Download Audio Books

When you download audio books, you often have the coice between an abridged version and the full, unabridged audio book.

What is the difference between these two types of audio books?

Unabridged audiobooks are word for word readings of a book, while abridged audiobooks have text edited out by the abridger or editor. Abridgements were initially necessary to keep down the running time, and therefore the cost and corresponding retail price, as the general consumer was getting introduced to audiobooks. Due to the recording media (cassettes and later CD's) the cost of production, logistics and sales increased with each addition medium that was necessary to record the audiobook.

With greater consumer acceptance, less consumer price resistance and higher per title sales for some pricing economy, more of the audio book titles are now being released only as unabridged recordings. Also the downloadable audio books have virtually elimiated this barrier alltogether. The master file of the audio book needs to be produced once, and then the additional copies being sold only need some bandwidth to transfer the file onto the buyers hard disk or MP3 player.

Here is one example of an unabridged audiobook and an abridged audiobook:

Unabridged Audio Book - American Soldier - General Tommy Franks

Abridged Audio Book - Arthur & George - Julian Barnes.
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