read the Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Pendergast novels, but the versions on CD I love. Partly, of course, my adoration is a function of the narrator. Tim Curry in the former case and Rene Auberjonois in the latter. It's not just that, though. I need to be able to follow. It needs to be lively. Violent is ok (the Preston/Child books are certainly that), though not necessary or even sought.

All of which brings me to the current phase. I'm listening to the Number 1 Ladies' Detective novels by Alexander McCall Smith narrated by Lisette Lecat.

The stories are lovely, hearkening back to the feel of Miss Marple, but with Botswana, rather than St. Mary Mead as the setting. It's a long way from one place to the other, but the feeling is similar even if the time and place are different. Mma Ramotswe, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, and Mma Makutsi are all fully realized characters, but realized in a gentle way that feels at once old fashioned and comfortable. My grandmother, a great fan of the "soft" mystery, would have loved the series.

It's funny, I think, when things make you nostalgic for places you've never seen. But the tone (and narration) of the books is such that I find myself wistful for the Botswana that was.

I find myself wondering about going there.

In case you wonder too (and who wouldn't?), South African Air (a member of the Star Alliance, so you can use your United miles) flies frequently from Johannesburg to Gaborone. Delta now offers direct flights from Atlanta (if you can get to Hartsfield-Jackson given the traffic) to Dakar and then on to Johannesburg. The flight to Jo'burg is about $1800 and the flight to Gaborone is 1880 Rand. (That's $270, just so you don't have to look it up). By the by, $100 will get 628 Botswana Pula.



We should put animals on our money, too. Not eagles, though. They're overdone. I'm thinking squirrels or pigeons. Maybe deer and possum, too.

Anyway, if anyone wants to join me for a trip to Gaborone, let me know. We should rent a tiny white van like Mma Ramotswe's and see what there is to see. I'm hoping to see a Hoopoe or two.



If you're not up for a Southern African excursion, and you like a soft mystery of the old-fashioned type, narrated exquisitely, try the series out. It may make your commute a little brighter, too.