Audio books are incredibly versatile. They are a great alternative to traditional paper books and e-readers because people can avoid the eye strain that often accompanies reading for long periods of time. The blind can enjoy great works of literature without lifting a finger. People can learn from audio books while doing other tasks such as driving, exercising, or doing the washing.
Audio books are also helpful to listen to while following along in the actual book because it helps people learn words that they might not learn correctly if they only read the book. In this way, they are also extremely helpful for learning a new language.
There are audio versions of the latest bestsellers as well as motivational bestsellers and other lesser-known audio book categories. Audio poetry books have been steadily growing in market share. Poetry was meant to be read aloud, and what better way to hear great poetry than to hear it spoken straight from the poet’s lips?
Another increasingly popular audio book genre is classic radio shows. These are particularly popular with those who can remember the great radio shows of their youth.
Sometimes audio books even feature a complete cast with music and sound effects. Sometimes these are referred to as audio dramas. There are also many free audio books because works are taken from the public domain and volunteers read them for recording.
Most e-readers these days have a text-to-speech feature that is created with computer software. However, the quality of synthesised speech sounds rather robotic and pales in comparison to a human voice. Especially when audio books feature the author’s voice or an actor’s voice reading the book for recording. Downloadable audio books are also cheaper than hardback books, although slightly more expensive than paperbacks.
