The Hoboken Cafe 

I commute a lot and want to set a swapping system for books on tape - I have "The Magic Circle" and will swap with ya

you mean tape as in.. cassette tape?
I've heard of the idea before, books
on tape. But it doesn't sound very
appealing. If the narrator's voice
sounds something like that one from
A Christmas Story, I think I can deal.
But if it's anything like the teacher
from Ferris Beuller's Day Off (or more
recently, the Visine commercials),
then I'd have to shoot myself.

Hell, yeah I'm serious
I agree that the way a book is read makes all the difference as does the way a class is taught, etc.

After "The magic circle" [which starts out about as interesting as death warmed over but gets more interesting, not great literature but interest-catching] the accents when needed are poor but in general kept my interest during my drive

A great reader is Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, that I heard of for years, and then Amos bought an MP3 that we started recording on tape [jiust tape recorder in car] and then after hearing the first and before recording more, Douglas Adams died [reads were not live, were pre-recorded, but weird nontheless]

And again to hear excellent readings - check out selected shorts on National Public Radio weekends - check out on site

After I finished in fewer than 2 days worth of commuting the 2 books on tape my mom took out for me, I raided the library myself and got a boatload of more tapes - though when you look carefully you notice that they are abridged, selctions, but oh well
And it's great you can renew by phone

If you aren't already, you can get a free library card if you either live work or study in the 5 boroughs and I thought proof was more hassleful but it's not bad, i.d.s ok, mail not necessary