Audio Books (for iPods)

[chick]

Gots a new toy, so I was thinking about trying out some audio books.

Listening to someone reading would give a different tone and feel to the story, especially with fiction, so having a good voice would be important, I think.

Non-fiction books might be more interesting and more suited for audio books, since it might sound more documentary style?

Just some initial thoughts.
Anyone else have suggestions or have favorite audio books they'd like to share?

[Steven Edwards]

Public domain audio books:

http://librivox.org/

Stephen Colbert's I Am America and So Can You is available as an audiobook. :)

[orangejello]

with fiction, so having a good voice would be important, I think.

Non-fiction books might be more interesting and more suited for audio books, since it might sound more documentary style?


I have had mixed results with audio books. I find I have a hard time listening to fiction. My mind wanders and I end up missing lots. And yes the voice makes all the difference. I recently tried listening to one of my all time favorite books (Life of Pi by Yann Martel) on audio book. The main character is from India and the book was read with an overly exaggerated Indian accent. It was very distracting and I eventually gave up.

When I do listen to audio books its almost always non-fiction. I fully agree that non-fiction is more interesting to listen to and better suited to the format. Unlike most fiction, I can actually make it through non-fiction books listening to them. But I really like podcasts from places like NPR. A non-fiction book is like a really long podcast I find.

Right now I am listening to Collapse by Jared Diamond. It's a gloomy, doomsday book that looks at different societies through history that ended up collapsing economically, socially, and/or environmentally, such as the Maya and the Greenland Norse. I had tried reading the book in the past and while very interesting, I found it a very slow slog. But I am enjoying listening to it.

You didn't hear this from me but tons of audio books, both fiction and non, can be found on bit torrent. You have to dig a bit through the junk but lots of good books available that way.

[SCI-Nurse]

I love listening to audiobooks on my iPod...in fact I use it more for that than music. I listen when I am doing housework or gardening, and in the car (I have a jack to plug my iPod into my cassette player there).

I bought a package deal at www.audible.com which works well for me as it lets me download a certain number of books each year, and I can pick and choose from their whole catalog. They have books, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as podcasts and even magazines available. Most of the books are unabridged too (which is what I prefer).

Also check out audiobooks on CD that you can get at your local library for free. You can download these to your computer and onto your iPod at no cost.


(KLD)

[AlexAgain]

I really like audio books and listen to them on my computer but I have trouble when I try to listen on my MP3 player because it will play the chapters out of order
after chapter 1, it will play chapter 10, 11 etc and then go to chapter 2. I can't figure out how to change it - any suggestions?
I like to listen to detective mysteries like James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell etc.

[Steven Edwards]

I really like audio books and listen to them on my computer but I have trouble when I try to listen on my MP3 player because it will play the chapters out of order
after chapter 1, it will play chapter 10, 11 etc and then go to chapter 2. I can't figure out how to change it - any suggestions?
I like to listen to detective mysteries like James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell etc. Rename the single digit chapters to "Chapter 01, Chapter 02, Chapter 03, ... Chapter 09."

That'll fix it.

[orangejello]

I really like audio books and listen to them on my computer but I have trouble when I try to listen on my MP3 player because it will play the chapters out of order
after chapter 1, it will play chapter 10, 11 etc and then go to chapter 2. I can't figure out how to change it - any suggestions?
I like to listen to detective mysteries like James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell etc.

Two things you can do

Rename the files 01, 02, etc then they will play in order

Also depending on the type of player you have, you can create a custom play list and that will play them in order. You can do that with players like the iPod and Zune. But its not possible on players that just have a "drop and drag" method of loading music onto the player

Oops sorry Steven. I was writing this as you posted :)

[AlexAgain]

Thanks - my MP3 player is a Sanyo and is just drag and drop. Even if I put them in the right order on my computer it changes it on the MP3.
I will try renaming them or maybe it is time to upgrade to a better MP3 player.

[cypresss]

I really like audio books and listen to them on my computer but I have trouble when I try to listen on my MP3 player because it will play the chapters out of order
after chapter 1, it will play chapter 10, 11 etc and then go to chapter 2. I can't figure out how to change it - any suggestions?
I like to listen to detective mysteries like James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell etc.

If your player doesn't have random/continous function, you can try to load the file one by one in your favorite order

[cypresss]

Anyone else have suggestions or have favorite audio books they'd like to share?

You can find some sites which host the link to others ebooks using bittorrent protocol. In some countries this protocol is used only for shareware/freeware content.

try mininova.org but ideally is to find a private torrents site which is without publicity, moderate with good content and clean. Best e-learning torrent site I know is bitme.org. If you ever get an invitation there add me also.

"BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) communications protocol and a method of distributing large amounts of data widely without the original distributor incurring the entire costs of hardware, hosting and bandwidth resources. Instead, when data is distributed using the BitTorrent protocol, each recipient supplies pieces of the data to newer recipients, reducing the cost and burden on any given individual source, providing redundancy against system problems, and reducing dependence on the original distributor" from wikipedia.

[Scorpion]

Anyone have any more recommendations?

I just started using audible.com and I'll be checking out audiobooks from the library soon (as per KLD's suggestion). So far I've listened to a really enjoyed Steve Martin's autobiography Born Standing Up and his novel The Pleasure of My Company. He narrates as well. I'm close to finishing Lightning by Dean Koontz, and I like it too, but I like most of Koontz's books I've read.

