The Guardian view on audiobooks: a growing market that asks existential questions | Editorial

When is a book not a book? When it is performed by a starry cast of hundreds. Except it has always been more complicated than thatNews this week of a 17% hike in the UK’s audiobook sales might seem like a niche business story, but it raises an existential question. What exactly is an audiobook today? Is it a book? Is it a play? Or is it becoming something else entirely? What is clear is that a jostle for market dominance is driving it into new dimensions. The streaming platform Spotify followed its move into podcasting two years ago with the launch of an audiobooks business. Though it has yet to start making its own recordings, last autumn it made a deal for 200,000 audiobooks to be available to its premium users.Not to be outdone, Amazon-owned Audible – accustomed to being the market leader – upped its game, hiring the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes to record multi-voice versions of the Dickens novels Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, and announcing last month that it had reached an agreement for a recording of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, voiced by more than 100 actors and featuring a “groundbreaking new soundscape”. The new Potter audiobooks, it said, would not usurp but “sit alongside and complement” conventional recordings by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale, which Audible also hosts. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-05-10 17:25:03 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "The Guardian view on audiobooks: a growing market that asks existential questions | Editorial"


Shout Your Fandom With These 34 Harry Potter Enamel Pins

I am absolutely, 100% on the enamel pin bandwagon and I am showing no signs of stopping. Not that I ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-08-02 10:33:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Audio File: Five Great Audiobooks For That Summer Road Trip

Nearly 100 million Americans will be hopping in the car for a road trip this year, according to AAA, with most of us embarking in the summer. A recent survey commissioned by the Audio Publishers Association reveals that 74 percent of audiobook readers prefer to read them in cars. Given those... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-08-02 08:50:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Carcanet Press launches audiobook series

Carcanet Press is launching an audiobook series featuring recordings of poetry collections read by the authors themselves. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-30 14:17:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Jenny Eclair and Kit de Waal champion Listening Books

Authors Jenny Eclair, Kit de Waal, Sally Gardner and Bali Rai have been made ambassadors for national audiobook charity Listening Books as it marks its 60th anniversary. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-29 18:56:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Andrew Scott, AKA Fleabag‘s Hot Priest, will narrate Beatrix Potter audiobooks.

Audible has made great strides toward cornering the coveted Thirsty Parents market today by announcing that Fleabag‘s Hot Priest Andrew Scott will be narrating an audiobook collection of Beatrix Potter stories. Well played, Audible! I don’t have any children, but you better believe that my next... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-07-25 15:30:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Andrew Scott to narrate Beatrix Potter Collection audiobook

Audible will next month release an audiobook collection of Beatrix Potter stories, narrated by Andrew Scott.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-25 10:58:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Russian Ebook and Audiobook Player LitRes Opens Sales in Poland

Seeing its audiobook unit sales double year-over-year, Russia's digital retailer now has a new presence in the Polish market.  The post Russian Ebook and Audiobook Player LitRes Opens Sales in Poland appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-07-23 05:30:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this


RB Media Launches New Politics Imprint, Kalorama

Independent audiobook publisher RB Media is redoubling its politics and current events publishing with the creation of a new imprint, Kalorama Audio. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-07-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gaylin releases fictional podcast episode as audiobook published

Crime writer A L Gaylin has recorded a fictional podcast episode in addition to the audio version of her new book. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-23 00:16:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Perfect Fragrances for Harry Potter Characters, Part II

I’m back with more fragrances and Harry Potter characters! If you missed round one, be sure to check it out. ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-20 10:31:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Lily Allen correctly answers the question “Which book do you wish you’d written?”

Lily Allen, who once wrote a song about what a loser her brother Theon Greyjoy was, took The Guardian‘s “Books That Made Me” questionnaire, and landed on the objectively correct answer to the question of which book she wishes she’d written: “All of the Harry Potter books, for obvious reasons.” I... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-07-19 14:57:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Falling In and Out of Love with HARRY POTTER

I was 11 years old when I fell in love with Harry Potter for the first time. It was the summer ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-19 10:39:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Audible to roll out text captions for audiobooks in an upcoming feature

Audible, the Amazon-owned audiobook producer and retailer, announced a new feature that will allow its customers to listen to and read along with books at the same time. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-07-18 18:09:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Harry Potter and the Cursed Child behind the scenes book cover revealed

Little, Brown has revealed the cover for its behind the scenes book on hit play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-17 22:49:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this


15 Magically Whimsical Harry Potter Planters and Accessories for Your Windowsill

Whether you plan to grow some devil’s snare or just some garden variety tomatoes, these Harry Potter planters are sure to get you started on the right note. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-16 10:36:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this


80 Matching Harry Potter Couple Tattoos: Critical Linking, July 16, 2019

An awesome daily roundup of the most interesting bookish links from around the web. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-16 10:30:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this