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Originally posted at: Ariana Madix’s Strapless Denim Dress

Have you become an audiobook lover? Audiobooks are gaining popularity among people of all ages for various reasons. To enjoy audiobooks on your devices, you’ll need an audiobook app or platform.

1. Audible – Audible is one of the largest audiobook services, with a vast selection of titles and exclusive content. It also features a user-friendly interface and allows you to switch between listening and reading seamlessly.
2. Libby – Libby is a free app that allows you to borrow audiobooks and e-books from your local library. It has a clean and easy-to-use interface, and you can download books for offline listening.
3. Scribd– Scribd is a monthly subscription service that offers access to audiobooks, e-books, magazines, and documents. It features a personalized recommendation feature and allows you to switch between reading and listening without losing your place.
4. Google Play Books – Google Play Books allows you to purchase and listen to audiobooks on your Android or iOS device. It also features a wide selection of e-books and allows you to sync your reading progress across devices.
5. Apple Books – Apple Books is the default e-book and audiobook app on iOS devices. It allows you to purchase and listen to audiobooks directly from the app and across all your Apple devices.

What Are Audiobooks

Audiobooks are audio recordings of books, typically in digital format, that allow you to listen to the book being read aloud instead of reading it yourself. Audiobooks can be played on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers, and can be downloaded or streamed over the internet.

Audiobooks can be purchased individually or accessed through a subscription service, and many public libraries also offer audiobooks that can be borrowed for free. They are available in a wide range of genres and can be narrated by the author or a professional voice actor.

Why Substitute Real Books for Audiobooks

I know, I will be the first one to shout out that nothing can replace a real book. The act of turning pages and the distinct scent of paper, which often intensifies with the age of the book, are particular aspects of the positive sensory experience associated with physical books. But sometimes an audiobook makes more sense than a real book.

While audiobooks may not be a perfect substitute for traditional books, they offer many benefits and can be an excellent way to enjoy literature in a different format.

Multitasking Convenience

Audiobooks are easy to listen to while doing other activities, such as commuting, exercising, or doing household chores. This allows you to enjoy books without having to set aside specific time for reading.

Accessibility

Audiobooks are an excellent option for people who may have difficulty reading due to visual impairments or learning disabilities.

Improved Comprehension

Listening to an audiobook may help improve comprehension, as it allows you to focus solely on the content without distractions.

Entertainment Value

Some audiobooks are narrated by professional voice actors, providing an engaging and immersive listening experience that can enhance your enjoyment of the book.

History and Future of Audiobooks

Audiobooks have a long and interesting history that dates back to the early 20th century. The first audiobooks were created on vinyl records and were primarily used for educational purposes, such as language learning and training for the visually impaired.

The advent of cassette tapes in the 1960s made audiobooks more accessible, and they began to gain popularity as a form of entertainment. In the 1980s and 1990s, audiobooks became more widely available on CDs and began to be sold in bookstores, making them more mainstream.

With the rise of digital technology, audiobooks have become even more accessible and popular. The first digital audiobook was released in 1997, and since then, the market for audiobooks has continued to grow.

The rise of smartphones and other mobile devices has made it easier than ever to listen to audiobooks on the go, and the emergence of subscription services like Audible and Scribd has made it more affordable to access a wide variety of titles.

As for the future of audiobooks, it seems likely that they will continue to grow in popularity. With the increasing demand for on-demand and mobile-friendly content, audiobooks are a convenient and flexible way to enjoy literature.

What Makes a Good Audiobook App

Wide Selection of Titles

One of the primary factors that can make an audiobook app popular is the size and variety of its library. You are more likely to choose an app that offers a broad range of titles across different genres, including bestsellers, classics, and niche interests.

User-Friendly Interface

A well-designed and user-friendly interface can make an app more appealing. This includes features such as customizable playback speed, bookmarks, and a sleep timer.

Affordable Pricing

Cost is also an important factor when choosing an audiobook app. An app that offers affordable pricing or subscription plans may be more popular.

