Learning a new language is something that may fill you with trepidation and fear, but once done it will give you a huge feeling of {achievement|accomplishment|attainment} and {confidence|self-confidence}. In addition to the  useful skill of speaking another language,  the process of learning a language is good for the brain : It opens up new neural pathways in the brain, so it is {particularly|specially|especially} good for increasing your brain power, and – for the older generation – it keeps that gray matter active.

There are many different ways to learn new languages, so here are some tips.

Flashcards These are a fantastic way to learn words and phrases, and they make the process more fun – {almost|literally} like a mini quiz. You can carry them around with you and when waiting for an appointment or stuck in traffic, take them out for a quick refresher.

Reading Once you have learn the basics of the language, get some reading material – on a subject that you might be interested in. Perhaps you can get a magazine or book on travel, golf or film in the language you are studying. You could even print out excerpts of websites in that language. If you wanted to learn to speak Arabic, you could get a copy of the Koran to read through, or other arabic books. By reading something that interests you, you are sure to pick the language up much quicker.

Regular Practice Nothing helps get the new language into your {subconscious|subconscious mind} like practicing it regularly. If you are resolved to learn a new language, then do something daily – don’t go about it half hearted and spend a couple of hours once a week, set aside some time daily. You could be listening to audio why travelling, looking at those Flashcards while having lunch, reading that book before bed.

Total Immersion.Certainly the best way to learn any enw skill is by total immersion. If you are really serious about learning to speak a new language (perhaps it’s a “must have” skill for your new career) then consider spending as much time as practical in a country that speaks that language to immerse yourself in their language and culture.

It’s really amazing that you can get the exact value listening to an audio book while doing your normal chores as you would reading it.

Some experts have even said that we can absorb information better when we are actually not paying full attention to them.

But what when was the time that this audio book craze began? In other words, what is the past of audio books?

From all indications, audio books look like a very recent invention, right?

WRONG!

It is very easy to make the assumption that audio books are a recent invention because of the mention of CDs, downloadable digital formats, MP3s, PDAs and other technological jargons each time audio books are discussed. But audio books started way before now.

In order for us to know just how long audio books have existed, we first need to know what audio books actually are.

Forget any other jargon you may have seen, audio books are just books that are in audio format, to be listened to instead of read.

Even so, recorded versions of books have existed for a very long time, far before now. To be completely specific, you could say that they have been around since for the last 50 years.

It could even be much longer, if you take into account the Library of Congress recordings especially made for the American Foundation for the Blind and distributed free throughout the U.S.

Although Robin Whitten (Editor and Founder of the only magazine which is only available to the audio book industry) said – Audiofile–http://www.AudioFileMagazine.com, Caedmon (now a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers) can be credited for starting the recording of literature as far back as half a century ago.

Going further, he said Caedmon was just a small company way back then in New York, which started recording the audio of great authors and poets of the 1950s. Specifically, he has said that one of the earliest recordings ever made were of the greats such as Dylan Thomas, T.S. Eliot, Fitzgerald and Robert Frost.

Then they were just recorded when they were doing their own works and then made as vinyl records.

But these early recordings can arguably pass off for the first collection of audio books ever.

However, the transition of these book recordings into audiocassette tapes didn’t happen until the late 1970s up to the 1980s. From thence, it blossomed until audio books in audiocassette tapes came to be accepted by all and sundry.

For whatever reason however, the audio book phenomenon didn’t really kick off until the 1990s.

And now that we have changed from cassette tapes to compact disks even more people have an interest in audio books.

With the explosion of the world wide web and everything that comes with it, audio books have now gone from vinyl records, tapes and CDs into downloadable digital formats. These can be listened to in many different ways, on a desktop PC, laptop, MP3 player etc.

If you are still interested in “going back in time” you can get the original book recordings that started this audio book industry.

Impossible?

Not really.

Some of those early 1950s analog recordings by Caedmon which were performed by the greats of those days can be purchased today on the Internet.

For example, recently I was able to browse the Internet thoroughly and found the original recording of “The Lord of the Rings” as read by J.R.R. Tolken.

You can find that classic you have always dreamt of in audio book format if you search hard enough on the Internet.

An excellent source that I have found for audio book downloads is Spoken Network. You can find them at:

www.spokennetwork.com?cam=ama0016

In as much as the audio book phenomenon isn't too new, there are still lots of people that don't know certain things about it.

I must confess that I was also ignorant about certain aspects of audio books myself, especially download audio books!

During my early days of audio books, I had to ask certain questions and today I can hear a lot of people asking such questions.

You may also want to know the answers to the same questions that I had, when I first discovered audio books.

If yes, then below are some of these questions and their answers:

What's an audio book?As I'm sure you have already worked out yourself, and audiobook is just a book, but it is in an audio format.  Instead of receiving a physical hardcover or paperback book that you have to read, you will receive a CD, cassette or MP3 version of the book.

Can you tell me what formats I can purchase audio books in?Audio books come in many different formats, but it is immediately apparent that cassette, CD and mp3 formats can only be played on cassette players, cd players or mp3 players respectively.

What is an MP3 audio book?  MP3 is simply a compression technique that makes it possible for reduction to be made for audio books so that they contain less space (sometimes as less as 80%) compared to that on cassettes or CDs.

How can MP3 audio books be played? MP3 audio books can be played on any new version of CD players that support the MP3 technology - mostly those that can accept a 4.75 diameter disk.

PCs are another option for listening to audio books, and most operating systems will come with the right software installed.

What is an unabridged audio book?  An unabridged audio book is one that was narrated word for word. In audio books of this type, the book is read from cover to cover, nothing is left out.  It has the exact content with that of the printed book, albeit in audio format.

I have seen listings for abridged audio books, what does this mean?  An abridged audio book is one that is shortened and doesn't contain the exact word for word narration as the printed book.

What is a dramatized audio book?As the name gives it away, it means that the book has been read like a "play" in a dramatic way with a full cast and music.

Are there any stores online where audio books can be purchased? There are lots and lots of audio book stores on the Internet, I have recommended a couple below. Some of them are SpokenNetwork.com, Amazon.com, BarnesAndNobles.com,
and Talking-Book-Store.com, to mention a few.

Now, I hear you asking, where exactly can I purchase the audiobook that I need on the Internet? Major audio book stores will definitely hold a copy of all the top selling audiobooks, along with many many more.

A great source I have found for audio book downloads is Spoken Network. You can find them at:

www.spokennetwork.com?cam=ama0010