Episode 18 - Discussing Infinite Jest with Sean Pratt

In this episode we speak with audiobook narrator extraordinaire, Sean Pratt. Sean is the narrator of the 56-hour-long audiobook of Infinite Jest. He has also narrated over 800 other books. Believe it or not, Infinite Jest is not even the longest book Sean has narrated! We discuss the mechanics of recording, the different voices in the book, the endnotes issue, what it takes to become an audiobook narrator, and many other things

You can find Sean on Twitter at @SPPresents and his website http://www.SeanPrattPresents.com

Show Notes

2:06 - Sean Pratt’s background & how he got the part

7:04 - So you want to be an audiobook narrator

10:01 - The economics of recording an audiobook

13:30 - A state of “flow”

16:24 - How many hours did this really take?

20:51 - When we first meet Ken Erdedy

24:30 - Acting vs. Reading: Tom Robbins

28:04 - A silk purse out of a sow’s ear

32:01 - Reading the paratext & The Four Voices of Nonfiction

35:10 - Just skip the endnotes: a debate

41:50 - No really, how to do the endnotes?

44:02 - Blood Sister: One Tough Nun & comedy

47:50 - Do you listen to yourself?

50:38 - Always Be Entertaining

52:52 - How to navigate all the voices

58:10 - Don’t do it like a puppet show

59:15 - Hal watching a video cartridge

1:01:15 - Some of Sean’s best audiobooks

1:06:25 - Speed vs. Tempo

1:12:20 - To honor the text

1:16:15 - Easter egg