Top 5 Audio Book Sites for Free Audio Books

Whether you're an iPod-toting teen, a busy professional, or a sight-challenged senior, a treasure trove of free audio books can be found to meet your interests and needs.

Audio books, if you've not heard one, are immensely popular as they entertain and educate in a way never before possible - just download and play. No noteworthy technical skill is needed to play them on most PCs. (Refer to the end of this article for more information on playing files).

Additionally, free audio books can supplement an audio book club membership or reach readers who can not afford these treasures otherwise.

Avid readers, or listeners, can consume audio books rather quickly and newer titles can be a bit pricey. But free audio books do not equate with dull material or poor quality necessarily.

If you are in doubt of the impact a paid or free audio book can make on a person's life, check out the web site dedicated to award-winning narrator Frank Muller. Though Stephen King may say it best:

"(When Frank reads) the blind will
see, the lame will walk, and the deaf
will hear." - Stephen King

For many audio book fans, Frank Muller is where the passion for listening to books began. Severely injured in a motorcycle accident, and not expected to survive, Muller made audio books more entertaining than any movie or TV show could possibly be.

No longer able to share his amazing talent, Muller raised the standard for engaging listeners. While no substitute for Frank Muller exists in either the paid or free audio book world, narration overall has improved as a result of his work.

Free Audio Book Web Sites

The following free audio book web sites vary in selection, ease-of-use, narrators, and audience. One site offers particularly child-friendly content, while another offers titles otherwise unpublished.

Classics can be found at most free audio book web sites, but narrators may differ. If desired, listen to a sample before downloading multiple files or audio books, to see which narrator you prefer.

Free Audio Book Web Site #1

FreeClassicAudioBooks.com: A modest but interesting array of free audio books and documents include the 9/11 Commission Report, The Jungle, along with some classics such as Romeo and Juliet, and Alice in Wonderland.

Free audio book formats include MP3 as well as MP4 for iTunes and iPod. This free audio book site is not searchable but the quality and variety is good.

Free Audio Book Web Site #2

LibriVox.org: If you know which author or free audio book title you want, and do not mind different narrators for the same book, here you will find one of the largest free audio book selections available.

Besides a 700-plus page catalog, abstracts and Ogg audio format, along with MP3, is provided. Free audio books include partial and complete works. View the comments or contents to verify if the audio book is complete.

Free Audio Book Web Site #3

AudioBooksForFree.com: This UK-based site offers an appreciable selection of free audio books for children and a modest selection for adults. Searching the site is easy and filters such as, "No strong language," "No silly or invented words," and "No murders" can be applied in the children's audio book section. Authors otherwise unpublished may be found here.

Free Audio Book Web Site #4

Gutenberg.org: The Project Gutenberg collection, which also includes e-books, was produced by tens of thousands of volunteers. Free audio book titles are natively organized by author though search is available. Many classics from Mark Twain to H.G. Wells to Beatrix Potter are included, as is a bit of Shakespeare. Both human and computer narrated free audio books are good quality.

Free Audio Book Web Site # 5

LearnOutLoud.com: Both paid and free audio books, interviews and presentations are available here, including mostly modern works.Utility varies considerably, but an exploration of the categories will likely lead to an audio file of interest.

Some of the free audio books are rated by others to help aid in selection.

Free Audio Books - Specialty

The following web sites possess small but unique free audio book selections:

FreeChristianAudioBooks.com (Christian)

FreeAudio.org (Democracy, Freedom, Liberty)

ThoughtAudio.org (Philosophy, Variety)

How to Play Free Audio Books

Most computers are set up to automatically play an MP3 file, the popular format for paid and free audio books.
Other formats are available for iPod and other devices. Follow the instructions of your portable media player.

How to Save and Play MP3 Files

- Create a folder on your Desktop
- Click or Right-Click (as needed to "Save As") to save the audio file.
- Click on the MP3 file to play.
Or choose from other selections (via Right-Click) such as "Add to Playlist."
Windows Media Player, QuickTime or another audio program should play the file.

For information on Ogg and Ogg codecs - see Wikipedia