About Audio Books

Most of us in this day and age lead pretty busy lives and, for many of us, a casualty of our lifestyle is reading. Conflicting pressures on our increasingly limited leisure time deny us the unique experience of reading a book and deprive us of its pleasures.

Reading a book requires certain conditions like time, quiet relaxed surroundings and above all else, concentration. These conditions are alien to most of us today. So, is there a solution? There surely is.

The advent of the iPod and MP3 players over the last decade has caused a digital revolution and attracted a new generation of customers thirsty for music downloads. If music can be downloaded to these players, then so can narrations! Savvy publishers have been quick to embrace this technology to take advantage of the lifestyles of busy people, hence the audio book. More and more publishers are now producing digital titles simultaneously with the release of the paperback version.

The technology for taping voice has been around for many, many years. In fact there has been a thriving industry recording books on tape for the blind. Students and academics have used tapes for years but it has been the iPod and MP3 player that has really caused the audio book market to grow over the past few years.

Listening to an audio book can be done anywhere anytime. For example, while exercising in the gym, while driving to and from work, while shopping, while out walking, while changing the baby and so it goes on.

The sales of audio books have now reached the stage where some publishers are predicting that audio books will eventually outsell paperbacks. While the experience of reading a book can not be the same as listening to an audio book, the prediction is understandable when the advantages of audio books over paperbacks is considered.

Some of those advantages include:

1) Convenience - listening to an audio book is convenient and helps us make the most of our time.

 2) No need to visit the bookstore – downloading audio titles is quick and easy.

 3) Relief for tired eyes – for those of us who stare at a computer monitor all day or pore over documents, listening to audio books does not further strain the eyes as opposed to reading.

4) Storage – the storage of audio books is not limited by weight or size. Audio books can be stored in mobile electronic devices or on a personal computer.

5) Sharing the experience – reading could be considered selfish while listening to an audio book could be a family affair, something to do together.

>