Your upcoming book focuses heavily on photographs of people, from peasants to punk rockers, ethnic groups to entrepreneurs. As a lone foreigner in a faraway country, how did you approach so many strangers, let alone become intimate enough with them to take their portraits?

Tom Carter: Most of my photos came about as a natural result of my curiosity and interaction with Chinese people during my travels. It wasn’t until the end of my trip that I thought about compiling them into a book. This is a tribute to all the people I met along the way.
For the portraits, it just takes a sincere interest in your subjects to get that close. I don’t believe in hiding behind a zoom lens; I was actually as near to all those people as you see in the pictures, sometimes just inches away. The candid life shots, which comprise a good third of the book, were actually more of a challenge. As a foreigner walking down the street in China, all activity stops the moment you are seen, so it’s tricky to photograph life before life stops to stare at you.
I don’t believe any book can capture the true spirit of a country with only pictures of places. Sure, a photo of a sunset over the Great Wall is nice, but what do you really learn from it? I wanted to show the people, and dispel the stereotype of the Chinese as a homogeneous single nationality.

You must speak the language pretty well.

Tom Carter: That’s the very first question I always get from other expats I meet in China! It humbles me to admit that my Putonghua borders on offensively poor. I taught English when I first arrived in China, which left me no time to formally study Mandarin. I picked up my entire vocabulary while travelling. I call it Survival Chinese. I can communicate, but I’m usually left out of the gossiping granny circles. A friendly smile works well when all else fails. I might add, though, that Chinese dialects vary widely by province, so even most nationals have trouble understanding other Chinese outside their own hometowns.

You say you came to China as an English teacher, but four years later you’re a published photojournalist and author. Did you plan this career move?

Tom Carter: Never, but that’s China for you, a real land of opportunity. Teaching was just a means to an end, which was travelling. Out of that first long year on the road sprung my collection of photos, which resulted in a book contract and travel assignments from various periodicals, which brought me full circle back to my second spin around China. I believe I stand apart from my contemporaries in that I’m not sitting around a cushy foreign correspondents’ club “networking” [makes mock quotes with his fingers] and waiting for my next assignment; I’m out on the road finding my own. But maybe that’s why Reuters still hasn’t called me.

You’ve had a few run-ins with Chinese censorship of your images and articles. Care to share?

Tom Carter: The concept of Freedom of the Press, something the west takes for granted, is still entirely alien in Communist China. The media is state-run and every single word and image that comes in and out of the country needs to be approved by the Ministry of Information. Crazy, huh? But since I’m an independent freelancer without the backing of any news agency, I lack official journalist credentials. Most of my images I’ve had to get the hard way, which has often resulted in confrontations with local authorities who view foreign correspondents as a threat.
For example, for the three single frames of coal miners with soot-covered faces that appear in this book, I and my Chinese travelling companion had to spend several days in the mountains of South Shanxi before we were able to sneak into a coal mine, grab a few shots then get the hell out before being caught. Mining is one of the most dangerous and controversial occupations in China, and is entirely off limits to journalists. Some of my best photos are hit-and-run like that.

There’s one incident in particular I want to hear about: a peasant riot that you photographed and which almost got you arrested. Tell us about that.

Tom Carter: To be caught up in a proletarian uprising – something both foreign and Chinese reporters in China rarely even hear about, due to rapid suppression of information, let alone eye-witness – was extremely frightening but probably one of the book’s most powerful images. I was subsequently “implored” by the local police to hand over all my photos, under penalty of incarceration, but a couple have managed to slip into the book [winks mischievously]. I’m still in China and would like to be able to leave without a trip to the clink, so it’s not something I can talk about in further detail, nor can we make the photo public until the book is on the shelves.

Guerilla-style documentary photography is something you are obviously proud of. Someone said you have “turned mundane daily life in China into a work of art” but one reviewer wrote that your photographs are “an assault on ordinary people who should be left alone.” What’s your take on such extreme responses?

