OE Patients

Tag: Audiobooks

  • Enjoy a Great Audiobook

    Enjoy a Great Audiobook

    The origins of audiobooks can be traced back to 1932 when the American Foundation for the Blind first had books read and recorded, on the earliest LP’s (long playing records). It was a wonderfully innovative way to expand access to literature for people with vision loss at a time there were few other options. Over the ensuing 90 years, recordings moved from vinyl discs to tape recording to digital recordings, which are today consumed by the masses. In fact, audible content is booming, clearly evidenced by the millions of audiobooks and podcasts published annually. Newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, BuzzFeed and Vogue are also boosting their audiences with narrated articles. The growth of audio content is simply a matter of convenience and completely connected to the smartphone’s usually in hand.

    There is a special sense of freedom in reading audiobooks because you can listen while commuting, working out, walking, running, or doing work around the house. By now, with the ever expanding audio content available in our mobile devices, we are better acclimated to listening. It is not unusual for book lovers with vision loss to need some time to adjust from seeing the words to hearing them. In good time the love for books is equally satisfied and the stress involved in reading is lifted away.

    Now is the perfect time to get absorbed by a great audiobook, or two. There are plenty of lists online with best rankings and recommendations, a few are linked below. Audible is most known for audiobooks, but there are also plenty of others, including Apple Books, Google Play and Chirp Books… just to name a few.

    A woman joyfully listening to audiobook from smartphone.
    A woman joyfully listening to audiobook from smartphone.

    Need help selecting a book? Here are some titles, shared on the best audiobooks lists from Wired, Esquire, Chirp and Audible, with a sneak peek at the top 5 on each list and a link to the rest.

    Wired

    20 Audiobooks You Should Listen to Right Now

    1. The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

    2. Tremors in the Blood by Amit Katwala

    3. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

    4. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

    5. Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry

    Open full list on Wired

    Esquire

    The 30 Best Audiobooks of All Time

    1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

    2. Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

    3. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

    4. Night by Elie Wiesel

     5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

    Open the full list on Esquire

    Chirp Books

    31 of the Best Audiobooks of All Time

    1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

    2. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

    3. Educated by Tara Westover

    4. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

    5. The Anthropocene by John Green

    Open the full list on Chirp

    Audible

    The Best Selling Audiobooks Right Now

    1. Finding Me by Viola Davis

    2. Atomic Habits by James Clear

    3. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

    4. Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown

    5. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

    Open the full list on Audible

  • All About Audible

    All About Audible

    Audible.com is the preeminent seller of audiobooks, boasting more than 500,000 titles, including audible originals, podcasts, documentaries, comedy, journalism, kids, wellness, self-development, theater and more. They began building this impressive library of spoken content in 1995, somehow anticipating that we would all thoroughly enjoy listening to books. 

    Reading books in audio formats can beautifully bridge the gap vision loss can cause. Although at first, it may be a minor challenge to retrain yourself to read with your ears instead of your eyes, in no time you will begin loving the experience of being absorbed by the author’s wonderful work. Read an audio book with someone you love, take it with you for a walk, to the gym or on your commute to work.

    Cheerful woman with headphones listening to audiobook.
    Cheerful woman with headphones listening to audiobook.

    Access Audible with a membership plan, or not. Audiobooks can be purchased individually, as you wish. Membership plans are encouraged and include a 30-day free trial period at the start. Plans change so it’s best to review the Plan Options or consult with an Audible representative for clarity. For $7.95 a month, Audible Plus offers unlimited access to a select catalog of books, podcasts and audio sleep and meditation tracks. For $14.95 a month, Audible Premium Plus adds 1 audiobook credit per month from an expanded catalog of best sellers, a 30% discount on cash purchases and it allows you to return books you don’t like within 365 days. Give the gift of an Audible book, or a gift membership for 3, 6 or 12 months. 

    Digital content from Audible can be downloaded directly into and played on most Fire tablets, Kindle devices, and Kindle or Audible apps for Android. Don’t forget Alexa in this mix. Your Amazon Echo speaker will read your audiobooks to you as well; just say Alexa, Read My Book. Audiobooks can be purchased directly from the Audible app on an Amazon device. On an Apple device, members are able to download books directly on the app using Audible credits, however, credit card purchases must be transacted on the Audible.com website.

    Audible’s customer service support phone representatives are well equipped to help with all questions, issues and transactions. There are 4 options: Press 1 if you are visually impaired and they will get you to an Accessibility Specialist. Press 2 for questions about your Listening Experience. Press 3 for Membership Questions. Press 4 for Technical Support. 

    Audible Customer Support Line: 888-283-5051

    Audible Membership Options 

    This post was first published Nov 29, 2018 and updated Feb 1, 2022.

  • Episode 7: Accessing Audiobooks, Part 1

    Episode 7: Accessing Audiobooks, Part 1

    Audiobooks are an excellent alternative when vision loss takes our ability to enjoy print.  Learn all about the best options for accessing audiobooks in our conversation with guest, audiobook reviewer and book club moderator, Michelle Ritholz.

