Audio Book History
Although audiobooks seem like a relatively new invention, they have been around for more than 75 years; the format has changed over time to keep up with new technology. The first audiobook recordings were made for the blind. Soon, audiobooks featured writers themselves reading their own work. Audiobook is a generic term for a piece of literature meant to be enjoyed by listening to it instead of reading it.
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First Recordings
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The first audiobook recordings were made for the visually impaired. In 1931, The Library of Congress launched the Books for the Adult Blind Project to produce a series of "talking books" for the American Federation for the Blind. According to the Library of Congress, the program was expanded in 1952 to include audiobooks for children. The program is still funded today by the U.S. Congress.
Oral Histories
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In 1933, anthropologist J.P. Harrington recorded oral histories of Native American tribes throughout North America, using a car-powered turntable to create aluminum discs, according to audiobookquest.com. These were among the first audio recordings not made specifically for the blind.
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Caedmon Records
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In the 1950s, a small, new company called Caedmon Records recorded some of the greatest writers and poets of the era reading their own work. According to audiobookquest.com, these early recordings featured T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost and Dylan Thomas. Thomas recorded the company's first spoken word record on Feb. 22, 1952 at Steinway Hall. He read "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" and "A Child's Christmas in Wales." Today, Caedmon is part of Harper Collins Publishers.
Technology
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The first audiobooks were captured on vinyl records. As technology changed, so did the ideal format for audiobooks. In the 1970s, books were recorded onto cassettes for the first time. Books on Tape, Inc. created the brand name "Books On Tape" in the mid-1970s. According to booksontape.com, today the phrase is a registered trademark owned by publishing giant Random House, Inc. The introduction of the compact disc in the 1990s made audiobooks more popular than ever before. Today audiobooks are available as downloadable digital recordings for computers and portable MP3 players.
AudioFile Magazine
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AudioFile Magazine is the only publication dedicated solely to the audiobook industry. Its mission is to review spoken word recordings, including audiobooks, commentaries and original audio programs. The magazine reviews 400 audiobooks every two months and provides readers with the most complete list of new audio recordings. The magazine's reviews focus on critiques of the audio performance itself, not the written content.
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References
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