Free Downloadable Audio Books

There's been a lot of talk lately about why we should make the most of the legion of free downloadable audio books that have taken the Net by storm. Reasons are aplenty, but a number of them could be heard just by listening to A-U-D-I-O.

How's that? Let me enlighten you.

A is for A-list.

By definition, the A-list is the list of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. So how does this translate to free downloadable audio books? Simple. These libraries of free downloads typically boast a selection of titles that is the equivalent of Hollywood's A-list.

Best-sellers and classics are in no short supply in these libraries, as these are the audio books that the public want. Chances are, if the book you're looking for was a big hit, then it should be available on many of the websites offering free downloads.

U means "You".

"You", when used right, can refer to everybody. And free downloadable audio books have a little bit of something for everybody. Whatever it is you're looking for, you're likely to find something that piques your interest in the wide selection of downloadable audio books that litter the Web.

Fiction, non-fiction, classics, contemporaries, academia, self-help, horror, romance, humor, or what have you, pretty much anything under the sun can be found in the smorgasbord of free downloadable audio books.

D stands for Download.

Easy enough to explain, this letter serves to remind how easy it is to acquire audio books as opposed to their printed counterparts.

There's no need to take a couple of hours out of your day to go to the nearest bookstore and browse through endless aisles of books just to pick one out. All you need to do is search for downloadable audio books on Google's search engine, choose a website that offers free downloads, and download your book of choice. You're done in five minutes, and you didn't spend a cent on your new book...or on gas for that matter.

I translates to iPod.

Just think how much easier life would be if you can go through piles of books effortlessly, finding time to learn and enjoy despite a killer schedule. Downloadable audio books, when paired with an iPod (or any player with enough memory for that matter), allows you that rare privilege.

With audio books, you can listen your favorite book at your convenience, even during the most dragging parts of your day (nightly commute, anyone?). Unless you can read a novel while driving or working out at the gym, you can't say the same for print.

O is for oral learning.

Not everyone knows that some people prefer oral communication over written communication. Why? Because they find it easier to pick up on ideas or visualize stories when they are communicated through speech instead of the written word. These people tend to benefit from audio books the most, since the oral nature of these books allows them to stay in their comfort zone.

So listen to AUDIO when you have doubts about downloadable audio books. Before you know it, you'll be listening to free downloadable audio books as well.

A lot of us listen to our iPods all the time, but we tend to get so lost in our music that we fail to see what else our prized MP3 players can be used for. With the multitude of free downloadable audio books today, we should have considered what our MP3 players can really do for us - aside from playing endless streams of music, that is.

Consider the educational possibilities, for example. Audio books have come a long way since the time when they were little more than a person's ramblings recorded on cassette tapes. There are thousands of readings that have made the jump from print to audio (quite a number of them being more heavy than light).

Some free MP3 audio books encompass a deep range of ideas and a wide array of subjects - so deep and wide, that they're practically college degrees in themselves. These books also accommodate as broad a scope of ages and intellectual levels as they do topics and ideas, and they cater to a plethora of interests as well, having something to offer everyone from the liberal humanist to the analytical mathematician.

What's more, free downloadable audio books can be used to enhance the most specific skills and harness the most unorthodox of talents, ensuring all who listen to them can benefit from the experience. Provided that a person can hear and understand what is being said in the free MP3 audio books, then that person can learn, whether or not he or she is able to benefit from conventional education.

What do I mean by this? To put it simply, not everyone is capable of learning from the traditional educational system where reading and writing are such a priority. While there may be some who are more partial to oral as opposed to written communication, there are others for whom the written word is a completely ineffective means of communication altogether.

Take the blind, for example. Braille may be a revolutionary and established method of reading and writing for them, but it is hardly a universal means of communication. It's not even a given that all who are blind are familiar with this alphabet; Braille is not inherent in every blind man, just as the ABC's aren't intrinsic to everyone who can see.

Listening, on the other hand, is built-in. So by listening to free downloadable audio books, the blind have access to a world of learning that their condition has deprived them. This may be an extreme example, but the point is made all the same.

Free downloadable audio books are not just for leisure, as the hundreds of songs in our iPods are. They serve a higher purpose: universal education. Even better, it comes at a universal price: nothing.

Limited Time Offer - Get Your First 3 Months at Audible for $7.49/month

I've always been the sort of person who learns from writing down notes. Whether I was trying to grasp a lecture in school or memorizing information from a book, my chances of remembering the topic at hand was greatly improved by the simple act of putting pen to paper. My friend told me this was because I have something akin to a photographic memory, since I seem to rely so much on the visual aspect of learning. She, on the other hand, advocates a completely different approach; listening. It's people like her who can benefit greatly from free downloadable audio books.

Novel but hardly new, downloadable MP3 audio books allow for a different learning experience. The written word may have long established itself as the universal norm to education, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is the most effective means of passing on information.

