It is possible that the publishers feel that the unabridged versions of some
books just may involve too many tapes for most people. The NLS version of
the unabridged edition of Bill Clinton's book was 9 cassettes, but that was
at 15/16 ips, and four tracks. You would have to multiply that by four to
get the number of tapes to hold it in standard speed and two tracks of
conventional tape players. Just carrying it around may be a nuissance.
Sure, you could break it up into separate packages, or find some other
clever way of making it easier to manage, but the idea of audiobooks for
most sighted people is convenience. Maybe the publishers feel that you lose
that when the books really big.
That might not be the most important reason, though. I would guess that
many people - or more accurately, the publishers feel that - many people
just don't have the attention span to stick with a book of more than a
couple hundred pages. They may be right or they may be wrong about that,
but that may be what they think.
I'm just guessing here, as I don't use these things, but maybe is one or
both of these reasons, or some others that I haven't thought of.
Hi,
Again my understanding has always been that the short editions are marketing tools. I dislike them too and buy print books for this and a number of other reasons.
I actually sought out and bought my very first abridged books this year, but the motivation was rather unique and not likely to be repeated. all the others i have were gifts.
I think only one of these is the whole thing, although I will have to check.
I believe the idea of recording books in their entirety is a rather new commercial concept at least.
I might add though this is off topic that I do not do descriptive video either.
Karen
On Sat, 18 Feb 2006, Cindy wrote:
To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxA lot of audiio books seem to be abridged. I was surprised to notice that when selecting audio books for a friend of mine who hates abridged books. In our bookstore we have a lot that have been donated, and I brought home quite a few for her to choose from among and they were all abridged. After that I looked carefully at both ones the librarians were discarding and others that were donated to us, and extermely few were unabridged. I have no idea why that would be. Several said "approved by the author." I admit that I skip some descriptions in some books and get to the story, but that should be my choice, not someone else's.
Cindy
--- Karen Lewellen <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
That story does not surprise me. When I met Noah Adams at a Corporation for Public Broadcasting meeting and told him of his titles in the NLS program he said the same thing. why did not they ask me to read it? I agree with those about the fact NLS is playing with abridged material, in theory at least. i saw someone suggesting that " sighted people" came up with the abridged concept etc as if this were some kind of conspiracy against the blind, and that is really silly since the audio book exists in that format to encourage people to buy the print ones, or for those who want to read on the go in a way. Goodness many who could use the NLS program do not even know of its existence.
Still I am going to phone the national headquarters next week and ask them. The purpose of the library in the first place was to create access to full text for those who indeed could not take part in their public libraries. I will have to get the Nixon book too. Karen
On Sat, 18 Feb 2006, Evan Reese wrote:
Back in the 80s? I think, Larry King - the talkshow host, not the otherauthor with the same name - wrote an autobiographywhich NLS recorded.Someone called him up one night and mentioned thatit was available as atalking book, and he was a little miffed that hewasn't asked to read his ownbook, RFB&D has a book,book. He said he would have done it.
If you want to listen to a former president read a"Real Peace" by Richard Nixon, read by RichardNixon. As far as I know, itis unabridged; he read the whole thing. It's nota very long book, nothingLewellen"compared to Clinton's monster.
----- Original Message ----- From: "KarenMembers? (was) Re: Bad scan<klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 6:13 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: How Many NLSthey took the randomWheel of...
Oh, The first one is as it says not an NLS book, butjust made a NLS style copy.house audio-book, which are often abridged andillustrates.That is not recorded by nls as your second entrythe book for the service,Wonder why they just did not ask Bill to readrandomhouse contract.unless this would have been against theread by the authorsMany years ago one could fine even NLS titlesknow why the caged birdthemselves. For example the first copy of "Icopy of Edward alby's playsings," was read by the author, and the firstaudio recording of the"who's afraid of Virginia wouf," was actually anadvance idea of how the digitalstage production. Perhaps an effort to give listener's someit closely, but I hope thattalking books will sound? I have not followednarrators.technology will still make use of humanBill Clinton.Karen
On Sat, 18 Feb 2006, Evan Reese wrote:
Here's the proof:
Author: Clinton, Bill, 1946- Title: My life [sound recording] /Audio, c2004.Edition: Abridged. Published: New York, N.Y. : Random Houseof Congress by(Distributed in special format for the Libraryanalog, 15/16 ips, 4Talking Book Publishers) Description: 2 sound cassettes (C-90) :The Random Housetrack, mono. Book Number: RC 58101 Dewey No.: 973.929092 B ANF ISBN: 0739317059 Notes: A shared master program book.publication hasAudio recording has been adapted by NLS. TheSide announcementsbeen changed to 15/16 ips, 4 track format.as well:have been added. Digital master.
However they did record the original versionBill Clinton.
Author: Clinton, Bill, 1946- Title: My life [sound recording] /Audio, c2004.Published: New York, N.Y. : Random Houseof Congress by(Distributed in special format for the Librarycontainers (C-90) :Talking Book Publishers) Description: 9 sound cassettes in twoThe Random Houseanalog, 15/16 ips, 4 track, mono. Book Number: RC 58100 Dewey No.: 973.929092 B ANF ISBN: 0375414576 Notes: A shared master program book.publication hasAudio recording has been adapted by NLS. TheSide announcementsbeen changed to 15/16 ips, 4 track format.talking book studios thehave been added.
Actually, they didn't record either one at thelooks of things, which mightway they usually make talking books by thedon't know which one came outexplain how they got them out so fast. Iusual.first, though they both came out quicker thanLewellen"
----- Original Message ----- From: "KarenMembers? (was) Re: Bad<klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 4:59 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: How Many NLSauto biography was abridged?scan Wheel of...
Hi, What proof do you have that the clintonwould serve no one.NLS never records abridged versions, as thisarrangement with the publisher toAlso, on some occasions NLS has anthe exact time of printing.have access to books either just before or atbook on the library shelves,Such speeds up the time it takes in getting aadaptations result in somebut can also in the case of book to movielater publications ofdifferent endings than either the films themselves orwill not be able to equalthose kinds of books. I am an NLS fan always will be. Booksharereasons in my view.the NLS reach or quality for a variety ofhere as with other things.nor should it. there should be a choicethey got it out faster
Karen
On Sat, 18 Feb 2006, Evan Reese wrote:
Was that the abridged version? I thoughtreally long book for them tothan usual, and I thought that was athe reason.get done so quickly. That must have beenHandicassettes, you can
Also, if you can spring for one of thosewithout changing the pitch.change the speed of the narrator's voiceall the time to read booksI think they're overpriced, but I use itMany NLS Members? (was) Re:and magazines on tape.
----- Original Message ----- From: Gailselfridge@xxxxxxx To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 11:15 AM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: HowRoberts series and I'm sureBad scan Wheel of...
I agree with Shannon. I just read a Norahave to wait. Also, when INLS will have it eventually, but I didn'tClinton's biography, the wholestarted with Bookshare, I read Billbut it was the abridgedthing. NLS had it at about the same time,And I find I can read fasterversion and I wanted to read all of it.screen reader and can increasewith bookshare books because I use myused by NLS narrators. Thethe speed to a much faster rate than isto increase tape speedonly way I can do this with NLS books isEmail toTo unsubscribe from this list, send a blankwhich distorts the narrator's voice.
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