[PN]

Killing Pablo written and narrated by Mark Bowden.

[Foolish Old]

Many public libraries have audio books for download over the Internet. The Florida Keys Council for People with Disabilities just gave the county library system a gift to purchase down-loadable books on a variety of topics concerning disability.

I download books from the Southwest Florida Library Network. They have a growing digital catalog. Miami-Dade Library System also has down-loadable audio books.

I have have listened to several fictional books. If I get interested in the beginning, they are hard to shut off. Otherwise, I usually let them expire unheard. As others have said, the narrator can make or break the story. Funny how some voices that I wouldn't think would hold my interest turn out to be the most listenable.

I use the tiny Sansa Clip (8 gig, $50 @ Walmart) in combination with Overdrive Media Console. Works perfect, no problems. A trick is to use the "advanced" tab when transferring files to the player. This allows you to specify in which folder you want the player to store the audio book file. The default is "music". I change the path to "audiobooks". The Sansa will remember where you left off listening, gets chapters right, etc.

I also listen to audio books on the computer using Media Player. It's a great way to listen if you don't need portability or privacy - no headphones needed.

[PN]

Angela's Ashes written and narrated by Frank McCourt (19 August 1930 - 19 July 2009).

[Scorpion]

Thanks guys.

Many public libraries have audio books for download over the Internet.

Yeah, but what sucks is that most are in WMA format and not MP3, and while I can play WMA on my Mac, the stupid Overdrive program for the Mac that downloads stuff from the library will only download the MP3 versions.

[Bookjunky]

I use my ipod pretty much just for audio books and get many from audible. I must have about 5 years worth from there now. I have synced books from other sources including disc's to my ipod using itunes very easily. If it plays in itunes I can put it in my ipod, but then I run an imac.

[chick]

Great info guys.

I've listened to a couple audiobooks now... but I still haven't been able to listen with as much patience and attention required, so haven't really become as engrossed as I'd like, to fully appreciate it (when I don't fall asleep, that is). The voice and style of the reader is crucial too, making some easier to get into than others.


But, I've been told to just stop moving around and pay attention(!)... (but then again, what's the point of hands-free??) ...so, we'll see. :)


eta: ok, starting "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz, for the second time...

[Scorpion]

But, I've been told to just stop moving around and pay attention(!)... (but then again, what's the point of hands-free??) ...so, we'll see. :)

lol You don't have to sit still! Just pay attention. :p I work and move all around my apartment while listening. I do occasionally have to go back because I wasn't paying attention enough and missed something. But you'll get used to it.

[cass]

just saw this. been a member of audible.com over a year. books on my ipod are now a must for me. The Help is a good listen. just listened to The Shanghai Girls. Lightning, i think, is Koontz's masterpiece, old though it is.

for nonfiction, McCourt, i liked Teacher Man. Sidney Poitier has two wonderful autobiographies, the one that comes to mind is Measure of a Man. these last two are narrated by the authors.

[Wise Young]

Audio files take take a long time to listen to. They are good if you have a good long period to listen to them without interruption, like driving long distance in a car. I find it too difficult to listen to audiobooks on airplanes because I often find myself nodding off and then having a tough time going back to find out where I started to sleep.

I have now given up my Kindle in favor of my iPod Touch. There is a program called Amazon Kindle for the iPod and iPhone. It is really amazingly good for reading. The screen of the iPod, even though much smaller than the Kindle, is very clear and the back-lighting is good for reading in dark places (like airplanes or cars). I have read many dozens of books over the last three months on my iPod.

Even after the new Kindle came out with the bigger screen, I have not been tempted to move for the following reasons:
1. The books are downloaded automatically through the cell phone if it is on an iPhone or over wifi if you have an iPod Touch. A Kindle can only get the book files on whispernet, which does not work overseas. So, this is one way that you can get your books overseas.
2. The backlighting of the iPod is so much better for so many situations. In many places, especially in cars, you don't have enough ambient light to read the Kindle. It is true that you can get a separate battery operated light but that seems to be redundant.
3. The iPod Touch is really so much smaller than a Kindle and more convenient to carry, there is no comparison. Especially if you already have an iPod Touch for music, there is no reason why you shouldn't use it for all your reading.

Wise.

[garvey]

I'm a big fan of audiobooks and I download from the Monmouth County Library system here in NJ. I convert everything to MP3 for my Palm Tungsten but they just began offering books in iPod format.
http://www.listennj.com/BC6E17A5-2308-4649-84CF-785B22788E64/10/333/en/Default.htm

You need a valid library card #.

[Foolish Old]

Don't you just hate Macs? JUST KIDDING! ;)

Thanks guys.



Yeah, but what sucks is that most are in WMA format and not MP3, and while I can play WMA on my Mac, the stupid Overdrive program for the Mac that downloads stuff from the library will only download the MP3 versions.

[na4ko]

I luv audio books too but good one are hard to find. Let me know if you know a place where i can get some good ones for free.

[Scorpion]

Don't you just hate Macs? JUST KIDDING! ;)

:mad: I just hate the software companies that don't bother porting their stuff to the Mac properly, or at all. :)