For the Love of Audio Books

Well it's been some time since my last post and I blame it entirely on Summer Vacations, which coincidently is a great way to tie in the topic of this post. I have been asked; 'where did you first find your love of audio books?' and it came at a very early age while on a long cross country car trip for Summer Vacation. What was the first audio book (or book on tape as CD's and most definitely downloads didn't exist yet) I ever listened to? Pete's Dragon!

Over and over again my parents would play these tapes for us and surprisingly enough, we were entertained; THE ENTIRE TIME. Looking back, I'm positive that my parents thought they had found a goldmine in books on tape and they had, in so many different ways. All subsequent trips included books on tape up until we were old enough to read novels ourselves. And so began my 10 year absence from books on tape.

When I graduated university and began my first job; my daily commute was an hour and 10 mins each way. That's a significant amount of time to be stuck in the car with nothing really to do but look around. So I returned to audio books; this time on CD and I haven't looked back. I love them all; fiction, biographies, business, romance, I'm even learning French as we speak.

So my question to any and all who read this post; where did you first experience audio books?

Being Read To - What Nostalgia!

Remember when you were really young and your parents said, "Go and get ready for bed and then I'll read you a story." Now that was an incentive to go to bed. I remember it being so fun to have a story read to me. It was the best when my dad brought a big book that couldn't be read in one night and I was always so excited to hear the next part of the book.

Then, when I got old enough to read really well on my own, I started reading my own bedtime stories. But now, as an adult, there are definitely times when I miss those bedtime reading sessions! The great news is, audio books can change all that!

If you remember a good book that was read to you when you were young, there's a good chance it's available as an audio book. Imagine lying down in bed, putting your headphones on, and listening to the story of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, just like you used to when you were a little kid.

Ahhh, nostalgia, gotta love it.

Fads - How to Create One

What do tye-dye shirts, Pogs, Tamagotchis, Vuarnet shirts, and Pokemon have in common? They're all fads of course. How did these fads get started? Well, largely by the fact that people wore the shirts, collected the Pogs, played the Pokemon games, and obsessed over their Tamagotchis. But, another thing that really played a big part in making these things so incredibly magnetic was word-of-mouth.

When people decided that these items were going to be an important part of their lives, they talked about them, and talked...and talked...and talked! The more people heard about them, the more they wanted them. And the more people got their hands on them, the more people heard the incessant ravings of the proud owners of these new items.

Creating an audio book fad can work the same way! So, all you lovers of audio books out there who feel like you absolutely couldn't live without the little marvels - start talking, and let the audio book obsession pandemic begin.

Book Recommendation Tips

I have a friend who is legendary for recommending the worst. books. ever. It seems like we have similar taste-- when we run down recent reads or classic favorites, there's often a couple in common. But, I've given up completely on borrowing books she recommends to me specifically. She has terrible judgment when it comes to other peoples' taste. While it's bad for me, it's even worse for her... it's awful to loan someone a cherished book and have them give it the thumbs down.
With this in mind, here's a quick guide to the books in your starter kit. You may not have time to listen to them all yourself (though feel welcome to if you have the chance--they're great!), and though they're chosen to be generally appealing, a bit more specifically targetted program of loaning them out will only increase your odds of success.
Whoever you loan it to will feel good that you took the time to consider their personal tastes and preferences, and they're more likely to enjoy the book.

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson is a business/self help book. Great for anyone in the rat race, or who is always looking to get ahead.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is great for literature and fiction lovers-- especially if they like to explore other cultures through reading. If you know someone who gushes about the Brontes (Charlotte, Emily or Anne), or enjoys Anita Diamant, Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez... anyone who uses their characters to tell a larger story about life in a specific area, at a specific point in history, this book is perfect.

He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt

He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt, who wote for Sex and the City, is sort of a male-to-female English dictionary. Great for the ladies... especially those who are experiencing problems with their lovelife and need a quick confidence boost.

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Deception Point by Dan Brown is great for Da Vinci Code devotees and general Dan Brown fans. It also appeals to the "Spy Thriller" part of your brain, so if you love Tom Clancy or books like Michael Crichton's State of Fear, this is a good pick.

DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

DaVinci Code by Dan Brown... warning! do NOT recommend this to people who have been putting off reading the book because they think it's stupid or expect it to be poorly written (not that I'm saying it is-- but this reviewer certainly felt that way). Instead, recommend it to people who generally enjoy thrillers and conspiracy stories or who enjoyed the book in print form already-- and want to revisit it in the context of the current movie controversy.

Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella

Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella is total "Chick Lit"-- light and charming. The London, UK-based heroine channels Bridget Jones (of the eponymous diary), and continues in the tradition of Kinsella's earlier Shopaholic series. If your friend loves the humor and romance of Chick Lit-- or is a woman under 40-- this is a great pick.

Broker by John Grisham

Broker by John Grisham. What more do we need to say except "it's classic John Grisham"? Whoever you're lending it to will probably already know whether or not they enjoy his style of legal thriller.

Bleachers by John Grisham

Bleachers by John Grisham shows a more sensitive side with the story of a high school football team at a small town high school that reunites 15 years later to honor their recently deceased coach. It was a hit with women and men both, and plays on nostalgia for its emotional hook.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is a memoir about travel, the outdoors, and middle class rural American culture. It's also got some wonderfully comic moments, and Bryson really doesn't take himself too seriously as he walks the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Recommend this to people who enjoy Dave Barry's humor column (and that type of writing) non-fiction, memoirs, and travelogues.

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton is a bit darker than a lot of current chick detective novels (ie Janet Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum books), but still an easy read that moves at a great pace. This is the first in Grafton's mega-selling mystery series, so if you know anyone who's a mystery fan, they will have probably read at least one (and likely more). So ask if they enjoy Grafton's work, and if so, A is for Audiobook.

Welcome to Audioforce Confidential

This is the first post for our word of mouth online journal. The purpose of the blog is to allow fellow Audioforce members to share and discuss their experiences while putting the word on the street about audio books. I am anxiously anticipating the curious and comical stories of your word of mouth activities. If anyone ever has any questions about the experiment or topics they would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.