Longest audio book? Seveneves is 96 hours long!

moyogi2 · 04-25-2015, 09:23 PM

I just preordered Neal Stephenson's new book Seveneves and it is 96 hours, 18 minutes long. My commute is about 100 minutes a day, so it will take over 2 1/2 months to get through it. And it is only one credit on Audible! I have read a few books in the 40 hour range, but wow. Available May 19th at Audible.

AnemicOak · 04-26-2015, 12:19 AM

I think the only audiobook possibly longer than that would be a Bible.

Seems extraordinarily long when compared to other books with higher page counts. I know page count isn't everything and can be manipulated by the publisher, but long books like Atlas Shrugged which has a huge page count even in editions with super small type sizes is like 30 hours shorter than this. A Dance with Dragons is huge and nowhere near this long either.

EDIT: According to the publisher of the audiobook Seveneves is 32 hours unabridged, not the 96+ hours Audible says.

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=6856

This seems more realistic given the books advertised page count.

moyogi2 · 04-26-2015, 01:38 PM

that sounds more like it. Reamde was in that range.

Catlady · 04-26-2015, 04:05 PM

Gone with the Wind is over a thousand pages in hardcover, and 49 hours as an audiobook. That's the longest book I've ever listened to. But there are a lot of books, especially classics, in the 30-40 hour range.

cybmole · 04-27-2015, 06:42 AM

War and peace ?

AnemicOak · 04-27-2015, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

War and peace ?

About 61 hours.

Atlas Shrugged is 63, A Dance with Dragons is 49 hours.

The longest thing I can find is The Word of Promise Complete Audio Bible: NKJV at 98 hours (several other Bibles are in the 70-80 hour range as well)
http://www.audible.com/pd/Religion-S...0174402&sr=1-1

skinmaan · 04-29-2015, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Atlas Shrugged is 63...

I've heard some not-so-flattering reviews of this one...

(Actually, I own the audiobook, but I haven't gotten around to listening yet. Too many books to catch up on to stop for 63 hours.)

Jozawun · 05-11-2015, 03:51 PM

Gibbon's Decline and Fall c.120 hours.

SteveK · 05-22-2015, 10:45 AM

Moyogi2 - The Amazon webpage for the book shows that it is 880 pages, and it shows 31 hours and 55 minutes for the audiobook through Audible, which seems about right. As far as I know, this is not an abridged edition. Obviously this is MUCH shorter than the 96+ hours you indicate. Was there perhaps erroneous information on the pre-order page? Have you been able to verify the actual length of the book?

Obviously nearly 32 hours is still a long listen, but at least you'll be able to get through it in 1/3 the time you thought (if the length now shown is correct, that is).

Thanks.

CRussel · 05-23-2015, 05:03 PM

Just finished Shogun which was 1600+pages and some 56 hours long. And a couple of the Outlander books are that long as well. Takes a couple of LONG trips to finish one of those off.

tomsem · 06-03-2015, 02:14 PM

One of the audiobook versions of Les Miserables is 69 hours long. The one I have (and have yet to read) is 60 hours long. And there is one that is only 51 hours long. But then Audible lists an unabridged Russian Edition that is only two and a half hours long. If only my Russian were good enough...

It is fascinating that there can be so much variation, depending on who is reading. But that is where it becomes essential to be able to adjust the playback speed. I often listen at 2x, depending on the speaker.

Catlady · 06-03-2015, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

One of the audiobook versions of Les Miserables is 69 hours long. The one I have (and have yet to read) is 60 hours long. And there is one that is only 51 hours long. But then Audible lists an unabridged Russian Edition that is only two and a half hours long. If only my Russian were good enough...

It is fascinating that there can be so much variation, depending on who is reading. But that is where it becomes essential to be able to adjust the playback speed. I often listen at 2x, depending on the speaker.

If they're different translations, that's another factor in addition to the narrator. And a scholarly introduction or afterword might be included.

DaleDe · 06-04-2015, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

If they're different translations, that's another factor in addition to the narrator. And a scholarly introduction or afterword might be included.

I do not believe that Russian translation can reduce a book this much. I suspect it is a special Russian edition with lots of stuff left out. It is just not possible to be a pure translation. It may be a censored translation.

