The typical hardcover or paperback book is not going anywhere.   The format shows no signs of ever dying off, even after considering the many technological advances made in recent years.  It would, however, be foolish to deny the obvious and not so obvious benefits of listening to audio books. Here are some ways audio books could be put to use:
1.    Do you like reading poetry? Then experience it in the way it was meant to be experienced: with your ears! Back in the good old days, it was not uncommon for poets to recite their works before a swooning audience. The great Irish poet and playwright, W.B. Yeats, was said to have written poetry in such a manner that, when vocalized, it would have a certain effect on the ears of its hearers. If you like the writings of T.S. Eliot, there is actually available a recording, on compact disc, of Mr. Eliot himself reading his own poetry. It’s obviously a fascinating investment for fans of Eliot. It’s only one in a series called The Voice of the Poet.
2.    Fight road rage while listening to audio books—seriously. Statistics show that violent crime resulting from what is commonly known as “road rage” has increased tremendously over the past couple of years. If you happen to be one of those individuals with a bit of a mean-streak when behind the wheel, then don’t take to the boulevard without Waitley’s Optimal Stress Reduction in your passenger seat—or simply check out a few of the innumerable audio book titles available from an audio book rental club or in your local book store in the self-help section
3.    Revisit the “Golden Age of Radio”. It is now possible to find a vast array of classic radio dramas on compact disc. Fans of The Shadow radio program have known this, and are undoubtedly pleased. Also, if you happen to like The Twilight Zone television series, then try to get your hands on a copy of The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas—Lou Diamond Phillips and Adam West are among the talent contributing to these programs.
4.    Struggling in child-rearing? Audio books just might be part of the solution. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a hit with the kids (just as every other Harry Potter book has been); and an obvious choice might be an audio book from the Lord of the Rings series—these classic Tolkien works are available in abridged and unabridged editions.

5.   Learn another language… in your sleep. When you fall asleep your brain doesn’t just turn off.  On the contrary, research has shown that the sleeping brain does receive, process and perhaps even store information.  So why not use your good nights sleep effectively by listening to one of the many foreign language audio books.  And while this technique may not be the only means of mastering a second or third language, it will make things a little bit easier.

If these uses don’t seem practical to you, they might put you in the mindset to think of your own ways to utilize audio books.  And although some may say that listening to audio books is no substitute for reading, the growing popularity of audio book rental services may eradicate paper books completely or at least come close!

In my opinion, you can never have too many books or read too much. I’veread enough of the bestseller books to be about to advise a particular author to friends and family. Many of my coworkers know that they don’t need to go out and purchase the bestseller books they’re dying to read, if they wait a few weeks they can borrow mine.

I joined the Literary Guild book club years ago and have long since fulfilled my required duty. I love the fact that I can get most of the bestseller books for half the cost of the stores. Granted, I don’t always need to have them in hardback but that’s all the book club offers so that’s what I have scattered all over my house. If a book is worth reading, I can have it read in a weekend. My husband thinks it is ridiculous that I spend so much money on books and have them read within days. He doesn’t
understand that to me, books are an investment.

One thing that I have learned is that bestseller books are not always the best books on the market. I’ve read so many books that were written by new authors or little known authors and they have completely won me over. I’ve passed those books onto coworkers who have also have never heard of the authors. Usually, they will agree that these less known books are much better than the some of the bestseller books that are on the market.

Sometimes, I think that well known author books go straight to the bestseller shelves simply because of who the author is. Is that fair. No. But, that’s the way that market seems to work. Don’t get me wrong, by no means am I condemning the bestseller books that are on the market. I usually purchase books from those shelves knowing that they will be enjoyable. Being a hopeful writer myself, I’m hoping that someday my writings will turn into bestseller books as well. Until then, I will just keep on reading. And passing those books onto the next person.

What do you do then? How do you know which book suits you? And if you even could figure that out, how do you know the book is worth anything? Many of the authors are pros, but, then, you can also easily land up on amateur writers who are just trying to make a buck. Exactly for this, we have compiled a list of five practical suggestions to help you.

1) Reviews and Opinions Matter.
One of the most interesting methods of screening authors and books is by reading what other readers have to say about those literary objects. Look up one of the many forums online that focus on books and either ask a direct question or read what others have said. Another option is to look up the book at different online bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon but also others such as The Literary Guild and Pickabook. The reasons for doing this is that for every book you can read reviews from different sites. Do this and you are reducing the chances of reading only promotional material. It goes without saying that opt for those books that receive good reviews. Generally, a book will receive some bad reviews, but look at the majority viewpoint. Note that if the book you wish to buy is new, you will not find reviews. In such a case, you will just have to take a risk.

2) Be Specific.
One of the methods of searching for a book that interests you is by narrowing down the search by typing a long search term and not just one name. For instance, type down how to play Texas holdem in an online tournament instead of just Texas holdem. Such a search will result in only a few book options. First, look up reviews and views on it and then look at its size and focus of interest.

3) Check the Experience of the Author.
Buying a book is just like buying a car. Would you be willing to pay more for a Mercedes? Likewise, check the author or editor. If the author is unknown, tread very carefully. The book might be useless. But remember that its not enough that the author is well known or has years of professional expertise, they must be experienced in the exact field of the subject of the book.

4) Check the Printing History of the Author.
After checking the authors personal biography and his scope of knowledge as pertains to the issue in question, you should, then, check his style of writing. You will not want to fall asleep on the second page, do you? If their style of writing pleases you, try reading parts of their work. Read articles or portions of other books they have read. Do this to get an idea of whether they can write and whether they are capable of handling complicated issues and putting them across in easy to understand language.

5) The Price Factor.
When looking at books, the first thing (or the second) we tend to look at is the price. Yes, you should know whether you can afford to buy it or not, but do not make you decision based on whether a book is cheap or expensive. First, check whether the book is what you are looking for. Then, decided whether you can afford it and not vice versa. Likewise, do not just buy a book because its on sale. Remember that if a book is on sale it means that no one is buying it!