Audiobook Recommendations

[Ivy]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

eta: and i just noticed ivy saying american so im guessing you are not in the us (mr mobile site doesnt show anything but username) if anything i said doesnt apply to you im sorry.

His location is
Location: TAS, Australia


My Croatian library does not offer audiobooks or ebooks... they laughed at me when I asked about the ebooks. Now, I reckon the situation is probably gonna be closer to USA than Croatia, but I honestly don't know that information.

[NightBird]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Never listened to an audio book. I'm thinking they could be good while driving to work. Before I shell out any money does anyone have a recommendation for a good free audiobook to get my feet wet?

Just try out the concept of the audiobook there are free sites with public domain books.

Here's one:

Librivox

These books are read by human volunteers, so closer to the Audible/Overdrive experience. There are also sites with computer-read books.

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by NightBird

Just try out the concept of the audiobook there are free sites with public domain books.

Here's one:

Librivox

These books are read by human volunteers, so closer to the Audible/Overdrive experience. There are also sites with computer-read books.

Thanks for that (and everyone else to responded to me). I have downloaded a couple of classics I want to read from librivox onto my ipod (yes they have an itunes library), so I will give them a go. My local library only has about 30 audio books, none of which tickled my fancy (that and I reckon I am one of the few without a library card).

We'll give it a go.

Quick question of audible, you pay a subscription and get a number of 'tokens' to download books with. If you stop subscribing do you still have access to your audio books? Or are they only valid whilst you have a subscription?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Quick question of audible, you pay a subscription and get a number of 'tokens' to download books with. If you stop subscribing do you still have access to your audio books? Or are they only valid whilst you have a subscription?

Once downloaded, they are like any other .mp3 or equivalent, and you can listen to them whenever, account or no account. The only thing you won't be able to do is download them again from Audible.

[odiakkoh]

Originally Posted by orlok

Once downloaded, they are like any other .mp3 or equivalent, and you can listen to them whenever, account or no account. The only thing you won't be able to do is download them again from Audible.

Will you gain access to downloading them again if you renew your subscription? Or is it a download it now or forever lost sorta thing?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

Will you gain access to downloading them again if you renew your subscription? Or is it a download it now or forever lost sorta thing?

You will always have access to them. I had a couple of year gap, and now I'm back with them, all my downloads going back to 2006 are still avaliable for download again.

[SeaBookGuy]

If you choose to buy more, you'll pay the full non-member price. One warning - be sure you have zero available credits when you leave - you lose them otherwise. I hadn't realized you can't download what you'd already paid for?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

If you choose to buy more, you'll pay the full non-member price. One warning - be sure you have zero available credits when you leave - you lose them otherwise.

Good point

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I hadn't realized you can't download what you'd already paid for?

This isn't the case. I have currently suspended my account, and quit once before for a couple of years, and all my downloads are still available going back to when I first set up an account (or have I misunderstood what you are saying?)

[SeaBookGuy]

I thought others here were saying that if you stop paying a monthly fee altogether (for good, not just "suspended"), you lose access to ALL of your purchased books? I was under the impression that you could still download those, as well as purchase new ones ... at the whopping "non-member" rate?

There are very few books I want to purchase that I can't get through my own library, but I have a dozen or so books that I've spent credits on, but haven't listened to at all yet. Are you saying that I'll have to keep shelling out at least $15/month (for one credit) to be able to access those?

[ChrisHoward]

I've been an audible.com customer for years--can't seem to get away from the hour long commutes, at one time into San Jose and Cupertino, now into Boston.

If I had to pick one it would probably be Tim Curry's reading of Sabriel by Garth Nix. I've listened to a few by Simon Vance--he did Richard Morgan's Thirteen--one of my all time favorite authors and books.

Chris

[NightBird]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I thought others here were saying that if you stop paying a monthly fee altogether (for good, not just "suspended"), you lose access to ALL of your purchased books? I was under the impression that you could still download those, as well as purchase new ones ... at the whopping "non-member" rate?

From the Help section:

If I cancel my membership, will I lose access to my online library?

No, when you choose to cancel your membership, you will not lose access to your online library. You may login to your account at anytime and access your Audible content.

http://audible.custhelp.com/app/answ...65/related/1#4

That said, I would still download all my books and back them up, just as with ebooks. There is no guarantee that the rules won't change down the road or the publishers won't withdraw their books, Audible go out of business, etc.

In looking for this I also found there are geographic restrictions on audiobooks, which I didn't know before:

What are Geographic Restrictions?

When publishers decide to publish a work, they acquire the rights to distribute that title in certain parts of the world (or region). Sometimes they buy "world rights", but frequently the rights for a book are split among several companies, each of whom publish for certain countries. As a distributor, we need to abide by the restrictions that publishers assume when they publish a work.

Why can I see a title when not logged into my account, but it's gone when I log in?

When you are not logged into the web site, you are browsing anonymously. This means that the web site can not determine your geographic location. The titles that are listed are ALL titles that we offer world wide. When you log in with a username and password,the web site can now determine your location, and automatically removes titles that are restricted to that region.

http://audible.custhelp.com/app/answ...VHFpek9td2s%3D

[Namekuseijin]

the secret to 100 books a year unveiled...

old scanners like me at a disadvantage...

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by NightBird

That said, I would still download all my books and back them up, just as with ebooks. There is no guarantee that the rules won't change down the road or the publishers won't withdraw their books, Audible go out of business, etc.

I would do that, however I use three different audio players, and don't know right now which one I want to listen to which book with.

[odiakkoh]

Right now I listen to library audiobooks on my PC and Audible books on my phone. My brother is going to lend me his iPod so I get to use that for a bit until I buy my own Sansa Clip+.

[odiakkoh]

Reposting arcadata's post from the bargain Kindle thread

Free audiobook of James Rollins' Map of Bones:

Posted on the author's website (JamesRollins.Com):

I got my copy from Audible. Looks like it'll be an interesting read and even if it isn't can't beat free.