5 Audiobooks Use Should Listen To On A Roadtrip

The Invention of Wings: A Novel 

 

Written by: Sue Monk Kidd

Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
Summary: From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees comes a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women. Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world. Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Imperial Life in the Emerald City 

 
Written by: Rajiv Chandrasekaran 
Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
Summary: The Washington Post's former Baghdad bureau chief, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, takes us into the Green Zone, headquarters for the American occupation in Iraq. In this bubble separated from wartime realities, the task of reconstructing Iraq is in the hands of 20-somethings chosen for their Republican Party loyalty. They pursue irrelevant neoconservative solutions and pie-in-the-sky policies instead of rebuilding looted buildings and restoring electricity, angering the locals and fueling the insurgency.

Divergent, Book 1 

 

Written by: Veronica Roth

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

   

Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War 

 

Written by: Robert M. Gates

Length: 25 hrs and 42 mins
Summary: From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vivid account of serving Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Robert M. Gates received a call from the White House, he thought he'd long left Washington politics behind: After working for six presidents in both the CIA and the National Security Council, he was happily serving as president of Texas A&M University. But when he was asked to help a nation mired in two wars and to aid the troops doing the fighting, he answered what he felt was the call of duty.

Sycamore Row

 

Written by: John Grisham  

Length: 20 hrs and 50 mins  
Summary: Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten, will. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years earlier. The second will raises far more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly?

Did You Know: Infographic On Texting and Driving

Texting and driving have become a very serious issue over the years. The amount of fatalities and injuries continue to rise. This infographic presents some interesting facts we bet you didn't know about texting and driving.

For parents, always talk to your kids about driving safety and how every text can wait to be responded to if they're driving. Share this infographic with your friends and family to help get the message across to them and most importantly, be a good role model and don't text and drive while you're driving either.

The St. Cloud Subaru Pet Adoption Photo Album

Thanks to the Tri-County Humane Society and everyone that came out to support our pet adoption! Here's a photo album of the event, which was a huge success!

Photo Album

Be sure to come down to St. Cloud Subaru, because our Share the Love event is still going on, and check us out on Facebook and Twitter for further news and updates.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs at St. Cloud Subaru!

St. Cloud Subaru has partnered with the Tri-County Humane Society for a pet adoption extravaganza tomorrow! We'll be offering 50% off standard adoption fees.

The Share the Love event happens tomorrow from 10am until 3pm. Check out the poster above for more details, and make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for further events and updates!

Metrodome Moments Part 2

Here are some more of your favorite Metrodome Moments:

I was at a Vikings game at the dome on a bitterly cold day in 1998. The guy behind me spilled a whole beer on me during an amazing catch/run by Randy Moss. The person coming to pick us up was caught in traffic and after the game, my wet clothes froze solid and I had to "break" them to get into the car! It was such a good season, I didn't even care!!! -Jennifer B

I've attended plenty of events at the Metrodome (Gophers football, basketball and baseball, Vikings football, high school football, baseball and soccer, monster trucks) but nothing can top being in the building for Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. I got a pair of free tickets out of sheer luck and will never forget it. - Brian M

Being with my sister at the games. She has been a season ticket holder for 46 seasons and has only missed 5 home games(including preseason games)!! My family is passionate about the Vikings! - Beth P

Me and my sons were at the vikings game vs tampa bay and Jared Allen got hit and the bridge of his nose was bleeding. Everyone was booing at the Bucs and the very next play Jared Allen got a sack and the crowd went WILD. It was the best moment at the metronome for me. -Don G

After being "just friends" for a year, my husband and I spent our first date at the Metrodome. Ever since, the trips to the Metrodome have marked important events in our lives together, including celebrating our wedding with friends in a press box! -Rae B

Head on over to the St. Cloud Subaru website to read more. While you're there, leave your own favorite Metrodome Moment and enter to win a pair of tickets to the Vikings' last regular season game in the Metrodome!

Stay tuned on our Facebook and Twitter for more news and updates.

