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Amazonia posted 2/8/2014 07:52 AM

I am buying an elliptical for home use later this month, and thought it would be nice to listen to books on tape while I work out - except tapes no longer exist.

I checked out Audible.com and $15/month seems a little steep for only one book each month. What other/better sites are out there? Where do you get your books on "tape"?

And...before anyone suggests the public library, I recently moved overseas and don't have access to an American style library (although I can still log into DC's library system, I bet, online for things like kindle lending).

[This message edited by Amazonia at 9:05 AM, February 8th (Saturday)]

Skye posted 2/8/2014 08:26 AM

If you can log into your DC library, you can download audio books to your kindle or any other type of player and listen to books. You can probably "borrow" a friend/relative's library card number for their library to download, too. There is no risk. Once the expiration date arrives, the book automatically goes back into the audio library lending system.

Amazonia posted 2/8/2014 09:06 AM

brilliant!!

ETA: Wow! That was so easy - I didn't even need to find my library card, the login had an option to use my dl number.

Thank you Skye!!

[This message edited by Amazonia at 9:09 AM, February 8th (Saturday)]

rescuedog posted 2/9/2014 17:17 PM

I love my Audio Books and have and over 350 in my personal library. I do the Audible so it comes out to a little over $11 a book. I seems steep but it is my guilty pleasure. I don't go out much, I have a treadmill at home so no gym fees. I like that I can listen to a book and fold laundry, balance checkbook, due dishes, vacuum floors, run errands in the car. Things a traditional book or ereader or a tv would not allow you to do. I also download the from the local public library. The library will also take requests for titles you would like them to add. Because of the proprietary format you can't easily share them is the drawback.

GabyBaby posted 2/9/2014 21:05 PM

I'm with Rescuedog.
Books (ebooks, traditional books, and audiobooks) are my one real indulgence.
I don't eat out often, I don't spend $$ on gym memberships, etc. so I don't feel guilty spending the money on Audible.

Skye posted 2/10/2014 07:34 AM

You're welcome.

I read/listen to 8-10 books a month. There's no way I want to spend that kind of money on something that I will use once. I don't reread or relisten to books--there are too many out there that I want to get to.

I'm not a tv watcher so like rescuedog, I have a book on in every room of my house so when I'm cleaning, folding laundry, knitting, etc., there's a book an audio book going on. And, of course, there's one on in the car!

toonces posted 3/12/2014 22:04 PM

go to Youtube and search for audiobook. I've found some audiobooks from many authors over 8 hours in length.

If you are home and working out and you are near a computer, play the youtube video while you work out.

And the cost is perfect -- FREE !!

GabyBaby posted 3/13/2014 01:09 AM

Sweeet!!!! Thanks!
That's my favorite price to pay as well.

Dreamboat posted 4/7/2014 20:10 PM

toonces,

THANK YOU for telling us about audio books on You tube!! I am listening to Doctor Sleep right now by Stephen King. I only allow myself to listen when I walk on the treadmill and I have been walking A LOT!

btw, I LOVE you name

Dreamboat posted 6/16/2014 20:57 PM

I have to give warning about audio books on You Tube -- some of them are not complete. Some of them are and that is great. But sometimes the book is missing the last couple of chapters (that happened twice to me...), or the book is bootleg and so is yanked off after a few days (and that has happened twice...)

I have been trying to find a reliable source of audio books that are reasonably price (not $28 from the publisher -- Really??!!). I don;t understand why I can buy a paperback for $7.99 or a hardback for $24.99, but the exact same audio book is $28 or more!

One site I found, the first book was great but the others I ordered were obviously bootleg. I have stopped ordering from that site.

I tried Audible.com (which is owned by Amazon) and had one of the worst user experiences intertwined with one of the worst customer support experiences that I literally canceled my membership within 30 minutes without getting anything. I wrote a complaint to Amazon and their response was "well, we don;t run the site so we don't care" (I am paraphrasing obviously)

I am trying another site right now. You pay a monthly fee and can listen to the book, but not download. I will report back if it like it.

I also checked with my local library, but they did not have much of a selection and had nothing available that I wanted to listen to.

Dreamboat posted 6/16/2014 22:41 PM

Just to follow up on my last post, here is a list of some of the books on You Tube that worked for me and some that did not.

