Stats - first half of 2011

[alobear]

I've decided to reduce my stats frequency to twice a year instead of once per quarter, since they seemed to come round ever so quickly and not really achieve very much.  So, herewith, six months' worth of review stats!  I have also added a new section for games I haven't previously played - since I'm now attending three to four annual events where I'm likely to discover new ones.

First half stats for 2011 - let's see if I can get the percentages right this time!

Books:
Positive - 34 (81%)
Negative - 8 (19%)

Films:
Positive - 18 (75%)
Negative - 6 (25%)

Live Entertainment:
Positive - 11 (92) 
Negative -1 (8%)

Audio Books:
Positive - 6 (100%)
Negative - 0 (0%)

Games:
Positive - 6 (100%)
Negative - 0 (0%)

Total number of reviews - 90 
Total positive - 75 (83%) 
Total negative - 15 (18%) 

I'm well on my way to beating last year's dismal book total of 67, which is good.  I don't seem to have done so well on films so far this year, though - it seems increasingly hard to find good ones, especially new releases.  My four-plus-miles-per-day regime of the last few months means the number of audiobooks I'm getting though has increased, and they've all been excellent so far this year.  And all the games I've played for the first time have been really good (mostly due to the fact that the people who generally introduce me to new games know me well enough to be able to pick the right ones for me to play).

Overall, 83% positive demonstrates that I'm generally having a pretty good time in terms of entertainment!

Comments

[coldjwplay.livejournal.com]

If you want to borrow some films lemme know.

[alobear.livejournal.com]

I'm always happy to take recommendations! Though I'm not sure our taste entirely overlaps... :o)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm sure you already plan to see it, but I enjoyed Super 8 rather a lot (especially the first 3/4 and the extra tidbit as the credits roll).
Lx

[lareinemisere.livejournal.com]

So does the audiobook hit rate come about because you only buy books in audio format if you're sure you're going to like them, or is it just a weird coincidence?

[alobear.livejournal.com]

It wasn't actually on my list, but it is now - thanks!

[alobear.livejournal.com]

It's actually a combination of factors.

When I first started listening to audiobooks, I went for ones I'd already read and enjoyed but didn't remember in enough detail to be overly familiar with them. I quickly discovered that the narrator is key to enjoyment of an audiobook (Stephen Fry's narration of Harry Potter is fantastic, but I couldn't stick with it at all when I tried one narrated by someone else).

So, when selecting audiobooks, I always listen to the free sample in order to see if the narrator's voice is pleasant enough (you can generally tell within a few seconds if it's going to be really annoying).

Now, I have a selection of four or five narrators that I really like, and I mostly choose new audiobooks by searching for others that are read by them. Since they often tend to read the same kinds of books (nearly all my audiobook selections are fantasy), they are generally the sort I like, and even a not-so-great book can be made enjoyable by a good narrator.

As with the recent example of Mercedes Lackey's Foundation, I loved the audio version, while I didn't really like it when I read it in hard copy. I think a few of my more random audiobook choices have benefitted from narrator excellence, and I'm not sure I would have liked them as much if I'd read them for myself.

[briettajebu.livejournal.com]

Увлекательно! (http://zimnyayaobuv.ru/) (http://zimnyaya-obuv.ru/)