Tom Carter: Which one was the criticism? [Laughs] Actually, I prefer the term ‘street photography’, because that’s exactly what I do. I’m out pounding the pavement from 6am to 6pm every day, learning about the culture through observation and interaction. Many photojournalists cover their assignments as quickly as possible so they can remove themselves from the elements, but I revel in the elements. I don’t have any technical or artistic preconceptions to my photos. The whole idea of spending an hour setting up a shot and then photoshopping it to death afterwards is not what I’m about. I just capture life as it is, then move on. If the picture turns out crooked, so what! Life is crooked!
I have no desire to make something palatable, even if it means not getting on Getty. On the other hand, any of my photos that are considered beautiful I credit entirely to my subjects. They are the ones who deserve the compliments.

China really is a vast country to explore, and you have been to every corner of it – 33 provinces and over 200 cities and villages. Travelling for a living sounds like a life of leisure, but what’s the reality?

Tom Carter: You know, forall the tourism I’ve promoted for China with my photos and travel articles, you’d think the CNTA [China National Tourism Administration] could at least have comped my hotels. But the truth is I’ve never received a cent in financial backing. During the two years I spent travelling across China, I slept in 15 RMB [2 USD] flophouses with particleboard walls – which are illegal for foreigners to stay in – with the occasional youth hostel or night on a bus station floor. I taught English for two straight years beforehand so I could save up to travel, and I really had to pinch my pennies to make it last. The upside is that my insolvency resulted in experiences that staying at the Sheraton could never produce.

All travellers are running away from something. What’s your excuse?

Tom Carter: I come from a long line of nomads – my mother a Danish immigrant of good Viking stock and my father a hybrid Panamanian-Cuban-Italian – so drifting is in my blood. It’s my dream to travel the world, take pictures and write about it. I have no intention of succumbing to that thirtysomething syndrome of settling down. The world is my home.

So what day-to-day difficulties did you encounter during your marathon journey across China?

Tom Carter: You mean hour-to-hour difficulties. My photos might excite a lot of potential tourists, but I’m not going to sugar-coat the reality of actually travelling in China. The consensus among backpackers is that China is probably the single most challenging country in the world to navigate. Aside from the obvious language barriers, you have 5,000-year old customs and extreme cultural differences that can be quite vexing for the typical westerner. Most of these nuances are not something that you can catch on film; travellers have to discover them for themselves, and that’s part of the fun.

What keeps you going?

Tom Carter: I delight in the challenges that a country like China poses to westerners. Sure, I occasionally catch myself pounding the wall in frustration, but the thing about the PRC is that every turn is a new adventure. For me there’s nothing worse than being bored, and boredom is just not possible in China. See these lines on my face? They weren’t there before.

How did you plan your routes?

Tom Carter: I haven’t planned a single route since I arrived in China four years ago. I just point myself in a direction, then let life carry me on its current. Not only does every Chinese person you ask where to go have an excitedly different opinion – even about which way is north – but there are so many undiscovered villages that are off the charts. Not to mention that the time it takes to get to these places is often days longer than how it appears on a map, making an itinerary kind of pointless.

Tell us more about surprises along the way, and any dangerous situations you’ve been in.

Tom Carter: Surprises are the rule, not the exception. In addition to clashes with the authorities over my pictures, I’ve had everything from a near-lethal bout of encephalitis during my first year in China, to getting shanghaied by crooked English schools, which I wrote about for the Wall Street Journal. One of my favourites is the time I found myself at the business end of a North Korean machine gun when I accidentally crossed into the DPRK at Changbaishan. These are all stories I can laugh about now, though my mother doesn’t think so.

It’s said that China is now undergoing the most prolonged period of sustained change in history. How has it changed since you have lived there, and how will it change in the near future?

Tom Carter: I think China’s most dramatic changes have been brought on by itself and that the now-clichéd term “New China” was something methodically planned out in their boardrooms. The Chinese government is addicted to what I call hyper-urbanization. You’ve got historic cities like Beijing, where they are bulldozing these ancient hutongs by the hour so they can build office towers, or the 2,000-year-old village of Gongtan in Chongqing that is going to be levelled this summer for a new power plant. I wrote an article about Gongtan for a local magazine but it was quickly quashed because the censorship bureau said “We don’t want to bring any attention to that place.” These contrasts in architecture appear in my book because I feel it is imperative to capture this last glimpse of China’s old slate rooftops before the skyline becomes pure steel and glass. CHINA: Portrait of a People will probably become a history book, something Chinese people will look at twenty years from now and say “Ah yes, I remember.”