Dr Sleep by Stephen King was a complete book on You Tube. And also a very good book, IMO

However 2 other books by Stephen King, Fire Starter and From Buick 8, were both no goes. Fire Starter turned to static after about 2 hours and From a Buick 8 was yanked (bootleg) when I was on about 2 hours.

I had good luck with an older Lee Child book (Jack Reacher series), but then started to listen to a newer book (Never Go Back) and it is not complete -- only about 1/2 was available. Thankfully someone added a comment about it, but only after I started to listen. grrr

And a David Baldacci story (The Forgotten) also ended about 1-2 chapters short.

Michael Connelly's The Gods of Guilt was complete.

So I have had about 50/50 luck with You Tube. But the frustration of getting into a book and then having it cut off??? ARGH!!

Just FYI

toonces posted 6/23/2014 21:42 PM

ask your library if they have an intra-loan program. Our local library can obtain materials from other libraries (books, magazines, CDs, audiobooks, etc.)

My wife "orders" her audiobooks on the intra-loan website. When the audiobook arrives, our library sends her an email.

When she "orders" a book, she is put in a queue for the resource. When her name gets to the top, that's when the audiobook is delivered. Some books can arrive in a week, others (like a current popular title) could take 3 months. Your mileage will vary.

MylarPineapples posted 6/26/2014 15:58 PM

I download audio books from the library, but I am also an Audible member. I pay for 2 books per month, and it works out to about $11 per book (a good deal for audio books). Audible also has daily deals and sales for members to buy additional books, so there are often books available for just a few dollars. I have had a great customer experience with them. I also like Audible's app that I use to listen to the books on my phone - it allows for adjusting playing speed, which my library's app does not.

ckss4 posted 7/10/2014 09:44 AM

Thanks for the great ideas!

Cally60 posted 7/10/2014 18:00 PM

If you want to catch up on any of the out-of-copyright classics, you might like to try librivox.com . The books are read by volunteers, rather than professional readers, so the quality will vary. But the books are free. (Some are now listed on the Project Gutenberg site.

I listen to audiobooks a lot (for the same reasons as Skye ) and use my local library's online service and subscribe to audible. I only use my credits for books that cost more than the monthly subscription price.

I also buy used audiobooks on both amazon and ebay. The most recent/popular books are not usually cheap, but less popular or older books are sometimes very cheap. On amazon, you usually need to click on "Check all formats" to see the audio version prices.

Cheaper still, are the audio books in thrift stores and at the bookstore and donation sales run by my local library. (These places seem to have books by John LeCarré, John Grisham and/or David Baldacci in particular abundance.)

Finally, if you are prepared to listen to abridged versions of some books, then BBC radio is a very rich source of book readings, dramatized versions of books and plays. Most of the readings are only available for a week after the broadcast, but you can listen to them 24/24. (It's also possible, of course, to find software that enables you to record them.)

I particularly enjoy Classic Serial, which usually divides books into 2/3 or 4 parts, each lasting about an hour. Book at Bedtime and Book of the Week serialize a variety of books in shorter episodes, over a week, or two weeks. One often has recent books which have received a lot of publicity (eg The Goldfinch) but, as I said, they are abridged, to fit into the time slot.

You can subscribe to a free weekly email that alerts you to what's coming up. If you're interested in finding more, go to the web sites for BBC Radio 4 and/or BBC Radio 4 Extra; select "Categories" and then "Drama". Radio 4 is the main one, Radio 4 Extra is mainly repeats, but often has an omnibus of the serials, rather than the individual episodes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra

Radio 3 is principally a Classical music station, but also offers some plays of a more highbrow nature.

PS If any of this is not clear or you have more questions, you're welcome to send me a private message.

[This message edited by Cally60 at 6:25 PM, July 10th (Thursday)]

NeverAgain0 posted 9/4/2014 12:22 PM

If you have a kindle, you can do a search for audible books that you have for your kindle. Just like the kindle books, the audibles go on sale too. I can usually pick up a best seller on sale and then add the audible all for $8-12!

NeverAgain0 posted 9/4/2014 12:22 PM

I also check out audio books from the local libaray.