Compatibility with Multiple Devices

Choose apps that are compatible with multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and e-readers.

Exclusive Content, Deals, and Freebies

This can be a significant factor in the popularity of an app, as you are more likely to use an app that offers unique and exclusive content, has interesting deals, and also offers free selections.

Good Customer Support

Read the reviews of users about their experiences with customer support. Trust and use an app that offers reliable and responsive customer support.

Best Audiobook Apps

Audible

Audible is a popular audiobook service owned by Amazon. It has a huge selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio content, and is one of the largest audiobook providers. The app features a user-friendly interface and allows you to switch between listening and reading seamlessly, with its “Whispersync for Voice” technology.

In addition to a vast selection of titles, Audible also offers exclusive content, including original audiobooks and podcasts that are only available on the platform. You can also browse and purchase audiobooks directly from the Audible website or app, and once you purchase a title, you can download it and listen to it offline.

Audible offers various membership plans, including a monthly subscription that gives you one credit per month that can be used to purchase any title on the platform, regardless of its price. You can also purchase additional credits or individual titles without a subscription. Audible also offers a 30-day free trial that includes one free credit, which can be used to purchase any audiobook on the platform.

The basic Audible membership plan costs $7.95 per month, which includes one credit, but it also offers higher-tier membership plans with additional credits per month and discounts on audiobook purchases. You can also purchase audiobooks from Audible’s library without a membership, with prices varying depending on the title, ranging from $7 to $40 or more. Some shorter titles or older books may be priced lower, while newer releases or longer books may be priced higher.

Pros:

• Huge selection of titles across a range of genres, including bestsellers, classics, and niche interests.
• High-quality audio production.
• User-friendly interface.
• Compatibility with multiple devices
• Exclusive content.
• 30-day free trial.

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other audiobook platforms.
• Library access can vary depending on your location and subscription plan.
• Some users have reported issues with customer support, including difficulty canceling subscriptions or receiving refunds.

Libby

Libby is a popular audiobook and e-book app that allows you to borrow digital content from your local library. Developed by OverDrive, Libby is available for free on iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

To use Libby, you need a valid library card from a participating library. Once you have your library card, you can use the app to browse your library’s collection of e-books and audiobooks, borrow titles, and read or listen to them on your device.

Libby offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features that make it easy to find and access the content you’re interested in. You can search for titles by keyword, author, or title, and filter your results by format, availability, and more. Libby also offers personalized recommendations based on your reading history and preferences.

One of the most significant benefits of using Libby is that it allows you to access a vast selection of free digital content from your local library. You can borrow e-books and audiobooks for a set period, usually 2-3 weeks, and can renew them if there are no holds on the title. This makes Libby a great option for those who want to save money on books or have limited space for physical books.

Pros:

• Free borrowing.
• Large selection of titles across different genres, including bestsellers and classics.
• User-friendly interface.
• Compatibility with multiple devices.
• No late fees. Libby’s digital content automatically returns itself, so you never have to worry about late fees.

Cons:

• Availability of titles may be limited based on your local library’s offerings.
• Waiting lists.
• Temporary borrowing.
• Does not offer the option to purchase titles outright.

Scribd

Scribd is a subscription-based digital library that offers access to a vast collection of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and other digital content. With a Scribd membership, you can read or listen to an unlimited number of books and other materials for a monthly fee.

Scribd offers a range of features that make it a popular choice among avid readers and audiobook listeners. The service offers a personalized recommendation feature that suggests content based on your reading history and preferences. You can also browse popular titles, new releases, and curated collections.

The platform offers a vast selection of titles across a range of genres, including bestsellers, classics, and indie titles. You can listen to audiobooks on your smartphone or tablet, and the app includes features like playback speed control, text sizing, and a sleep timer.

Scribd also offers a range of other digital content, including e-books, magazines, and newspapers. With the service’s mobile app, you can download titles for offline reading or listening, making it a convenient option if you want to access content while on the go.