Different people respond differently to different methods of teaching. While people like me thrive in an environment where reading and writing are put on a pedestal, others like my friend prove their mettle in oral communication. This is why practically every school in existence makes use of both books and lectures in educating their students; they're banking on the idea that at least one of the two will hit its mark.

Be that as it may, there has always seemed to be a bias in favor of written communication. Lectures in class couldn't hope to discuss every page of the assigned texts from cover to cover, and though these discussions are usually beneficial, it's pretty much standard practice for students to read pages upon pages of notes to supplement the class discussions and have an adequate grasp of the subject matter.

Enter downloadable MP3 audio books. Fortunately for those who rely heavily on the oral aspect of education to fully master a certain topic, there are countless free downloadable audio books available on the Web, all of which anyone can easily gain access to.

These free downloadable audio books cover a wide range of subjects: from the humanities to the sciences, from leisure to work. They cater to a vast audience, but appeal to them all through the power of sound learning (pun intended).

Free downloadable audio books herald the dawn of a new age in education. And even as someone who swears by the written word, I have to say it's about time audio caught up with print.

It's been going on since audio books first came out on the market. To the lover of words in all shapes and forms, it's a question whose answer seems to change with the times. Some consider it a question of tradition, others see it as one of inevitability. Whatever the case may be, it seems the answer just came a whole lot closer with the advent of free downloadable audio books.

The question in question? When it comes to books, which among print and audio will be the last one standing?

Let's break down the battle, and see if free downloadable audio books will finally be able to dethrone the defending champ.

1. Storage.

Traditional printed books shouldn't take up much storage space unless a) you're an avid reader, or b) you've been reading for a while. Either of these two conditions are met, however, and you'll have a hell of a time trying to find enough closet space for your favorite readings and enough room in the shelves to stuff everything else. And that's already in the comfort of your own home. Can you imagine having to travel while lugging all the books you want to bring along? Good luck to you.

With downloadable MP3 audio books though, storage space comes easy. Just save the downloaded files onto your computer and keep it there. Chances are you'll have enough memory to stock your own personal library anyway. Traveling with audio books is even easier, since you can save a couple books or so in an MP3 player that fits in your pocket.

Winner: Audio.

2. Convenience.

If you're like everyone else, you'd probably want some time to yourself to kick back and relax with a good book. Just one problem: with everything going on in your life these days, you can't seem to find that time. It's simply too much of an inconvenience to put away precious time to focus and enjoy that book you've been dying to read.

Free downloadable audio books should fix that problem. All you need is a couple of minutes to download them from the Web (you don't even have to keep watch during the downloading process; you could busy yourself with more pressing matters), and another couple of minutes to transfer them to your MP3 player when they're ready.

Once you have the books on your player, you're free to listen to them at your convenience: on the way to work, during your coffee break, at lunch, and so on.

Winner: Audio.

3. Pace.

Downloadable MP3 audio books aren't perfect, though. They, too, have their flaws. One of which is that you aren't really the one reading them. Narrators dictate the books for you, and it's all too possible that you won't appreciate the way they read the books, or you'll find the pace is too fast or too slow. Not a problem with the average paperback novel, since it's always the reader, and the reader alone, who sets the pace.

Winner: Print.

The score is 2-1, in favor of audio. At this point, it seems that free downloadable audio books are finally gaining the upper hand over their esteemed rivals. But we're only halfway through, and the reigning champ might still be able to redeem itself. Stay with us for Round Two.

Welcome to Round Two of the battle of the century: Free Downloadable Audio Books Versus Traditional Printed Books. In the first round, audio surprised everybody by securing a 2-1 lead over print. Will they be able to carry that momentum into the second round of this bout? We'll see.

But before we begin, here's a recap of the previous round:

1. Storage (Winner: Audio)
2. Convenience (Winner: Audio)
3. Pace (Winner: Print)

Keep in mind there are only three categories left, and the overall winner takes the crown. That said, let's get this show on the road!

4. Requirements.

What exactly do you need to be able to get your hands on downloadable audio books? Well, you'll need a personal computer or a laptop, and either of which must be capable of connecting to the Internet. While most people already have that set-up in their homes, it's not really a given.

To play the audio books you downloaded, your PC or laptop has to have a Digital Audio Player, which most PCs or laptops already have. But on the off chance that yours doesn't, all you need to do is download one from the Web. If you plan on playing your audio books away from home, however, you'll require a portable player - one that has enough memory to store and play the files.

Many of us wouldn't have a problem meeting these requirements, since we already have them. Those who aren't lucky enough to have them, on the other hand, are bound to have a hard time enjoying downloadable audio books. Fortunately for them, all printed books require is for you to sit down and read them.

Winner: Print.

5. Price

Generally speaking, this is how print and audio is ranked from cheapest to most expensive: paperbacks, downloadable audio books, hard covers, and finally, audio books on CD. Just by looking at this short list, you'll see that opting for printed books is much more economical than jumping on the audio book bandwagon. Until you consider the fact that there are countless free downloadable audio books out there for you to take advantage of, that is.

