An audible feast

There was a poll recently on the Society of Ancients forum about whether members listen to wargaming podcasts while they are painting. Curiously enough - and perhaps proving once and for all that we are indeed crusty, cantakerous old coots - most of us said no, or not much.

I suspect that if the question had been more general - do you listen to podcasts of one type or another while painting, say - the answers might have been different. 

For myself, I don't listen to wargaming podcasts at all. When it comes to wargaming, I prefer the written word. I also enjoy the occasional accompanying map, illustrative graphic, apposite picture, or short, sharp, how-to youtube video, but for me reading works best: it allows me to control at what pace and level I engage with the content. 

Listening to wargaming chat (unless one is taking part in it) strikes me as a bit boring and a bit distracting. I don't think I could listen to it properly while painting, nor paint properly while listening. 

I've tried history podcasts, and had the same issue. Either the inner critic engages or else I switch off and then come to finding I can't remember what they've been talking about.

What has worked for me in the past is lectures. I had a great series on noteable Greeks and Romans that I would listen to on repeat while painting. Sadly, the format I had them in is no longer current (and besides, it was in another country). 

But what does work for me at the moment is the marvellous Mary Beard. I signed up to Audible a few months ago, found it to be not really my medium, and exited. But I had a few credits to use before I left, so on a whim I grabbed a couple of Mary Beard audible books. 

I have of course seen some of her documentaries and read SPQR, but I hadn't thought about her being a good accompaniment to painting Greek light horse.

Well, I started listening to the audiobook version of her Emperor of Rome the other night while doing the dishes. You have to love Mary - she reads the book herself. It turns out I could listen to her all day, part of the evening, and even when I paint.

If you don't know her, I would recommend checking her out. She is an absolute treasure. Quirky but carefully considered narrative structures capture your interest, and she presents familiar material in new ways, finding parallels you hadn't thought of, or approaching things from angles which surprise. You shouldn't expect military focus, but you will get great, thoughtful storytelling. 

Anyway, consider her Prufrock-endorsed!