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Listening to an audio book is a great way to pass the time or simply and easier way to enjoy a book without having to actually read it. You can download them, transfer the mp3 to a cd and listen to it while you drive, or you can transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to a book on the go. There are tons of sites that offer audio book downloads – though most of them you have to pay for, but there are also some that offer free downloadable audio books. One of the best free sites out there is Librivox.

Librivox is basically a free online digital library of public domain books. Volunteers read all of these books and they claim to have over 3,000 unabridged books available for free download. Most of the content is in English, however Librivox recordings are available in 26 languages. The site is wildly popular and their goal is to be the worlds most prolific audio book publisher. They generally receive 60-100 audio book recordings per month.

Here are the top 5 audio books on their site right now…

1. Pride and Prejudice audiobook – Jane Austen

With its runaway popularity Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is the most popular audio book on the Librivox site. There are 3 versions available as of now with more in progress. Find more Jane Austen audiobooks >>>

2. The Thirty-Nine Steps audiobook – John Buchan

John Buchan’s “The Thirty-Nine Steps” is second on the list. This book has been adapted and re-adapted for several film and television series. The popularity translates to Librivox. Download more John Buchanan audiobooks >>>

3. Relativity: The Special and General Theory audiobook by Albert Einstein

An available free download of Albert Einstein’s “Relativity: The Special and General Theory” is third on the list. This popular article has been transcribed and is now available to you. Download more Albert Einstein audiobooks >>>

4. The Parenticide Club audiobook by Ambrose Bierce

Coming in at 4 is “The Parenticide Club” by Ambrose Bierce. This is a combination of four short stories that happen within a family. Download more Ambrose Bierce audiobooks >>>

5. The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu audiobook by Sax Rohmer

Rounding out our list is Sax Rohmer’s “The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu.” This is truly a can’t miss, as it is superbly read by a volunteer contributor. Find more Sax Rohmer audiobooks >>>

There are thousands of excellent audio books available for you on Librivox. You can enter a search and if you are unable to find what you want you can request it or ask about it. Better yet, why not contribute it yourself?

Tags: classic audiobooks, free audiobooks, librivox