    Show notes:

    NLS Phone: 888.657.7323
    NLS Online: www.loc.gov/nls/
    NLS Talking Books Program: Click here for application.
    My Library by Michelle Ritholz 8/30/13
    Victor Reader Stream by HumanWare

     

    Full Playlist:

  • Get Back The Joy Of Reading With NLS

    Get Back The Joy Of Reading With NLS

    Accessing audiobooks is a popular topic as we face limited options for entertainment during the pandemic. Two new podcasts on the subject are in production, and we’re refreshing OE’s best articles highlighting programs, services and technologies that promote listening to literature.

    Vision loss often takes the joy out of reading. Enlarging print can make reading possible — but not necessarily easy. This is particularly true for reading books.

    Transitioning from reading visually to listening is a worthwhile process — it can give you back the joy. Not everyone loves the first audiobook experience. It requires a new kind of focus. Initially, for some people, it can be like a sleeping pill.

    Stick with it. In the relatively short term, you will find it is every bit as good as the reading you thought was lost forever. Remember, reading a good book is not the act of seeing the words with your eyes  — it is really about getting immersed in the story, the characters, the subject matter.

    Don’t get caught up in the change. Get caught up in the content. If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again.

    An excellent way to get this process started is to sign up for the National Library Service Talking Books Program. Eligible borrowers receive audio books delivered postage free. A digital book player is provided, also free of charge.

    Audiobooks can be easily ordered with a phone call to your local network library. Books can be requested by title, by author, by subject, or by categories such as mystery, history, biography, etc.

    There is no due date for the return of your borrowed books and there is no fee for late returns. Listen to books at your own pace.  When finished, just flip the mailing label over and return the disk to the library.

    In addition to audiobooks, NLS also makes a selection of magazines and music available to borrowers.

    Visit NLS online or click here for application.

    Or you can call 888.NLS.READ (888.657.7323) and follow prompts to get an application or find the library in your area that administers the Talking Books Program.

    Reading disability must be certified by a doctor, nurse, optician, social worker, or a librarian on the application. It is not necessary to be legally blind to qualify. 

    Alternatively, Apple iPhone and iPad users, and Android phone and tablet users can download NLS digital content directly through the Bard Mobile App (available on the App Store and on Google Play). The app requires a second registration which will provide a password for logging on. For user guide and registration form, search online for “BARD Mobile Application.”

    Go ahead and enjoy a good read!

     

    Resources

    National Library Service

    888.657.7323

    Online: www.loc.gov/nls/

    Click here for application.

    This article was first published on OE, March 2, 2017 and refreshed July 17, 2020.

    Please note that this article was not paid for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any third-party companies. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.

  • Living Better With Low Vision

    Living Better With Low Vision

    It’s the beginning of 2020, a symbolic year and we hope it brings great things!  Let’s start out the year with an important reminder about the many ways you can promote better living with vision loss, for yourself, a family member or a friend.  It definitely takes some effort to adjust and continue living life productively, but it’s well worth the work, and it totally beats the alternative. 

    A recent statement by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) was eye opening to say the least.  They noted the number of older Americans with low vision will likely double in the coming years, and stated, “the tragedy isn’t that people have lost vision, it’s that most believe nothing can be done to improve their quality of life.”  The ill-informed belief that “nothing can be done” is a false narrative that we are working to correct.

    The basic fact is, when you know better, you do better.  OE Patients is dedicated to elevating awareness and empowering patients to live their best life. Improve your low vision IQ, or help a loved one do the same. 

    Here’s our list of basic tips to inspire change.

    Adjusting

    Small changes have big impacts on daily living.  Your willingness to adjust, as necessary, little by little, delivers compounded dividends.  Forget about the inconvenience of doing something different than the way you did it before, it’s way better than giving up something you love altogether.  Making adjustments is primary, and all you need is some practice!

    Reading

    Reading options are a great way to begin your practice of adjusting.

    • Magnifiers can be a great benefit for reading and other tasks and are available in wide ranges of power and price. More
    • Switch to audiobooks with a free membership to National Library Service. More
    • Adjust the text and contrast on smartphones, tablets and computers.

    Voice Assistants

    Get to know Alexa, Google and Siri, the voice assistants whose popularity is growing at record speed.  They can do simple or complicated tasks, the choices are yours.

    • Get the time, weather, news and music.
    • Play a game, check a score or a stock price.
    • Turn on lights, lock doors, and set thermostats.
    • Listen to OE Patients Podcast: Siri, Google & Alexa

    Happy senior woman with smartphone sitting on bench at park.

    Smartphones

    Apple and Android phones go the distance with accessibility settings that cover the spectrum of vision loss.  And then there are endless apps that do even more.

    • Get help with iPhone, call Apple Accessibility: 877-204-3930
    • Get help with Android through Be My Eyes.

    Accessible Technology

    Accessibility support is available to help you set visual preferences on smartphones, tablets and computers.  So stop struggling with technology and make some adjustments.

    Utilize Contrast at Home

    Low Vision Rehab Services

    Ask your ophthalmologist for information and referral for a Low Vision Evaluation and Vision Rehabilitation Services.

    There’s lots more information on the pages of OEPatients.org.  Here’s to a happy, healthy and productive year!