The standard membership costs $9.99 per month and provides unlimited access to Scribd’s library of e-books, audiobooks, and other digital content and the premium membership plan costs $13.99 per month and includes all the benefits of the standard membership, as well as access to Scribd’s selection of magazines and documents.

Scribd offers a free trial for new users. The free trial period typically lasts for 30 days and allows you to access the full Scribd library, including audiobooks, e-books, magazines, and more.

Pros:

• Large selection of audiobooks, e-books, and magazines across different genres.
• Unlimited access.
• Compatibility with multiple devices.
• User-friendly interface.
• Offline access.
• 30-day free trial.

Cons:

• Limited availability. Some popular titles may not be available on Scribd due to licensing agreements.
• Content rotation: Scribd rotates some titles in and out of its library, meaning certain titles may not be available permanently.
• High cost.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another popular digital reading platform developed by Google that allows users to read e-books and listen to audiobooks on their mobile devices. The platform is available on both iOS and Android devices, as well as on the web.

Google Play Books offers millions of titles across a range of genres, including bestsellers, classics, and indie titles. You can purchase individual titles or subscribe to the service’s audiobook subscription for access to a rotating selection of audiobooks.

The app includes a customizable reading interface with features like font size and color control, night mode, and annotation tools. The audiobook player includes features like playback speed control and a sleep timer.

Google Play Books also offers integration with other Google services, such as Google Drive and Google Assistant. For example, you can use Google Assistant to control your audiobook playback or add e-books to your reading list.

Audiobook prices on Google Play Books vary depending on the title and publisher. On average, prices for audiobooks range from $7 to $40 or more. It also offers discounts and promotions on certain titles. Also, some audiobooks may be available for rent at a lower cost than purchasing them outright.

Google Play Books does not offer a specific trial period for new users. However, they offer a “Family Library” feature, which allows up to six family members to share purchased books, audiobooks, and other media.

Pros:

• Large selection of titles.
• Compatibility with multiple devices.
• User-friendly interface.
• Offline access.
• Sync across devices.
• Up to 6 users.

Cons:

• Limited availability of titles that may not be available due to licensing agreements.
• Pricing: Some titles on Google Play Books may be more expensive than other platforms or physical copies of the same book.
• Limited customization options and features compared to other audiobook apps.
• No trial period.

Apple Books

Apple Books is a digital reading platform developed by Apple that allows users to read e-books and listen to audiobooks on their iOS devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

One of the most significant benefits of Apple Books is its integration with the Apple ecosystem. The platform is seamlessly integrated with iOS, allowing users to access their books and audiobooks from any of their Apple devices. The platform also includes features like iCloud syncing, which ensures that your reading progress is saved across all your devices.

The app includes a customizable reading interface with features like font size and color control, night mode, and annotation tools. The audiobook player includes features like playback speed control and a sleep timer.

Apple Books also offers a range of other digital content, including PDFs, magazines, and newspapers. The platform includes a bookstore that allows users to purchase titles directly from the app.

The prices of e-books on Apple Books can range from free to several hundred dollars, with most titles falling in the range of $1 to $30.

Apple Books has a great free trial period that typically lasts for 3 months and gives you access to the entire Apple Books library, including audiobooks, e-books, and other media.

Pros:

• Large selection of titles.
• Compatibility with Apple devices.
• User-friendly interface.
• Offline access.
• Customization options.
• 3-month free trial period.

Cons:

• Limited availability of titles that may not be available due to licensing agreements.
• Pricing: Some titles may be more expensive than other platforms or physical copies of the same book.
• Limited compatibility with non-Apple devices.

The best audiobook app for you will depend on your preferences and needs. Consider the selection, features, and pricing of each app before making a decision. Take advantage of the free trial periods so that you can try out the platforms and check the selections, and then choose the best one that suits your needs and lifestyle.

Important: Don’t forget to cancel your subscriptions before the trial periods end if you don’t plan to use the apps, otherwise, you will be charged.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you enjoy audiobooks? What app do you use to listen to your audiobooks? Tell us about it in the comments below.

