I often meander to the library with high ambitions. I check out two books, with an expectation that I’ll read them both before they’re due. Within two weeks I’m back at the library, extending my book loan and wishing I had the time to be as well read as I aspire to be. If there was only a way to read while I’m driving, taking a shower, and mowing the lawn…
To my delight, there is a way. Audio books! Anyone that has used iTunes or Audible.com knows that the selection of audio books (formerly known as books on tape/CD) is expansive. Just type in an author’s name or book title, and load up your iPod, Zune, or other media device and go! Many of the newest titles are read by authors or celebrities which makes for a wonderful experience. As times are tough, I’m making less purchases and audio books were the first expense to go. Is it back to the library again? Almost, until I discovered Librivox, a free open-source depository for public domain audio books.
Librivox is operated by volunteers recording audio chapters and uploading them to the site. The files are then collected to form an entire book and released as downloads and podcasts. The quality ranges from book to book and among the various volunteer readers. Despite the hodgepodge nature, most of the audio is decent. The content produced is created for the public domain, which means you can redistribute it on your own web site or send files to friends.
The types of books you’ll find on Librivox are considered “the classics,” which include great stories such as Dracula, The Wizard of Oz, Ulysses, A Tale of Two Cities, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Treasure Island. Its all the books I avoided in high school, but now wonder about as an adult. Are they really good or just overrated? Now its time to find out. The site offers non-fiction, essays and poetry collections. I’m already two titles in an I’m hooked. The best thing is that I’m going through a book much sooner than two weeks!
Librivox is perfect for lit junkies looking to cram a few more novels into the day. Now if I want to listen to Charles Fontenay’s Rebels of the Red Planet while doing the dishes, I can.
Photo: flattop341
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