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Do other people find it annoying that very few books are available in audio format? The publishing industry cites concerns about piracy and cost when asked to explain its reluctance to publish all books -- or at least most books -- in audio formats. Are these concerns justified? JohnS

John,

This drives me NUTS !

It is completely unacceptable that I have to wait for ages after the publishing of a new book before I can have access to that book - and then its usually an abridged version only.

There is some good software around to allow electronic text to MP3 conversion, but I appreciate there are concerns with simply releasing the text generally in such a manner. 

I've tried looking on the RNIB audio books catalogue for the 12 books I've read (or rather, listened to) in the last two months but NONE of them are there - even though they are mainly recent / current bestsellers like The Tipping Poin, Good to Great, Freakonomics, You the Owners Manual and Blink.  Apologies if I'm just not using the catalogue properly!

So yes, I'm with you 100% - and this is an area of real and genuine discrimination.  I'm not looking for anything for free - I'm quite willing to pay to listen to a book - but I want to be able to listen to it (whether computer or human voice) as and when my friends get hold of it and not several months later in a cut short version.

Anyone around from "Right to Read" - how can we get involved?

Thanks,
Tony

I went to a local bookshop recently, one with a number of high street branches, I asked for a copy of an audio book which was available on amazon.com, they told me it was not their policy to stock audiobooks though they would have ordered it for me, naturally I got it elsewhere but still saw it as discriminatory

Paul