Yes, though the news may come as a surprise to some people, there are lots of free downloadable audio books available all over the Web. If so, then why do others still insist on buying their downloadable audio books? That depends; it's possible that websites that offer free downloads don't have the titles they want or that these people simply feel more secure getting their audio books at an official website.

Granted, there may be websites looking to scam their visitors with false claims, but as long as you veer on the side of caution, you're sure to find websites where you can download audio books without worry and without cost.

Winner: Audio.

6. Timelessness.

Timelessness means that something is unaffected by time. No matter how many years go by, it will still remain the same. This is not to say that audio or printed books are immune to the rigors of time, as wear and tear will surely wreak havoc on their physical quality. But staying in physical prime isn't the point of concern here.

Rather, will these books endure the test of time by remaining relevant throughout the ages? Audio, being new, has yet to prove that. But print already has, just by staying relevant despite the emergence of a worthy rival.

Winner: Print.

We're tied at 3-3, but despite the dead heat, there will be no tiebreaker. It seems that in this battle between free downloadable audio books and their printed counterparts, neither is ready to lose. Perhaps that only means both of them are winners.

You want to know why there are so many free downloadable audio books out on the net these days? It's simple, really. The abundance of downloadable MP3 audio books is a direct effect of the cause that is our evolution, and the price at which it sells for is an even bigger testament to how far we've come.

By evolution, of course, I refer not to our biological development, but our technical advancement. What does this mean? Allow me to explain.

Audio books are not altogether new. In fact, they have been since around at least as early as 1933, when anthropologist JP Harrington used them to record his studies in Native American histories. His recordings are believed by many to be the precursor to the audio books books of today. But these books have never permeated the market as thoroughly as they have recently, largely due to one reason: their medium.

Used to be, audio books were, simply and quite literally, books on tape. And since cassette tapes were the only media for audio books, there was naturally a limited market for them. What's more, books on tape couldn't hope to compete with more traditional printed books that could be carried and read at any time and place.

When Walkmans, CDs, and CD Walkmans first came out, however, there was a bigger market for audio books. Not to mention the concept had more merit and appeal due to the convenience factor - audio books became as portable and easy to listen to as printed books were easy to read.

Still, the audio book industry was far from a force to be reckoned with. Not only could these books not compete with their printed counterparts, they couldn't hold a candle to music, the main reason people bought into the Walkman craze to begin with.

But audio books finally hit their stride with the advent of MP3s, MP3 players, and of course, free downloadable audio books. Suddenly, audio books could be carried everywhere, played at any time, and listeners had the option of shifting between audio books and music whenever they please.

The whole new level of convenience wasn't the only plus, though. Selection became a notable asset as well. Since the popularity of audio books soared, so, too, did the number of books authors consented to "put on tape". There is now a vast selection of books on various topics: classic fiction, contemporary non-fiction, academia, self-help, business, recreation, and everything else under the sun. Audio books and topics are no longer in short supply.

And now, we've taken things a step further by making them available on the Web as downloadable MP3 audio books. Convenience and selection meet accessibility and economy. With all the free downloadable audio books that litter the net these days, people find it easier to dive into the audio book craze simply because they have run out of excuses to stay away.

There are far more reasons for free downloadable audio books than there are against them. And the fact that something this revolutionary comes at such a price only proves that we've come far, and we're still making making our way up to the summit of our evolution.

We've all seen free downloadable audio books boom in recent years, and quite a few of us have taken advantage of these free MP3 audio books to further both leisure and learning. As much as we've benefited from this groundbreaking approach in education though, one group in particular has been able to reap incredible rewards from the multitude of free downloads: home schoolers.

Home schoolers have their reasons for veering away from conventional education and taking up shop in the comfort of their own houses: the undivided attention of their teachers, an environment free of the distractions that plague the typical classroom, and the fact that home schoolers generally tend to perform better across the board than their public or private schooled counterparts.

One knock on home schooling, however, is that all the necessary materials for home schoolers' education are not readily available to them, unlike students enrolled in public or private schools who have access to various books, notes, and handouts, not to mention the school library.

But with the advent of free downloadable audio books, that all changed. Now, home schoolers and their parents could just go online, type in "free MP3 audio books" in Google's search engine, and in about 0.15 seconds, they will have their pick of 58,300,000 sites, most of which offer the free downloadable audio books they seek - with no strings attached.

Chances are that these home schoolers will be able to find exactly what they're looking for too, since the recent popularity and ensuing demand of audio books has led countless authors and publishers to commit their works to tape, CD, and/or mp3 format. Which means academic readings aren't the only audio books available for download.

Children's tales, classic literature, and even contemporary fiction and non-fiction litter the Web, along with audio books on various subjects and the most miscellaneous of topics. The vast range of ideas, themes, matters, and content only serve to provide for a more thorough and well-rounded education for home schoolers to use to their advantage, and for everyone else to enjoy.

Just goes to show that even if home schoolers in particular reap the greatest rewards from the explosion of free downloadable audio books, no one is denied the chance to share in the wealth.