I recently paid a high price to figure out I can’t and won’t get rid of all my clutter. Even my “throw-it-all-out” husband colluded with me in this discovery.

I say this after:

• Putting 30 garbage bags full of my clothes out for a porch pickup from Purple Heart.
• Dragging a beat-up old table and mildewed storage shed to the curb and watching with satisfaction as the solid-waste disposal truck crushed them to bits.
• Gifting my 1977 red-label Levis with the perfect white paint stains and two more bags of clothes to my niece.
• Offering up for free an old CD player, 19-inch TV, assorted picture frames and a set of fireplace tools to eager neighbors on the Buy Nothing Facebook site.

Then I paid two taskers to take everything out of my attic, sorted through it all, and made two trips to the county dump.

I’m exhausted and feeling pretty proud of myself. But here’s what I haven’t told you: I paid the same two taskers to put two-thirds of what was in the attic back, with a 25 percent tip, no less. I still have four closets-full of clothes, including a hanging rack in my office-slash-studio-slash-shoe emporium, and my desk holds two computers, eight notebooks, stacks of books and a “World’s Best Boss” mug (from a former staffer) overflowing with pens.

I’m obviously no Marie Kondo (though even she now admits that having a third child has brought with it a messy house), but I wouldn’t call myself a hoarder.

Why, then, did I still have that pair of jeans, as well as a worn leather briefcase circa 1986, and various other seemingly useless items?

Thanks for the Memories

It was to preserve memories, of course, and in my case to preserve them for writing and hopefully leaving a family legacy.

“Write a memoir” was always on my to-do list, but instead of doing it, I stashed away little time capsules as I entered each new phase – the briefcase containing my daily needs as a wire service reporter at the U.S. Capitol, a raft of clippings, a file cabinet full of calendars dating from the 1970s, letters from friends, photos, half full diaries, clothes marking every era, swizzle sticks from favorite bars, now-vintage shoes and jeans, a power suit from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, boxes of printed emails, dissertation files, graded papers from my professor days, record albums, books, a pair of original Jane Fonda-era leg warmers. The list goes on.

Always, I thought, the writing would come later but I felt I was safe as long as I had these physical reminders. They were like the proverbial “string” I gathered as a journalist on the trail of a story. I became buried in unwritten memories.

As a result, like many people, I imagine, the winnowing process became a minefield. Less stuff, less stuff, less stuff, is the admonishment these days. We have too much of it, to be sure. But I can’t help but feel that the matching denim shirts that my mother embroidered for my college boyfriend and myself – vintage 1977 – have earned a permanent place in the world, at least as long as I have stewardship over them. The memories of the time would disappear in the real-world discard pile, otherwise, wouldn’t they?

When I opened the box in the attic containing my own children’s art, I remembered the hours of work that went into the poster map of Arizona and the cardboard RV with the personalized license plate bearing family initials. I wouldn’t have recaptured those things without that box, which, by the way, got put back in the attic.

I Hoard, Therefore I Am

What I’m getting to, of course, is that perhaps this desire to keep things to hold memories in a physical place is something we all share. Maybe I can be free of more of my clutter once I record what it meant to me or maybe I’ll continue to hold onto it, even if I’m past thinking that I might need this or that thing one day.

It doesn’t help that some of my curating has paid off. I was fulfilled when the t-shirts I saved from the 1970s were worn by my daughter as the classic and irreplaceable vintage tees they actually became while stored under my bed. I had fantasized that it would happen that way, and it did – Armadillo World Headquarters on her chest 20 years after I sported it while walking through Central Park in awe of my trajectory in life. If I had tossed it, I wouldn’t have the double layer of meaning I now have for my memoir. Quite a gift.

Isn’t integrating the items of the past into the present an expression of a creative force? Yes, it’s easier to just go to Ikea and Target for new stuff, but what do you bring home? Copies of the past, mostly. Nothing memorable, to be sure. Objects can create an intimacy with the person and lived history.

Putting it all down might rearrange the reality in my head. What notions do I keep and what do I give up? That’s a profound task of writing.

