A New Yorker who has loved to read for most of his life has only recently learned how much he loves to listen. That's because his wife has begun renting books on tape to amuse them when they take long drives.

The latest is called "Listening Woman" by Tony Hillerman. The story, read by a gravel-voiced actor named George Guidall, tells how Lieut. Joe Leaphorn, a detective for the Navajo Tribal Police, stumbles on a terrorist scheme while investigating a reservation murder.

Well plotted for suspense, the tale also evokes the Arizona desert and displays the author's impressive background in native American folklore.

Such tapes are part of a welcome trend, one that gives modern voice to an ancient pastime. The market for "audio publishing," once limited to the blind, has bloomed dramatically in recent years. Most major publishers now provide books on tape cassettes. Random House, which started with 12 titles six years ago, offers more than 300 books on tape today.

Best-selling tapes include Michael Blake's -"Dances With Wolves," Robin Cook's "Vital Signs," and John le Carre's "The Fledgling Spy." The tape

of "Listening Woman" came from an independent company that stocks scores of books on tape and rents them by mail. Some are read by actors, others by their authors.

Publishers believe most of the tapes are played in cars. The arrival of tape decks as standard equipment and drivers' boredom with radio programming feed the trend. But it may also reflect something more profound.

Storytelling, in the firelit hours between a day's work and a night's sleep, was surely among the first forms of human entertainment. Until recently, the tradition survived mainly in the habit of parents reading bedtime stories to their children. But the auto-bound listener soon rediscovers what the kids have always known: Being read to is much better than reading.

The human voice adds dimensions of color and feeling lost to the printed page. Listen, for example, to Mr. Guidall reading Mr. Hillerman's description of a thunderstorm building up, or the geology of a desert cave, or the Navajo ritual for a young girl's coming of age.

Mobile tape decks and tedium on the road are revitalizing a human tradition, as old and rich as literature itself.

"The Pelican Brief" in three versions by Sandy Bauers

All three readers did fine jobs, but for overall quality, I liked Guidall. His cool tone and precise diction heightens the element of suspense.

Guidall has a chameleon voice. He has the knack of changing characters by using shifts in tone or accent. It's so subtle that the listener is never aware of the technique, and also never confused about who is speaking.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky 18 cassettes, unabridged. 25 1/2 hours.

What with such depressing content and all those confusing Russian names, this program is not exactly a breeze. Is it worth the effort? Yes, it is, especially since it is read by George Guidall, a narrator whose skill makes great writing seem even greater. - Jo Carr, Sarasota, Fla.

The Jungle, Upton Sinclair, 1994.

Guidall narrates Sinclair's propaganda with as much passion as the scenes allow. His reading is, as always, intelligent, informed, and evocative. He is simply one of the best narrators. He seems to squeeze the meaning from words, as if they mean more than they say. He is good with dialogue but also fine with paragraphs of description, which would be merely "read" by less able narrators. Guidall makes movies for the listener's mind. - Janet Julian

The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun

"Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who Played Brahms is also narrated by Guidall, and benefits from his flair for understated drama.

"George Guidall's versatile voice deftly adapts to the story's pace, speeding up just enough to hook the listener with the rising excitement Each character speaks distinctly, and even the Siamese cats' yowls are convincing. Guidall has recorded five other Qwilleran novels; and veteran listeners will welcome the continuity while newcomers will become fans for these entertaining mysteries."

Cheaper By The Dozen 1994

What a delight! A funny, touching story read by one of the great audiobook readers, this title will please everyone.

Shadow Song, Terry Kay

Guidall is nothing-short-of-magnificent in this reading of one magical summer in the Catskills…

…until you hear Guidall read this unabridged version, you haven't heard Kay's words brought to life. His voice and delivery, especially his perfectly timed pauses, are things of vocal beauty.

Night Secrets

Guidall's reading style is so powerful and riveting that the listener races for next cassette. Accents, gender distinctions, emotional tones - all are mere playthings upon which Guidall works his magic. The pacing and dramatic intensity are flawless.

Kiss The Girls by James Patterson

George Guidall breathes chilling life into the perverted serial murderers of beautiful, young women.

The Forgotten by Elie Wiesel

Guidall's narration is superb. His tone, inflection, and characterization are such that the listener becomes completely engrossed in the story.