Isaac Asimov Audiobook - (Robot Dreams)

[MrCHansen]

Hi Isaac Asimov Fans,
If you follow my threads you see I'm very much into consuming content in written and audio formats. I like to read a chapter and then listen to one in the car or the gym. This allows me to get thru books faster then just reading them when time permits. That said, today's book is Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov (Compilation of Short Stories). I picked up a legal copy to listen to thru a library site. This a great source to listen to an audiobook free, but a pain in @ss given that it of large streaming files and they aren't broken down into chapters or stories. Audible lets you jump to each chapter beginning, but this isn't always possible from other streaming sites.
To that end, I've created a summary list of chapters/stories and rough lengths. If you do the audiobook thing to listen to it, you'll need to figure out which chapter you are on and do the math to add up all the previous chapters to get to the one you want. Here is the list in text format in case you want to copy it into excel and have it do the math for you. Also you'll find a JPG file on the bottom here to be able to download the list as an image if that helps. Times might be slightly different by a second or two....but it will get your there fast. Happy Listening

Robot Dreams
	Time
Little Lost Robot (1947), a Robot story	01:02:23
Robot Dreams (1986), a Robot story	00:13:51
Breeds There a Man...? (1951)	01:43:26
Hostess (1951)	01:37:28
Sally (1953), a Robot story	00:39:16
Strikebreaker (1957)	00:31:32
The Machine that Won the War (1961), a Multivac story	00:13:23
Eyes Do More Than See (1965)	00:06:58
The Martian Way (1952)	01:48:22
Franchise (1955), a Multivac story	00:36:03
Jokester (1956), a Multivac story	00:32:28
The Last Question (1956), a Multivac story	00:30:57
Does a Bee Care? (1957)	00:14:26
Light Verse (1973), a Robot story	00:10:56
The Feeling of Power (1958)	00:21:49
Spell My Name with an S (1958)	00:33:00
The Ugly Little Boy (1958)	01:36:58
The Billiard Ball (1967)	00:48:14
True Love (1977), a Multivac story	00:10:12
The Last Answer (1980)	00:16:59
Lest We Remember (1982)	01:04:02

 

[Snicklefritz]

Hi Isaac Asimov Fans,
If you follow my threads you see I'm very much into consuming content in written and audio formats. I like to read a chapter and then listen to one in the car or the gym. This allows me to get thru books faster then just reading them when time permits. That said, today's book is Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov (Compilation of Short Stories). I picked up a legal copy to listen to thru a library site. This a great source to listen to an audiobook free, but a pain in @ss given that it of large streaming files and they aren't broken down into chapters or stories. Audible lets you jump to each chapter beginning, but this isn't always possible from other streaming sites.
To that end, I've created a summary list of chapters/stories and rough lengths. If you do the audiobook thing to listen to it, you'll need to figure out which chapter you are on and do the math to add up all the previous chapters to get to the one you want. Here is the list in text format in case you want to copy it into excel and have it do the math for you. Also you'll find a JPG file on the bottom here to be able to download the list as an image if that helps. Times might be slightly different by a second or two....but it will get your there fast. Happy Listening

Robot Dreams
	Time
Little Lost Robot (1947), a Robot story	01:02:23
Robot Dreams (1986), a Robot story	00:13:51
Breeds There a Man...? (1951)	01:43:26
Hostess (1951)	01:37:28
Sally (1953), a Robot story	00:39:16
Strikebreaker (1957)	00:31:32
The Machine that Won the War (1961), a Multivac story	00:13:23
Eyes Do More Than See (1965)	00:06:58
The Martian Way (1952)	01:48:22
Franchise (1955), a Multivac story	00:36:03
Jokester (1956), a Multivac story	00:32:28
The Last Question (1956), a Multivac story	00:30:57
Does a Bee Care? (1957)	00:14:26
Light Verse (1973), a Robot story	00:10:56
The Feeling of Power (1958)	00:21:49
Spell My Name with an S (1958)	00:33:00
The Ugly Little Boy (1958)	01:36:58
The Billiard Ball (1967)	00:48:14
True Love (1977), a Multivac story	00:10:12
The Last Answer (1980)	00:16:59
Lest We Remember (1982)	01:04:02

That's a generous file you've shared. I'm curious if you are in the UK or the US ? I ask because the audiobooks I borrow from my US library are just like Audible and there is no problem with chapters or stopping in the middle of a page. This is through the network library service Libby mostly although I sometimes borrow directly from my home library page.
When switching from print to audio I search the audiobook for a phrase or chapter title and pick up where I left off in print. That technique also works in reverse if I'm reading an e-book .
More importantly -- you've reminded me that it's time I re-read Robot Dreams which is high on my list of all time favorites.

 

[MrCHansen]

That's a generous file you've shared. I'm curious if you are in the UK or the US ? I ask because the audiobooks I borrow from my US library are just like Audible and there is no problem with chapters or stopping in the middle of a page. This is through the network library service Libby mostly although I sometimes borrow directly from my home library page.
When switching from print to audio I search the audiobook for a phrase or chapter title and pick up where I left off in print. That technique also works in reverse if I'm reading an e-book .
More importantly -- you've reminded me that it's time I re-read Robot Dreams which is high on my list of all time favorites.

North America. I can see how searching the print/ebook might work if your print material is digital. Clearly looking up a chapter in a print book doesn't require much support or explanation LOL.
I'm not clear on how you would search a MP3 based audio file for text to audio . I believe that Libby and Overdrive are the same company as far as library audio material. Most of the Libby/Overdrive stuff is produced by companies like Random House and "Books on Tape", so its dependent on how that company sources the audio to the library portal. I do know in the browser function of Overdrive, there are times when you can jump to a chapter start in the overdrive app. This doesn't tell you the length, just the helps out with getting to the Chapter.
If I'm missing a huge feature that I don't know exists, please let me know. I spend a fair amount of time mapping out theses books to audio with the hope that it will catch on as an idea and other folks will see the value and help out when they listen to an audiobook. If nothing else...knowing that if you start the next chapter in audio format and know its going to be an hour....it might be better to set the book down until you have that bandwidth. This helps me out when optimizing my time. I don't want to start a chapter while taking the kids to school with a 10 min drive and only get ten minutes into a 60 min chapter.

 

[Snicklefritz]

I use the Libby (previously Overdrive) app on both my PC and my phone. It supplies all the bells and whistles one could want when playing audiobooks -- times for chapters. time read, time to go, search, index, bookmarks, sleep timer, replay etc. I've listened to more than 20 books that way in the last year with no angst.

I also am very happy with Chirp. Chirpbooks.com While they sell their books many are very deeply discounted e.g. as little as 99 cents and they run frequent "specials". I haven't paid full-price for a book in recent memory. Their player app, too, is very user friendly.

 

[Rodders]

As I get more and more into audio books, i wonder whether they deserve their own thread, seperate to books. Thoughts?

 

[Snicklefritz]

As I get more and more into audio books, i wonder whether they deserve their own thread, seperate to books. Thoughts?

Many newspapers and magazines have separate audio book sections. Since the narrators play such a large part in the enjoyment (or not) of audio books, it does distinguish them from the paper versions.