It seems like everyone wants to know more about China these days. Do you see more people planning on visiting the country?

Tom Carter: China will become the world’s largest tourism destination of the next decade, no doubt about it. The 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai’s World Expo in 2010 are expected to attract between 50 to 100 million tourists annually. China’s doors were closed for so long that it’s only natural the world is curious about what’s behind them. What the pictures in Portrait of a People are doing is fuelling this curiosity by offering an intimate glimpse of humanity in China, and scenes of daily life that even publications like National Geographic overlook.

You’re something of an authority now on Chinese travel. Can you offer any tips for travellers?

Tom Carter: Well, what China wants tourists to see is often at variance with what is actually marvellous about the country. You’ve got these highly-sheltered tour group packages that cover the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Shaanxi, a boat ride on the Yangtze and shopping in Shanghai [makes yawning noise]. Or you can remove yourself from the souvenir shops and luxury hotels, get a local street map and travel on word-of-mouth. Lonely Planet would go bankrupt if people actually took my travel advice, but you definitely see more of the real China my way.

Finally, what’s next for someone who’s been everywhere in China?

Tom Carter: My publisher and I have been talking about taking the “Portrait of a People” concept to other countries in the region. I would jump at the chance. So I have no idea where I’ll be this time next year.

CHINA: Portrait of a People author and photographer Tom Carter expounds on Chinese censorship, peasant riots and how insolvency helped inspire his new book in this first exclusive interview.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

Tom Carter’s travel articles and pictures have appeared in every major English-language periodical in China. He is available for interview by phone or email. Sample photos from CHINA: Portrait of a People can be viewed at TOM CARTER (Flash plugin required). High-resolution images for media use are available for immediate download at BLACKSMITH BOOKS

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A conversation with Tom Carter, author of CHINA: Portrait of a People.

The fact is, if you’re an avid reader, audiobooks are format you should consider. Despite the fact that fans of physical books often are hard-pressed to switch to the audio format, there are plenty of good reasons to do so. In this article, we’ll look at some reasons you should at least start to download audio books and listen to them occasionally instead of just sticking with old fashioned paperbacks and hardcovers.

To start with, audio book downloads are a heck of lot more convenient than traditional book formats. For example, while a Steven King fan who enjoys keeping his horror collection close by would find it very difficult to travel with even a few novels in traditional format, the audio versions can all fit on a device as small as an ipod or other MP3 player. Steven King can go with this fan anywhere.

This is not the only point of convenience. Think of the time saved by downloading audio books. For traditional formats you either have to order online and then wait for the books to arrive by mail, or you have to take a trip to your nearest library or bookstore, walk around and bug the staff until you find the book, stand in line to pay for it, and then bring it all the way back home before you can crack it open and start reading.

With audiobooks on the other hand, you just click on your favorite online audio bookstore, type in the name of the book you want and complete the purchase. Moments later you downlod the digital file to your your ipod or other audio device and start listening right away.

The fact that you get to listen to your books with your just your ears, instead of reading them – which requires the attention of both your eyes and your hands – is another good reason to go with audio books. By freeing up your eyes and hands, you can still enjoy all the benefits of reading, but be able to preform other tasks at the same time. While someone who sticks with traditional book formats has to focus his full attention on the reading process, savvy folks who download and listen to audio books can also drive, bike, cook, play sports and take out the garbage at the same time.

One point that traditional book readers bring up is that the selection of traditional books is massive, while the selection of audiobooks is relatively small. That said though, if you search online you’ll soon discover that the amount of information and entertainment now available in audiobook format is much larger than any one person would ever have time to consume. There are download sites providing audio books on almost every topic available. From fiction titles including classics to the latest releases to up-to-date non-fiction titles for students and professionals in almost any imaginable field, there are countless audiobook titles to choose from.

Granted, there are some who will never give up the look, feel and experience of reading a traditional hardcover or paperback. But for those whose time is precious, deciding to download audio books to listen to allows them to multi-task, learn and get things done at the same time.

Author Resource:-> If you enjoy listening to your books, you can also browse a huge collection of instantly downloadable ipod audio books at http://www.CrownAudioBooks.com right now.

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Why Download Audio Books Instead Of Reading?

