| In a few short years, the amateur digital spewing | | | | While Librivox focuses on classics, provides serialized |
| phenomenon known as blogging has become an | | | | audio presentations of recent publications and books |
| Internet fixture and has spawned a few explosive | | | | that have yet to be published. Their website allows |
| online successes (MySpace, YouTube) and more than | | | | you to "subscribe" to a book (for no fee) and |
| a few bloggers whose opinions became valued | | | | receive a chapter a week via email. Even books that |
| professional resources (The Drudge Report, for | | | | have been completed and are listed in the |
| political news and opinion). Like so many of the good | | | | Podiobooks catalogue are delivered one chapter at a |
| things on the web, what began as projects of | | | | time. Because much of this writing is current, the site |
| individual dedication became an important addition to | | | | suggests that donations to authors are not out of |
| our social and economic fabric. | | | | line. Podiobooks is promoting the notion that |
| Now, the rise of podcasts has led to what may | | | | cross-fertilization of books in both printed and spoken |
| become an addition to our cultural fabric. There are a | | | | format will heighten interest in both. |
| host of sites that will allow you to download audio | | | | Then there is the blog-oriented format of Dead |
| books for a fee, as an alternative to buying the | | | | White Males. This site is heavy on the literary |
| cassette or CD. The costs of these downloads aren't | | | | reflections of its founder, provided in print. There are |
| any bargain compared to the audio or printed copy; | | | | essays on elements of Shakespeare and other great |
| you are simply spared the chore of seeking out the | | | | authors, along with a blog site that allows for |
| product in a brick-and- mortar store. | | | | commentary on the essays. Incorporated into the |
| A more interesting phenomenon that has arisen in | | | | site are a dozen podcasts ranging from modern |
| conjunction with podcast technology is the | | | | poetry to Hardy's Return of the Native. This site is |
| introduction of websites that provide free audio | | | | like attending a lit seminar with no chronological |
| books. These books are, for the most part, classics | | | | limitations. |
| that are in the public domain; no usage permission | | | | Project Gutenberg is a website founded by Michael |
| from author or publisher is required. Also of interest is | | | | Hart, the gentleman who claims to have invented the |
| the fact that many of these books are read by | | | | ebook in 1971. Those must have taken days to |
| amateurs - that is to say, untrained actors or voices. | | | | download. In any case, the web site has a healthy |
| There is no such thing as amateur status when it | | | | category of ebooks in multiple languages available for |
| comes to consuming literature. | | | | download. Some have been created for this website |
| Some of these amateurs have become veterans in | | | | and others provided by volunteers or other websites. |
| their own right. These people are volunteers solicited | | | | Project Gutenberg is an archive that claims to be the |
| by the websites that provide these audio feeds and | | | | largest resource for free audiobooks on the web. |
| who have produced large amounts of work: one | | | | This is a sampling of sites and each of them has its |
| Southern California housewife has recorded more | | | | own approach to the same end: providing free |
| than one hundred chapters for the website Librivox. | | | | literature online. A laudable goal, worthy of the early |
| Some of the plays provided via free podcast are | | | | anarchy that characterized the birth of the Internet. |
| voiced by collections of actors - one per role. | | | | |