Classic Literature on MP3
I finally finished H.G. Wells The Time Machine on audiobook. I was able to download it, free and legally, from this great online resource which I highly recommend: Project Gutenberg. Another great resource for audiobooks in the public domain is at The Internet Archive. And here’s another: Librivox.
Alright, The Time Machine was a great story and an absolute must read for anyone who dabbles in stories dealing with time travel. This was written in 1895; in fact, H.G. Wells is actually credited with coining the term “time machine”. It is a simple and clever story following a time traveler’s journey into the future. Wells does a brilliant job in his depiction of time travel. His adventure in the future goes into crisis mode when, after a bit of exploring, he discovers that the time machine is missing. Talk about being freaked out - consider finding yourself stuck a million years in the future where all anyone eats is fruit and no one speaks your language. I can see why this book is considered to be a classic of Science Fiction. It was an amazing read, knowing that it was written 113 years ago. While the writing was a little dated and the descriptions of the device itself - how it was made of brass and wood and the like - seemed to bring to mind some rich person’s jazzed up Model T Ford, the story itself, the understanding of the universe, the thoughts on time travel, and the hunger to know the fate of the world in the future, was all timeless. This story is not just for Sci-Fi fans on an historical kick, but for everyone because of the story line and the character. Once you get past the initial discussion of the theory and possibility of time travel, it is really all about the adventure. Strange, but I don’t think The Time Machine even made it to the top 100 books reading list.
This was really my first audiobook experience, and I quite enjoyed it. The only time I had to listen was lying in bed at night with the intent of going to sleep after listening to a chapter. I had to re-listen to a few chapters, here and there, because I had apparently fallen asleep. I found that experience amusing. I used to have a 25 minute drive in to work every day and that would have been the perfect time for listening to audiobooks, but now I only drive about 3 minutes. I can’t really listen as I work: I edit video. The only drawback I have found with listening to audiobooks is that the pace at which the story is presented is predetermined. When I read I can slow down or speed up and can control the amount of story I am digesting at any given time. Anyway, give it a try - I am already downloading my next audiobook: Jules Verne’s, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”.