Yes, even radio shows come in audio books. The demand for audio books have increased so that not only non-fiction books, poetry and romance books are transported to audio, but radio shows are also jumping into the bandwagon.

Treat a radio show audio book as you would a radio show program. There are so many topics tackled in this auditory form.

For example, parents can purchase a radio show audio book dealing with childhood matters. It will allow them to increase their knowledge when it comes to parenthood and caring for their children.

Then there are radio shows that come in audio books. Here are some examples:

- The Joan Kenley Show

You can enjoy style, substance and humor to the next level. Questions in this program can wake you up and ignite your imagination.

- Prairie Home Companion

This is a collection of skits, songs and monologues from the radio show A Prairie Home Companion for over 30 years. Humor and wackiness serve as both excellent introduction for new listeners and will teleport old fans back in time. This is a collection that is worth listening to over and over again.

- The David Shayler Radio Show

This radio show not only comes in CDs and cassettes, it can also be downloaded in MP3 and WAV format.

- The Tufnell Tapes

This is about the misadventures of a bankrupt British businessman in Southern California.

This year alone, consumers have experienced the benefits of modern technology when it comes to audio books. Pushing the envelope further, audio books are made available to Podcasts!

In fact, XM Satellite Radios music stations and Audible Inc. have an exclusive partnership which would bring together XMs 150 music and talk-radio channels and Audibles 70,000 hours of audio content altogether and in the form of audio books that will be broadcasted on Podcasts.

Because XM is recognized for having the best technology and best content when it comes to satellite radio, the collaboration with Audible can result to good content distribution of radio show audio books.

Not only that, these radio show audo books can also be downloaded from the Internet and then uploaded onto devices like iPods and podcasts. The Audible site offers certain XM radio talk shows. Examples are The Opie & Anthony Show and The Bob Edwards Show.

There are also radio show audio books targeted to children. Here are some examples:

- 39 Steps by John Buchan

The Butler enters a room in Mr. Richard Hannays apartment. A secret agent lies dying. A dagger is the agents back and his last words are, Tell Mr. Hannay, the 39 steps, high tide. Mr. Hannay sets out on a journey to resolve the murder mystery that brings him in an adventure involving assassination, impostors and secret plans.

-Adventures of Captain Hudson by Tim Knofler and Ron Grigsby

In the pilot episode, the reluctant hero Captain Jim Hudson and his crew embark on an unexpected journey that takes them into the desert regions of the Southwestern US.

-Adventures of Red Ryder and Little Beaver by Radio Spirits

From the West comes Americas famous fighting pair Red Ryder and Little Beaver with their horse thunder. They are famous for tracking down outlaws. Its a wild west tale that will surely entertain the young and the old.

-Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Ebenezer Scrooge is as cold as winter and he puts money above everything else. But one Christmas Eve, he is visited by four ghosts and he soon realizes that the best riches are not found in banks. A Christmas Carol is one of the worlds best loved Christmas stories.

- Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

This amazing audio drama series based on the best-selling The Chronicles of Narnia books by CS Lewis, it stars David Suchet as Aslan the Great Lion and Paul Scofield as the Storyteller. Be transported to that magical world which will inspire your imagination. The audio set includes all seven books: The Magicians Nephew,The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treade, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle.

- Escape by Radio Spirits

Escape from ordinary life with six stories of high adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Author Resource:-> Do you miss reading? 1000′s of

downloadable audio books are available for immediate download and gratification. Burn to CD, put them on your MP3 or iPod and off you go. Join our newsletter today , The Audio Downloader, for an extra special discount. Visit now:
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Audio Books From Radio Shows, Old And New

An antique book is more than a collection of pages by your favorite author. It is a piece of history, a glimpse into the past. One in which the binding was done by hand the paper often likewise and if far back enough in time, the pen was a quill.

There are many factors which influence the value of an antique book, as in all antiques. First there is the condition of the book. The binding, the pages, whether dog-eared or torn, or God forbid, missing. The pages may have notes written on them. (Which can often be valuable in themselves if penned by a famous person or under unusual circumstances) or they may be damaged or stained or any number of factors which will affect their desirability. In the same way if a book is signed by it’s author this usually increases it’s price, although in the modern world not necessarily as “book signings” are all too common as a marketing tool and have helped to downplay the importance of a signed edition. All of these factors contribute to the overall value of your antique book.

