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Audiobooks have come a long way since their humble beginnings in the 1930s. Despite facing skepticism and the stigma of not being a “true reading experience”, audiobooks are now rapidly increasing in popularity. At Listening Books, we know that audiobooks have countless benefits: from relieving stress and anxiety to enhancing literacy skills for people who cannot access print books, audiobooks can truly make the world of difference. Join us as we look at the history of audiobooks and the reasons behind their growth in popularity over time!
February 19, 2024
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This article was written by Katherine Runswick-Cole, a senior research fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University. It was originally published on The Conversation.
September 17, 2018
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Jessica Stone presents Dear Reader for Canterbury's Community and Student Radio. In her spare time, she also volunteers for Listening Books. She tells us why she does reading challenges!
May 8, 2018
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By the estimation of award-winning author Donal Ryan, there are times when 300 sales might be enough to make a chart topper – the bestseller mantle tends to have more promotional than monetary value. Of course there are the literary blockbusters — titles like Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code — books that ship hundreds of millions of copies. But combine the sales of JK Rowling and Dan Brown, even throw in John Grisham, and you’re still lagging behind the sales figures of the world’s true bestselling author — James Patterson.
April 18, 2017
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Ben Aaronovitch is sci-fi and fantasy author. He's best known for his Rivers of London series, which follows a young police officer recruited by a special branch of the Metropolitan Police dealing with magic and the supernatural. Holly Newson spoke to Ben about writing for Doctor Who, the importance of libraries, and whether he’s honest when giving his opinion on his friend’s books...
December 21, 2016
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'Top Ten Tuesday' is a feature created by the blog The Broke and the Bookish to encourage book bloggers to join in with some fun and interesting themed lists... because everyone loves a good 'top ten'!
October 4, 2016
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This week marks a year since we began Listening Books Blog! We've loved every minute of it, and hope you have too! We've written about topics ranging from the history of audiobooks to the joys of volunteering. We've had interviews with Eragon author Christopher Paolini, and travel author Bill Bryson to name but two. And we've put together lots of recommendations for audiobooks of all sorts.
September 28, 2016
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How can you support and encourage summer holiday reading when a child has reading difficulties? If 'reading for pleasure' seems instead like a chore or a battle, then looking to audiobooks can help. The spoken word can provide enjoyment from books that a struggling reader might not find in print. Audiobooks can also help to continue learning and reading development when not at school.
August 2, 2016
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If bookshop window displays are any indication, millennials are reading differently. The front shelves of YA dystopian novels are making room for more memoirs and essay collections. On the covers are not historical figures or seasoned actors, but fresh-faced internet personalities.
June 27, 2016
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Many people have discussed on book blogs who YA should be read by, if can you be too old for the genre, etc. But one recent chain of articles contained some specific, and widely varying, views.
June 13, 2016
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