Audiobooks 101

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  • August 28, 2012 at 11:23 pm
    dmccall3
    Participant

    I’ve seen many of you mention audio books. How does that work? Where do you get them? Any for free? I don’t even know what questions to ask. Can anyone just give me a basic overview?

     

    Thanks!

    Dana

    August 28, 2012 at 11:56 pm
    Wings2fly
    Participant

    Recent threads:

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/librivox

    and

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/family-audio-books-not-just-for-the-young

    We get some from the library. I order some wholesale from http://www.libraryanded.com and I downloaded some and burned to mp3 disc from Librivox (free). You could also check ebay for used titles.

    We listen in the van much of the time and sometimes in the afternoons at home.

    August 28, 2012 at 11:57 pm
    sheraz
    Participant

    Hi Dana – 

    You can get free audio books of the public domain books (classics) at http://librivox.org/  Every free source of books I have located use the recordings from librivox.  Anyway, there is also books from librivox avaiblable at these other sources (plus some other content):

    http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/

    http://www.myaudioschool.com/ – she has organized these by subject, which really expands my ability to utilize audiobooks for school subjects.  I willingly pay her inexpensive yearly membership fee for that convienence. 😉

    When I googled “free audiobooks” this is one link that came up – (I have NOT explored it): 

    http://www.techsupportalert.com/free-books-audio  – article lists 116 places for legal audiobook downloads

    This post tells you how to download from librivox (and the process is similar in all the links) and burn the books to CD,  and how to download the books using iTunes: 

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/librivox – I have no problems with the content of the books I got from the librivox recordings

    There are lots of links for audiobooks for purchase, you can google those – Barnes and Noble has some, Audiobooks.com, etc.  If you want to be specific in your search and pay for the books, Jim Wiess’s audiobooks are always very highly recommended.

    August 29, 2012 at 12:33 am
    Monica
    Participant

    My 10YO DS loves to listen to audio books, especially biogrpahies (he’s listening to the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin right now). I like to look on Librivox for biographies that correspond with people we are studying in history.

    In addition, there are lots of great literature classics on Librivox.

    I haven’t actually paid for any audio books yet!

    August 29, 2012 at 3:22 am
    LDIMom
    Participant

    @dana, you read my mind! TMI but while I showered today, i wondered “how do they get the audiobooks from the site on the internet to their computer and then to a format they can use in the van?”

    This information from all of you is just what I needed! Thanks for asking and sharin! Bookmarking this post!

    August 29, 2012 at 3:36 am
    LDIMom
    Participant

    OK, boy, have I been missing out!!! Planning to use the “Sailing Alone …” audiobook I just downloaded in iTunes tomorrow!!!

    @sheraz, I checked out your links and that last one was the one where I read you could put these in iTunes. That works best for me b/c I like the other poster on that thread don’t want anymore stuff to keep up with and I’d probably never be able to find those CDs! But with it in iTunes, I can put it on my iPhone for the car (since it will play through a plug-in in my van) and on my very old iPod, that the kids use for audiobooks and a few educational apps.

     

    I am so EXCITED!!!! OK, going back to see what else I can find! THANK YOU LADIES!!!

    August 29, 2012 at 3:04 pm
    dmccall3
    Participant

    Thanks to all! This is just what I needed!

     

    Dana

    August 29, 2012 at 3:05 pm
    tfigueroa
    Participant

    We get our audio books from our library.  To us having them read by a good reader is really important. Most of the public domain books I have tried do not have very good readers and it can ruin the book.

    August 29, 2012 at 4:59 pm
    LDIMom
    Participant

    We listened to the Sailing Alone I downloaded today, and it was actually read quite well. A lot better than I do in fact! I haven’t tried any others yet.

    I use the library too, but ours has such a small selection unfortunately.

    August 29, 2012 at 5:15 pm
    danceandbeglad
    Participant

    Hi Dana,

    You can get 2 free audiobooks on audible.com if you follow this link and sign up for a free trial:http://www.audible.com/t1/30dgft_plusone_TV_at They have tons of great selections, but you can just cancel your membership after claiming your freebies.  They also offer step-by-step instructions for use. We get annoyed with the librivox “banter” at the beginning of each new chapter, but they are a great resource for free audiobooks.  

    @LDI mom, where did you get your Sailing Alone audio-librivox or elsewhere?

    August 31, 2012 at 4:30 pm
    TX-Melissa
    Participant

    Librivox can be hit or miss regarding reader quality, since it is a volunteer organization. But they do have some very good readers, like Kara Shallenberg. I listened to Understood Betsy a while back, which started out with a very good reader, then somewhere along the way a new reader came in that was not nearly as good. I think I read somewhere, maybe on a previous thread, that the books listed on the “booksshouldbefree” site are read by the better readers.

    Melissa

    August 31, 2012 at 10:20 pm
    LDIMom
    Participant

    @danceandbeglad, I got the Sailing book at librivox.

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