The overall availability is a factor in price but is not necessarily the main factor as a book may be hard to find but not desirable. In other words it may be rare but nobody wants it! Confusing? Yes it can be. It is prudent to consult a dealer to appraise your antique book whether for insurance purposes or because you are attempting to sell it. In the final analysis, antiques are always only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.

Appraisals Dealers usually need to see the book itself in order to identify and appraise it. You may submit photographs if you cannot see the dealer in person due to distance or time. They will require usually a photograph of the title page, the back side of the title page (also called the copyright page), the first and last pages of text, and the outer covers and spine in order to evaluate an individual copy. It is best to have very close up, quality photographs if you must go this route. If you are not proficient with a digital camera, ask one of your friends to do it for you. The popularity of digital cameras today makes quality photos easy to accomplish. Do not try and photocopy the book! This produces very poor results and may in fact damage the book due to the pressure exerted upon the spine in this process.

You often hear the phrase “first edition” in reference to books and this can influence the price of the book if there were, in fact more than one edition! Many times there were not. Be careful when someone touts the first edition status of an antique book and attempt to determine for yourself if there were indeed subsequent editions. Again remember to use all of the resources online and elsewhere to obtain valuable and often free information on your antique book. There are several national societies of book dealers, “antiquarians” and of course appraisers that you may take advantage of in the search for information. There are also book collecting societies that you may investigate. Take your time and learn all you can before you buy or sell your antique book.

Author Resource:-> Antiques
href=”http://www.revelationimports.com”> RugsEnjoy

the mystery of the past. http://www.RevelationImports.com

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Antique Books. Worth the Reading

For some, carrying a hardcover or paperback is a cumbersome task added to which many times, various places do not provide the best atmosphere for reading a book. The less demanding task of listening to words coming to life through audio books is a convenient, as well as versatile approach towards gaining knowledge and passing the time in a productive manner. Below you will find some of the places an online audio book download or audio book purchase comes in handy:

Lying in Bed

On a lazy Sunday morning, maybe you do not feel like opening a book or sifting through the newspaper. Maybe you just want to lie down in the bed and not worry about exerting too much energy to entertain yourself. An audio book allows you to stay alert and awake, while catching up on your favorite characters as you listen to, instead of read about their adventures. Audio books can take away the stress and effort it takes to open a book, hold it, and concentrate on the presentation of text. Also, you do not even have to turn the lights on to enjoy this delight.

Doing Chores In The Kitchen

On top of taking care of the kids, there are plenty of household chores that mothers and fathers tackle on a regular basis. Whether the dishes are piling up or dinner needs preparation, the monotony of these duties brings about a boredom that helpful distractions, such as audio books can relieve. When you wish to catch up on your favorite novels, you can download an online audio book that does not demand the use of your hands. Audio books also make great diversions to the rumble of a vacuum cleaner.

Working Out At The Gym

For some, it is rather hard to concentrate and stay on task when it comes to exercising, jogging, walking, lifting weights, running, or using a treadmill to tone the body and lose weight. While the body is in motion, often the mind is left stagnant. To maximize your precious time, you can enjoy a nice audio book while shedding the pounds. Audio books also make great companions while hiking, running outdoor trails, or practising yoga in the comfort of your own home.

Driving On The Road

Whether you take the subway to work or need to drive to an out-of-state conference, audio books are completely portable, allowing users to carry them wherever they go. Since a commute is nothing but a waste of time for the mind, many can take pleasure in a welcomed distraction from the strangers associated with transportation options, such as a commercial bus ride. This might be the perfect time to learn the romantic foreign language you have always had interest in.

Traveling By Air

Whether you are a business professional or a leisure traveler going on vacation to Hawaii, looking out of an airplane window and taking naps gets a little boring. Perhaps you are visiting a foreign country that speaks a different language. Download language-related online audio books and brush up on a few basic phrases that will make your stay much easier. For the business traveler, there are also tons of audio books that can improve career skills, including time management, organization, and interviewing.

Cruising By Sea

Taking a cruise has become a popular holiday adventure, whether it is to the Caribbean, the Greek Islands, the Mediterranean or around the world. While you sunbathe on deck, rest in your cabin or go sightseeing, these are all opportunities to relax with your favorite audio book. Load up your ipod or mp3 player with your chosen downloadable audio books before you go on holiday and you are set for hours of enjoyment without adding weight to your luggage with reading material.