After my recent purge, I created more room, especially in my “studio,” but not more time, of course. I may run out, and my children will have to do what I couldn’t – toss the old worn denim shirts. I imagine that act coming with a quick glance and a, “What in the world? Must be from Mom’s hippie days.” Or, “Jeez, these must be from the 70s or something.” Or perhaps, no comment at all.

That’s okay. I’m writing it all down, as we speak.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you felt the urge to purge? Why do you think you hold on to vintage items? Is it important to record the past and ponder the physical things that have meaning for you?

A well-known saying floated into my head recently: “The past is another country.” Interesting, I thought, and wondered who said it first.

It turned out to be J. P. Hartley, the novelist, and it is the first line, slightly wrongly remembered, of his novel (later a movie), The Go Between:

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”

I began to think about whether this is right or not, in terms of my own past, but then my thoughts took a different turn. The question that was buzzing in my head was whether the same was true of the future, when viewed from the perspective of younger people.

Is Being Old a Foreign Country?

When I was young – pick any age up to 55 or so – I definitely thought that the future was a foreign country. It would be strange to me, and it would be difficult to cope with.

And they would definitely “do things differently” there. I looked around at the old people I knew, and they clearly had different interests and temperaments and felt altogether different to me. It was not something I looked forward to.

Yes, I knew that at some point I would become an old lady, but that in itself seemed an odd concept. Me – old? Surely not. It was, literally, unimaginable.

At the same time, I thought that if it ever happened, I would be a different person when I got there. I would have the same name and the same history, of course, but there the resemblance would end.

Somehow, I thought that when I was magically transformed into this strange state of old womanhood, I would be unrecognisable. I would not be the me I had always known.

It was going to be hard – I would not know how to navigate all the twists and turns foisted on me by the passage of time.

It would be a double learning problem – a new me in a new landscape.

The Future Is Here

How very, very wrong could I be! Now that I am an old lady of 81, I realise that old age is not another country at all.

Yes, there are aspects of my life that are different, but I don’t feel that I am wandering in a strange land. And there is a great deal that is very much the same.

Old age creeps up on us rather stealthily, even if we don’t make a fuss of our birthdays. Only a few things happen fast, like retirement from your lifetime’s work, although in my case, I worked freelance and work just slowly stopped coming in.

But generally, it just means a few things changing each year – the hair getting whiter, the wrinkles getting deeper, and so forth. You walk a little slower, your hearing becomes slightly more difficult, sometimes you even become shorter. I could list much more.

You get used to one thing, absorb that, and start getting used to another. There are very few shocks involved, in the absence of a significant death or illness, which is another matter altogether.

At the same time, other things happen, too. Some are definitely negative – friends die or become much more ill. Your energy slowly diminishes, so you tend to be more homebound.

But on the positive side, you may acquire grandchildren, and they may become a very active and joyful part of your life. Your relationships with your adult children change and deepen. You may develop new interests and activities.

And You’re Here, Too

And, most important, as you get used to these changes, you realise it is the same old you dealing with them. For good or ill, there is no amazing transformation. Whatever your character and personality at age 30, you will be the same at 60 – or 70 – and beyond.

If you were an optimist when you were young, you will find yourself still an optimist later. Have you had a tendency to fuss over unexpected events? You are almost certainly still fussing later. If you laughed at life’s vicissitudes, you will be laughing still.

I was reminded that when my mother was about 50, she declared to my father that she had decided to become an “eccentric” old lady. That sounded a good ambition, but my father laughed. “You’ve never been eccentric in your life,” he replied accurately. “So you won’t be eccentric then. You will be you.”

And he was proved right. She never became the least bit eccentric.

Knowing Yourself

I think this is good news, although perhaps not everyone will agree. It means that by the time you reach old age – however defined – you have lived with yourself a long time and know how to cope with your own individual ways.

Some things in your life will have changed and others remain very much the same. If you liked swimming or playing bridge then, you probably do so now. Yes, there are some new challenges, but they are softened by new joys.

