| f the very first cases of audio books being recorded | | | | self-improvement subjects and this in turn lead to |
| in America happened way back in 1933 when award | | | | cassette recordings of an instructional or educational |
| winning anthropologist, John Peabody Harrington | | | | nature becoming incredibly popular. The cassette |
| (1884-1961) recorded the histories, rituals, songs and | | | | style recordings reached a peak with self-help |
| languages of many native American tribes. Whilst this | | | | audio-books and then expanded to include a wide |
| audio book was a very basic example it helped | | | | range of general topics such as those addressing the |
| develop an interest in ‘talking books’. | | | | humanities. |
| If you have elderly relatives they are, at some time | | | | Further, the audio book format became even more |
| during their youth, sure to have listened to the British | | | | popular with the public following the advent of the |
| Broadcasting Company (BBC) which pioneered the | | | | compact disc. This innovation further developed the |
| broadcasting of regular readings of classic novels. | | | | audio book market as it allowed people to listen to |
| It was about this time that the American Congress | | | | their audio book whilst travelling to or from work on |
| identified potential users who were in great need of | | | | the bus or train or while engaged in physical exercise. |
| the audio book - the tens of thousands of blind | | | | The audio book business is now a billion dollar industry |
| citizens who were not able to read regular book | | | | with literally thousands of retailers and audio book |
| publications. | | | | rental and hire companies springing up everywhere. |
| Congress developed the “Books for the Adult | | | | Many people are today choosing to listen rather than |
| Blind Project” and it wasn’t long | | | | read their novels, and most of these industry |
| before the National Library Service had millions of | | | | specialists provide excellent service delivering your |
| audio books covering literally every conceivable type | | | | selection of books directly to your door. |
| of subject available to the blind public. | | | | Modern audio book publications are a far cry from |
| These early ‘talking books’ were | | | | the early low budget one narrator efforts. Today |
| quite cumbersome to play as they were typically | | | | audio book publishers use high tech studios in which |
| played on ‘reel to reel’ tape players | | | | they produce high-quality recordings. These audio |
| or were recorded onto Long Player (LP) records. | | | | books feature large character casts who really put |
| They were usually quite low budget recordings and | | | | on a show and make the book exciting and well |
| consisted of a basic narration of the book. | | | | worth listening to. |
| The audio book concept took a massive change for | | | | With the hectic lifestyle that the majority of people |
| the better during the 1960’s principally due to | | | | today seem to have, the option of being able to |
| the invention of cassette player/recorder equipment. | | | | listen to your favorite novel on your MP3 or iPod is a |
| Because of this technological advancement in | | | | very appealing, yet simple option. Audio books can |
| recording music and talking books it brought the audio | | | | now be downloaded in just a few minutes and at a |
| book format into the realm of popular culture as it | | | | very low cost. They are the perfect choice for |
| appealed to consumers on mass. The development | | | | mixing business with pleasure and making the most |
| of the cassette player recorder allowed ease of use | | | | out of the limited free time that many of us have |
| through the portability of the cassette player. This | | | | today. |
| coincided with the universal interest in | | | | |