Audio books make great companions whether you are on land, in the air, or at sea. They provide comfort in times of hardship, relaxation, and boredom. With a selection that seems to never end, both store-bought and online audio books are easy to get hold of. To exercise the mind, encourage learning, and boost creativity, this type of outlet is sure to stay with us in an ever-changing audio world.

Copyright: Helen Wall

Author Resource:-> Helen Wall is the author of this article. Visit http://www.AudioBooksBonanza.com to download audio books from an extensive range of titles from top publishers. Join the free newsletter now and get to know about the latest hot off the press titles, receive time limited special offers and discounts, before anyone else.

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Audio Books: Let Us Explore All the Places They Can Go

A recent survey showed that more than eighty percent of Americans want to write a book. This extraordinary statistic is somewhat puzzling considering that the National Endowment for the Arts estimates that only fifty-seven percent of Americans have read even 1 book in the last twelve months!

What is it that makes people — even non-readers — want to put pen to paper?

Perhaps it’s the desire for fame and fortune, the need to earn the respect of others, or maybe it’s just the wish to leave some mark on the future, a permanent record of a life lived.

Whatever the reason, for those who actually complete a manuscript, the odds of seeing it published by a reputable firm are slim.

For the estimated 2 million manuscripts currently completed, there are only 64,000 publishers of record, and only a fraction of those are actively seeking new manuscripts.

So what are the millions of hopeful authors to do?

Well, the first step would be to ensure their manuscripts are the best they can be. This can be done by re-writing, editing, proofreading by an outside firm or even by a well-read and literate friend.

Even then, most of those two million books stand no chance of being accepted by a traditional publisher. Those authors that do make the cut are not necessarily the best writers, but rather are those who can sell themselves and their stories most convincingly.

Some authors, after rejections from the trade, will find themselves victims of vanity publishers, who take advantage of the hopes and aspirations of writers to extract an exorbitant fee to ‘publish’ their book.

Luckier will be the writers who publish through firms like iUniverse and Lulu, for although their books will likely never see wide distribution, at least their losses will be minimal.

And finally there are the select few who decide to become publishers themselves, even if it is only to self-publish their own book.

These publishers will find great obstacles, and a great deal of work in this route, but the challenge and reward of having one’s success or failure entirely in one’s own hands is a powerful feeling.

Whether they choose to publish electronically, or use short run printing service like Lightning Print, or even to go full boar with a print run of 1,000 or more, their success depends on how well they sell themselves and their story to others.

And so, if you are about to embark on a new manuscript, educate yourself thoroughly about the industry, its scams, and potential pitfalls. And more importantly, learn to market yourself well, for this, more than any other skill, is the determining factor in your success or failure.

Author Resource:-> Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr.is a Pastor, Author

Internet Marketing Coach and Relationship

Coach. You may visit Dr. John’s website at
http://LeadersExcel.com Or e-mail him

at drjohnneyman@gmail.com

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Getting Published

The days of storing boxes and shelves full of dusty old hard-copies of your all time favorite novels and literature are over;it is time to get with the audio book trend! This is not the day to be left behind or excluded because you are old fashioned or backward in your knowledge and beliefs. When you download audio books, you have the opportunity to learn and grow everyday, with little or no interruption to your normal lifestyle pattern.

This growing audio book trend is obvious when looking at the sales statistics from recent years. In the UK and Germany, over $120 million dollars worth of audio books were sold individually in the years 2004 and 2005. The sales results for the US for 2006 are expected to be at least one fifth higher than the UK and Europe! Considering their short time on the market, this is a phenomenal popularity growth rate, and it will not be surprising if they eventually overtake book sales all together.

Why are audio books growing at such a fast rate in their popularity? There are a number of reasons for you to throw away the old books and convert to audio book format instead. The first and best benefit is definitely the fact that you can listen to audio books anytime and anyplace. It does not matter if your day is filled with errands and housework, you can still improve your mind and inspire your soul by taking time to listen to a good book. Maybe you take the dog for a daily walk or spend time in the gym? Both of these can be used as opportunities to stay up to date on your reading.