Catlady · 06-04-2015, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I do not believe that Russian translation can reduce a book this much. I suspect it is a special Russian edition with lots of stuff left out. It is just not possible to be a pure translation. It may be a censored translation.

Oh, I wasn't talking about the Russian translation (looking at the Audible listing, with multiple narrators, I suspect it's a dramatization)--I was referring to unabridged versions that tomsem said were 51/60/69 hours. That's still a lot of variation, of course, but different translations, different narrators, and the possible inclusion of additional material could account for it. The version I have is 58 hours, narrated by Frederick Davidson, no mention of which translation it is.

tomsem · 06-07-2015, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I do not believe that Russian translation can reduce a book this much. I suspect it is a special Russian edition with lots of stuff left out. It is just not possible to be a pure translation. It may be a censored translation.

It could be a lot of things, but for sure something in the item information is incorrect.

04-25-2015, 09:23 PM	#1
moyogi2 ereader apprentice guru Posts: 44 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: the Great Midwest Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-T1, Sony 300 (so far)	Longest audio book? Seveneves is 96 hours long! I just preordered Neal Stephenson's new book Seveneves and it is 96 hours, 18 minutes long. My commute is about 100 minutes a day, so it will take over 2 1/2 months to get through it. And it is only one credit on Audible! I have read a few books in the 40 hour range, but wow. Available May 19th at Audible.

04-26-2015, 12:19 AM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I think the only audiobook possibly longer than that would be a Bible. Seems extraordinarily long when compared to other books with higher page counts. I know page count isn't everything and can be manipulated by the publisher, but long books like Atlas Shrugged which has a huge page count even in editions with super small type sizes is like 30 hours shorter than this. A Dance with Dragons is huge and nowhere near this long either. EDIT: According to the publisher of the audiobook Seveneves is 32 hours unabridged, not the 96+ hours Audible says. https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=6856 This seems more realistic given the books advertised page count. Last edited by AnemicOak; 04-26-2015 at 01:05 AM.

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04-26-2015, 01:38 PM	#3
moyogi2 ereader apprentice guru Posts: 44 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: the Great Midwest Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-T1, Sony 300 (so far)	that sounds more like it. Reamde was in that range.

04-26-2015, 04:05 PM	#4
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	Gone with the Wind is over a thousand pages in hardcover, and 49 hours as an audiobook. That's the longest book I've ever listened to. But there are a lot of books, especially classics, in the 30-40 hour range.

04-27-2015, 06:42 AM	#5
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	War and peace ?

05-11-2015, 03:51 PM	#8
Jozawun Fanatic Posts: 519 Karma: 2693434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Australia Device: Cybook Gen 3, Pocketbook 902, Sony 650	Gibbon's Decline and Fall c.120 hours.

05-22-2015, 10:45 AM	#9
SteveK Addict Posts: 272 Karma: 1017902 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Kindle PW, PW2, Kindle3, Kobo Glo, tablets, phone	Moyogi2 - The Amazon webpage for the book shows that it is 880 pages, and it shows 31 hours and 55 minutes for the audiobook through Audible, which seems about right. As far as I know, this is not an abridged edition. Obviously this is MUCH shorter than the 96+ hours you indicate. Was there perhaps erroneous information on the pre-order page? Have you been able to verify the actual length of the book? Obviously nearly 32 hours is still a long listen, but at least you'll be able to get through it in 1/3 the time you thought (if the length now shown is correct, that is). Thanks.

05-23-2015, 05:03 PM	#10
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	Just finished *Shogun* which was 1600+pages and some 56 hours long. And a couple of the Outlander books are that long as well. Takes a couple of LONG trips to finish one of those off.

06-03-2015, 02:14 PM	#11
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,476 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	One of the audiobook versions of Les Miserables is 69 hours long. The one I have (and have yet to read) is 60 hours long. And there is one that is only 51 hours long. But then Audible lists an unabridged Russian Edition that is only two and a half hours long. If only my Russian were good enough... It is fascinating that there can be so much variation, depending on who is reading. But that is where it becomes essential to be able to adjust the playback speed. I often listen at 2x, depending on the speaker.

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