over the summer i had a long commute so i listened to books on tape: _Roughing It_, and _Life on the Mississippi_, and some of Twain's short stories. Norman Dietz reads both of the novels for Books on Tape, i think, and does an awesome job. I laughed hysterically through most of _Life_ !! maybe if someone wants to use these ideas we've been discussing about reading aloud to their class...but they are afraid of the dialect, they can use a Books on Tape version. p.s. vern--it *was* _The Hobbit_ and _Lord of the Rings_ my romantic friends started out reading aloud to each other! :)