In America, statistics show the average person spends over an hour a day driving or on public transport. There are at least 500 hours a year each person could use to learn and stimulate their imaginations instead of being bored and uninspired, waiting to reach their destination. All you need is your MP3 player, which we all know are light weight, compact and convenient to carry anywhere, then download audio books of your choice. Imagine being amid the hustle and bustle of a busy train trip, totally detached from the stress and discomfort around you as you disappear, listening to a book you love?

With an audio book, you do not need to worry about having quiet, private space to read. You can zone out anytime you like by putting in your earphones and closing your eyes. No noise or activity can distract you unless you want it to, and you can choose to look out at some nice scenery or drift off to sleep anytime. Audio books are also fantastic for those times when you are just hanging around the house looking for something to do or waiting for your next favorite television program to begin. You will be amazed, once you start getting into an audio book, how often you will make time to listen, and how quickly it could even replace other less inspiring activities for you.

If you know anyone who spends a lot of time sitting around doing nothing, buy them an audio book you think they would enjoy. You could initiate a whole new world of inspiration and education they never knew was possible. Whether it is a child you know who is advanced for their age and needs extra stimulation or an elderly person who lives alone or in a retirement village, they will love listening to a good audio book.

It is easy to download audio books as they are available over the internet any time of the day or night. If you are lying awake, wishing you had something to do, why not visit a popular downloadable audio book site and find a book that interests you (possibly even something relating to insomnia!). With so many mundane duties to perform every day, you really should consider it a blessing that you can now find the opportunity to enjoy books when you are so busy. Do not keep your head in the sand any longer but download audio books today to start you on your journey of evolution.

Copyright: Helen Wall

Author Resource:-> Helen Wall is the author of this article. Visit http://www.AudioBooksBonanza.com to download audio books from an extensive range of titles from top publishers. Join the free newsletter now and get to know about the latest hot off the press titles, receive time limited special offers and discounts, before anyone else.

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Download Audio Books: Get Into The Audio Book Trend!

Most of us enjoy reading a good book to relax and escape in a different world however; most of our life styles don’t allow us to even read the newspaper anymore unless it is requirement at work. It is not that we don’t want to read anymore; it is fact that we have become extremely busy and simply cannot fit the pleasure of reading a book into that schedule. Changing life styles and improved technology has its benefits too and one of them is that you can find today audio books in order to listen to them instead of reading.

When we engage in reading a book or anything else for that matter you need the undivided attention of your eyes as well as your brain in order to follow the story line and not have to read the same page couple of times, which implies that you cannot do anything else besides reading. Audio books allow you to engage in other activities as well while listening to the book for example, cooking, commuting from school or work, cleaning the house, walking, shopping or even exercising.

What Makes Digital Audio Books Better

Usually audio books come on CDs and you will require a CD player in order to play them however, digital audio books can be downloaded on your ipod or MP3 player, which takes even lesser space than a CD player and can hold the whole book without you having to change the CDs when they are over to the next one. Digital audio books are the latest and best creation for the busy bodies of today who still want to hold on to their favorite authors and books.

Online is probably the best place to shop for digital audio book because you will be able to download them straight to your ipod or MP3 player; there are many audio book stores to be found online that sell both audio books on CDs and also digital audio books for those interested.

Don’t Go A Day Without Listening To A Book

Even though the advanced technology and the fast paced world has made us busier it has also provided us with some of the best devices to multitask and use all our senses in order to be able to enjoy the simple pleasure such as reading/listening to a book. Audio books are not only great for those who are busy and don’t have time for books but also for those who cannot read because they are blind or any other medical condition.

Author Resource:-> Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. With the amount of information now available to the discerning researcher, we believe a better understanding your area of interest helps your decision making process immensely. You’ll find a host of useful information about digital downloadable products at Digital Audio Book.

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The Convenience Of The Digital Audio Book

Experts in the educational sector have agreed that audio textbooks in the classroom go a long way to help students more than normal books, especially those students who are just beginning to read or those who have difficulty in reading.

In fact, since their introduction, no less than 8 specific benefits have been identified for students using audio textbooks:

1. Audio books provide students with an alternative dynamic or alive source of information apart from the teacher, as opposed to the static dead book, giving the students more variety in the classroom and making the learning process more interesting.

