Quote:
Originally Posted by crich70
Audio books (in a sense) predate books as we know them. At one time that was the only way any book was passed on. Homer's books were meant for reading aloud for example. Plus of course many people weren't literate back then but everyone could understand the spoken word (in their own tongue at least). And some books (i.e. the Bible for example) were passed on that way for generations before anyone wrote them down. That's also the reason for some old rhymes we still have with us like "30 days hath September.." Many couldn't read, or afford the books if they could prior to Gutenberg's press so knowledge was memorized from hearing someone speak it.
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Now that situation is turned on its head. Audiobooks are now an offshoot from books. The audiobooks from our times are recited, not by heart, but from the book version. That's the difference, and that's why, currently, the definition of a book does not include audiobooks.