Growing older changes both our internal and external environment in subtle ways. But it can still be a lot of fun!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How is being older different from what you expected? Is it better or worse than you imagined? What would you tell your younger self, if you could go back? Please share with the community!

We
are a blended family with four children. It was far from easy to deal with
financial decisions as they grew up. Now ensconced in their adult lives, it
continues to be challenging to discern if, when, and how to financially walk
alongside them. Can any of you relate?

A survey by Bankrate.com found that 51 percent of Americans are sacrificing their retirement savings to free up money to assist their adult children. Right or wrong is not for me to decide. I do know that any decision needs to be based on respect. Respect for yourself and respect for your progeny.

To
me, respect involves honoring a person’s life journey and providing a
conducive, positive environment for them
to unfold their potential. There is no set protocol for what this looks like in
each person’s life.

Given my personal experience as well as over 25 years of professionally guiding clients, here are seven points to ponder based on an acronym for RESPECT.

Resources

Airline
attendants instruct us to put our own oxygen mask on before assisting others. We
need to do the same with our financial resources.

A
very personal question: Do you have enough to cover your needs and reasonable
desires now and down the road?

This
requires planning from both the quantitative element as well as basing the
numbers on foundational values. What is your personal perspective on “enough”?

Ego

If
you are financially assisting your adult children – what are they using the
money for? We have a generation that was born into relative prosperity. They
have little perspective on the difference between a need and a want.

The
media and the life of ease they see around them leaves them feeling entitled
and “lacking.” Making ends meet may not be “easy” today, but comparatively, we
live in opportunistic, abundant times.

You
may also need to look at your own ego –
do you feel your adult children are a reflection on you? Do you need to keep up
appearances?

Soul

Assisting
a child with a soul need could play out in helping them get a business off the
ground after reviewing a well laid out business plan. It could be investing in
their continued education or supporting them while they do volunteer work.

There
may be health circumstances or career choices to consider. There is a fine line
and it requires you to know your child really well. It means deep communication
and discernment on the part of the parent. Ask questions around “why,” before focusing
on the “how.”

Pain or Process

No
parent enjoys watching their children struggle or experience pain in life. However,
we rob them of their financial integrity and growth opportunity when we don’t
allow them to experience some of it.

How
much financial pain is needed to facilitate positive growth? Again, a very
personal question around boundaries and tough love.

The
struggle is necessary. It is OK. It develops character assets such as
resiliency, resourcefulness, creativity, work ethic. Like the butterfly
emerging from the chrysalis, or chick emerging from the shell, the struggle
makes us stronger.

Entitlement

To
quote my own book, “The entitlement mindset starts as a small weed, but if
untended, grows like Cheatgrass, consuming the beauty of relationships and
wreaking havoc on lives. It is a tenacious barrier to a healthy financial
future, no matter where you lie on the spectrum of financial wherewithal.”

If
you are assisting an adult child and you sense they feel they have the “right”
or claim to your financial resources just because they were born to you, you
are treading on thin ice. Elder abuse is on the rise – sadly, by family
members. As you age, you want your kids to respect and protect you.

Control

What
are your motives in assisting your adult children? Heed the wisdom of Warren
Buffet:

“I’ve seen
people try to steer their children, and the worst thing you could do is use
money to induce given behavior with kids. I told my kids they don’t have to do
anything […] finish college, become doctors or lawyers. […] I told them to
use their talents in whatever form they think will create the greatest net
benefit to society.”

Search
your heart and make sure you have the best interests of your children in mind.

Timing

Now
or later? If you have the resources to share with your kids, do you want to
invest in their lives now, or upon your demise?

Currently,
you can give $15,000 a year to anyone you want. A married couple could give
$30,000 away. Wisdom needs to precede creative implementation.

How
much is enough? How are you preparing them? How do you minimize entitlements
and expectations mentioned previously?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What
is your stance on financially assisting grown children? Do you do it? Why? How
do you decide which endeavor to finance? Have you encountered “entitlement” in
your children, and how do you deal with it? Please share in the comments below.