Metrodome Moments Part 1

Here's a selection of Metrodome Moments that have been shared with us so far:

"My entire family attending a Vikings/Packers game. Our family has grown so much, we took up an entire row! Fun time!"  -Denise J

"The reception for the Twins winning the Division championships in 1987 where the decibel meter was pegged!!!!!"  -William B

"Watching my son get a behind the scenes tour and sleep overnight on the field with his Boy Scout troop; so fun!"  -KRIS O

"Growing up the Metrodome was a big part of my life. I had went to Twins and Viking games. I went to concerts and events. State football tournaments. I used to go to the stadium before games just to meet the players even though I wasn't going to the game. Even with all of these memories my greatest would be when Favre hit Greg Lewis for the game winning touchdown against the 49ers. All game long I had 49er fans around me that kept bragging to my friend and I because the Vikings were trailing. That last play was incredible. The emotion in the stadium was intense. Favre lobbed the ball up into the back of the endzone and when Lewis caught the ball the Dome erupted. You could feel the whole place shaking. When the play was under review there was no noise to be heard. It was eerily silent. The review seemed to have taken forever. When the ref came out from under the booth and confirmed the touchdown that place erupted once more. This time even more intense. By far my greatest memory at the dome!"  -Jeff E

"My favorite Metrodome moment(s) were the 3 football games I played there during the 2011 and 2012 MSHSL Football Tournaments, including the Class AAAA XXX Prep Bowl game."  -Zach H

Head on over to the St. Cloud Subaru website to read more. While you're there, leave your own favorite Metrodome Moment and enter to win a pair of tickets to the Vikings' last regular season game in the Metrodome!

Stay tuned on our Facebook and Twitter for more news and updates.

The Subaru A Lot To Love Event

There's a lot to love this August at St Cloud Subaru! During Subaru's A Lot to Love Event you can get special financing offers and leasing incentives on our lineup of award-winning and reliable Subaru vehicles.

These amazing offers will only be available through September 3, so hurry in today to get a new Subaru that the whole family can enjoy. 

Visit our website to check out our inventory and incentives, and while you're there, be sure to schedule a test-drive or talk to one of our online sales reps!

Subaru Driver David Higgins Maintains Championship Lead with Second Overall Finish at New England Forest Rally

The Subaru Rally Team brought their "A" game to the New England Forest Rally this week, finishing second overall. The New England Forest Rally was round five of the 2013 Rally America National Championship. The course features 120 miles of technical gravel forest roads along the Maine-New Hampshire border. The event is known for its challenging combination of smooth high-speed roads and rough rocky roads, which can test the limits of a vehicle's durability and strength.

David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew spent the majority of the rally within sixteen seconds of Ken Block before dropping time on the longest and roughest stage of the event mid-way through the final day. Higgins and Drew then began charging back, beating or tying Block on each of the final five stages and lowering the deficit from 43 seconds down to just 6.5 seconds. However, the duo ran out of stage miles, settling for second overall and remaining atop the championship standings.

The next event will be held on August 23-24, 2013, right in our backyard at the Muscatell Ojibwe Forests Rally.

Share the Road!

According to statistics, bicycling has become the second most popular outdoor activity in America. We've all noticed the trend; Cyclists are everywhere, which is we all need to work together to share the road safely everyday.

Whether you're on four wheels or two, always follow these tips to keep the road safe for everyone!

Bicyclists:

• The number one thing to remember when riding a bike is that, in most states (including Minnesota), bicycles are considered vehicles. This means that cyclists must obey the same laws as all other vehicles.
• Always obey road signs and traffic signals. It may be tempting to cruise through the intersection when no one is around, but you never know when someone may speed up around a curve or hill. 
• Never ride against traffic. Always ride on the road in the same direction as traffic. 
• Always ride in the street or in designated bike lanes, never on the sidewalk.
• If possible, avoid riding your bike at night. However, if you do need to bike at night, be sure to wear bright clothing and use lights and reflective material.
• Communicate your intentions to other drivers using hand signals.
• Always stay alert and remember that motorists and pedestrians may not see you.

 Motorists:

• Stay alert while driving. With the increasing number of bicycles on the road, avoiding distractions is the most important way to stay safe. 
• Yield to bicycles and always give bicyclists 3 feet when passing. 
• Be aware of passing cyclists. Always check your rear view mirrors and your blind spots when entering traffic. 
• Never honk at cyclists. Even though you may be frustrated or not like sharing the road, honking at them could cause them to be startled, which may lead them to swerve into traffic or off the road. 
• When parking on the street, always check your mirrors before opening your car door. 

The number of bikes on the road is growing, not shrinking, in popularity. Remember these simple tips to keep yourself and cyclists safe.