2. Some audio textbooks are specifically prepared with children in mind, such that they are not just informative, but also entertaining. These types of audio books bring fun, and thus, another dimension and a greater quality to the learning process.

3. By playing an audio book, the teacher is freed to do something else, thus allowing teachers to be more productive at school.

4. For those children who have difficulty reading, audio textbooks make it easier to follow the material, making sure they do not miss anything. By just listening to the audio book while reading the printed material can significantly improve comprehension and thus, enhance learning.

5. Audio textbooks are cost effective. One audio book can replace the need to buy 30 odd hard copies.

And better yet, there are now audio book rental services available via the Internet that allows teachers to hire audio textbooks as and when required. Of course, hiring is cheaper than buying audio books, and significantly cheaper than buying just one hard copy, let alone 30.

6. Many audio books are of interesting stories written to entertain children. This is particularly helpful when the children have become too tired to apply their minds to processing static words from a page.

7. Children tend to prefer to listen to an audio book than read a book. Understanding language from audible stimuli is a skill learned from birth and reading is a skill that is much less developed in the school-age child. Accordingly, listening is easier than reading and affords greater comprehension.

8. Audio textbooks aid with the pronunciation of certain words. Due to the relatively less-developed skill of reading in school-age (as compared to hearing), children often have trouble pronouncing words they merely read. Hearing someone say a word clearly while seeing it printed at the same time is developing a stronger association in the students minds, making it quicker to learn.

People in general, but especially children, find it easier and more fun listening to an audio lesson than reading it. It is simply easier to process audible stimuli than it is processing written words. This explains why more children choose to watch the film rather than read the book, and it is the same with adults.

This is why more and more schools are using audio textbooks in the classroom as teaching aids. Additionally, with audio textbook downloads now available online, it is more cost effective than ever to add the audio to the visual word.

Copyright: Helen Wall

Author Resource:-> Helen Wall is the author of this article. Visit http://www.AudioBooksBonanza.com to download audio books from an extensive range of titles from top publishers. Join the free newsletter now and get to know about the latest hot off the press titles, receive time limited special offers and discounts, before anyone else.

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Audio Textbooks For Teaching: Eight Powerful Benefits!

Buying an audio book on CD is a good idea for a multitude of reasons. Although many people expect that the visually impaired gain the most use out of audio books on CD, just about anyone can benefit from the enjoyment provided. An audio book on CD can provide entertainment for a group of people and can especially benefit a family with a number of members that may fight over who gets to read a new book first. Sitting together and listening to an audio book on CD means that the whole family spends some time together and more importantly that nobody gets to enjoy the story without involving the others.

Most bookshops now supply audio books on CD, although many libraries also offer audio books as part of their book selection. It may be a better idea for someone to rent out an audio book for the first time before actually buying one just in case they do not enjoy it. Audio books on CD are really popular these days, especially when the voice is provided by someone famous. Because they are on CD, people can listen to these books on the go, whether they are walking to work, traveling on the bus or even when they are in bed and waiting to fall asleep.

Comparing Audio Books on CD to Regular Books

It is hard to compare audio books on CD to a normal piece of literature that requires reading because inevitably it is down to personal preference. A lot of people prefer to put in the effort reading the words themselves and imagining the story in their minds while others are quite content to simply listen to the words, tones and inflections of another person to get genuine enjoyment out of a story. Families can all gather around together to listen to an audio book on CD while they can only read a book one person at a time.

Price is usually roughly the same although some audio books can be a lot more expensive than actual paperbacks and so this may be a deciding factor for a frugal person. If a person cannot concentrate on reading a book due to background noise from their family or neighborhood then listening to an audio book on CD using a set of headphones could be the best option as that will not disturb anyone either. As long as the CD-Player has batteries, then audio books can still be of use even during a blackout, while reading a book is dependant on a decent light source. People who are having trouble with their sight may definitely be interested in audio books on CD rather than trying to read as normal and aggravating their eyesight problems.

Author Resource:-> Eddie Lamb provides an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. With the amount of information now available to the discerning researcher, we believe a better understanding your area of interest helps your decision making process immensely. You’ll find a host of useful information about getting an audio book on cd at Audio Book on CD.

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Why Would You Buy An Audio Book on CD?