# Books on MP3 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510 "2003-06-17T17:52:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/1 "2003-06-17T17:52:13Z")
Where can I find books on tape, I guess that is antiquated now so I will say books on MP3? I am driving across country in a few weeks and would like to listen to a few books along the way on my MP# player… THANKS! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/2 "2003-06-17T18:26:16Z")
Well, i don’t know about books, but i often download mp3s of political speeches and radio interviews. The ones that i download all come from the original copyright owners, so there is no violation of intellectual property. I’m at the left end of the political spectrum, so the stuff that i like may or may not be of interest to you, but just in case it is, here are a couple of links: [Unwelcome Guests](http://www.radio4all.org/unwelcome/). Click on the “Show Archive” link to browse over 150 shows. Or you can go to the [a-Infos Radio Project search page](http://www.radio4all.net/search.php) and put in the name of someone who you would like to listen to, or a topic that interests you. They have stuff from a wide variety of political activists and commentators on a huge range of issues. For example, putting in the search term “economics” gives 63 results; “women” gives 120; “chomsky” gives 55; “history” gives. Most of the files are 64kbps, which is plenty for spoken word audio. Again, this stuff may not interest you, but it’s all i have to offer. ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/3 "2003-06-17T18:33:41Z")
Books on tape (CD many on CD now, too) are still more popular than their all-audio MP3 counterparts. Try your local library. I get these every few weeks to ease my hour + commute. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/4 "2003-06-17T22:00:45Z")
Well, this is close: [Audible.com](http://www.audible.com) has many books available for download. I understand that their file format isn’t exactly “MP3”, but it’s close. And the latest version of iTunes and the iPod software supports Audible files, so they can be made portable. Here’s their list of “Audible-ready” portable MP3 players: > [@](#): > > All PocketPC makes and models > Apple’s iPod > Audible Otis > Rio500, Rio600, Rio800 and Rio900 MP3 players > Iomega HipZip > Handspring Visor with AudibleAdvisor Springboard Module > Digisette Duo-Aria MP3 player > Franklin eBookman PDA > Palm Tungsten? T Handheld > Palm Zire? 71 Their front page seems to indicate that they can even be burned to CD. I’m not an Audible customer, by the way, so I’m afraid I can’t give you any first-hand information about how their service works. ---
**Author:** ![stoyel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@stoyel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoyel)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/5 "2003-06-17T22:05:58Z")
You’re most likely to find books on CD, which you can then record as .mp3s (possibly with some difficulty, depending on copy protection measures). Barnes and Noble or other favored local mega-chain has a fairly large selection, or [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). (Our B&N still has a good selection of cassette tapes, too. YMMV.) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/6 "2003-06-18T01:11:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*Their front page seems to indicate that they can even be burned to CD. > > I’m not an Audible customer, by the way, so I’m afraid I can’t give you any first-hand information about how their service works. \*\* I am, and I’m happy with their service. Their content is copy protected, but the protection scheme is pretty reasonable compared to, say, Windows XP’s activation scheme or Adobe eBook reader. When you install the software on your PC you just need your Audible password to activate it. The content you’ve purchased will be available for download forever (or as long as they stay in business), so you can delete it from your computer and re-download it again a year later. The prices may seem high but the trick is to sign up for the AudibleListener program which gives you any two books for a $20/month subscription fee. Stay with the program long enough to acquire all the books you want and then cancel the subscription - the books you’ve purchased during that time will always be available for download. $10 per book is pretty reasonable compared to what you pay for tape or CD versions. I currently use a Rio 500 player to listen to Audible content. They tell me my iPod will soon be supported - currently they only support the newest model iPod under Windows. (The older model is supported on the Mac, I believe.) Even on the 64 meg Rio 500, if I choose the highest compression I can fit over 20 hours of content, enough for a fairly long unabridged novel. As for the CD burning capability, I believe you can only burn audio CDs, not CD-ROM containing compressed files. At 1 hour per disc I’m not very excited. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/7 "2003-06-18T01:25:25Z")
If you are willing to settle for just regular old boring cd format you can rent them from [http://www.talkingbookworld.com](http://www.talkingbookworld.com) or [http://www.blackstoneaudio.com](http://www.blackstoneaudio.com). I think blackstone rents some titles in mp3 format. The pricing is (I think) comparable to Audible but different selection. ---
**Author:** ![igloorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@igloorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igloorex)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/8 "2003-06-18T04:08:31Z")
Try your local Cracker Barrel. Tapes/CDs can be rented and returned at any Cracker Barrel. Not a great selection, but very convenient. Better food than McD’s as well IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![tastycorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@tastycorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tastycorn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/9 "2003-06-18T08:16:55Z")
alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks alt.binaries.sounds.audiobooks alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks.highspeed (but you didn’t hear it from me ;)) Also, [www.easynews.com](http://www.easynews.com) is the best ten bucks you will ever spend, but you didn’t hear that from me either. ---
**Author:** ![tastycorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@tastycorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tastycorn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-mp3/182510/10 "2003-06-18T08:22:26Z")
If you’re a geek, 2600 has interesting talk radio on MP3. [http://www.2600.com/offthewall/2003/0603.html](http://www.2600.com/offthewall/2003/0603.html) If you’re a progressive liberal, or you hate progressive liberals, pacifica has their shows on MP3. [http://www.pacifica.org](http://www.pacifica.org)