Top 10 Best Audio Books

If you are a bookworm, like me, I'm sure you know what it feels like walking into a bookshop or a library or any room full of books. There are just so many books that you would just love to get your nose into, if only there was the time to do so. But, when was the last time you actually curled up with a good book and spent glorious hours lost in it?

As far as I am concerned, I really can't remember the last time I did. Like most people of this age, the hectic pace of 21^st century life gives me little time to read anything more than the email I receive.

This is the reason many book lovers are turning to books that speak, or audio books, to catch up on their reading. Previously known as 'books on tape', audio books are available in practically every genre.So whatever may be your passion in reading, you will find it in its digitized form.

And just like printed books do, you can immerse yourself into the wonderful world of fiction, whether you like comedy, thrillers, historical fiction, classics, science fiction, mysteries, romances... you name it... all of which you can download into your MP3 player or iPod and listen to whenever you want to.

The beauty about this book is that Steve Jobs did not interfere with the publishing of the book in any form, neither did he read any draft of the book nor did he bar people from talking honestly about him. Isn't this a sign of a genius, who had thrown caution to the wind?

A person was killed and there are two theories floating, the first of it being, it was a murder, the other says it was an act of self-defense. It makes for not only a suspense filled read, but it is also humor-filled. It has all the thrilling elements with twists and turns at the most unexpected places.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Author: Junot Diaz
You are immersed in the turbulent life of the fat and shy protagonist, named Oscar, along with the chronicle of the family, which is rendered with great warmth, insight, and humor into life as experienced by Dominican-Americans.

Ultimately, it is a narration about the capacity of humans to carry on despite loss and heartbreak. This book is a confirmation of Junot Diaz as one of the most evocative writers of our time.

How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less
Author: Milo Frank
If you have just 30 seconds in your hands and you are asked to make a point, what would happen to you? So that you are able to deliver your best in the stipulated period, you will want to know some tricks, which will work all the time.

In this book, Milo Frank has given pointers like using anecdotes to put a point across, how to focus on the objective, how to grab the attention of the reader or the listener, etc. Using this book, communication will indeed be a cakewalk.

Steve Jobs
Author: Walter Isaacson
Steve Jobs was interviewed for more than 40 times by the author, before he wrote the story of this genius and his celebrated life. Steve Job's family members, friends, colleagues, competitors, etc. were also interviewed for the purpose.

This book shares the life of a maverick, who brought about a revolution in not one, two but six industries, namely personal computers, music, phones, animated movies, digital publishing and tablet computing.

In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
Author: Steven Levy
When you were looking for the top 10 audio books, you sought help from 'Mr. Google'. On some days the thought must have crossed your mind, as to what goes behind this Internet search engine. The search engine was started by two geeks in the Silicon Valley.

The company started by the geeks went from strength to strength and now has taken over a number of successful start-ups. The Google search engine has been responsible for the change in strategy in the field of data and cloud computing. The book starts off talking about the company and further turns to how technology has turned over time.

Harry Potter 1 - 7 Audio Collection
Author: J.K. Rowling
Do the 'classics' written by J.K. Rowling need an introduction? I am sure, they do not need one. All the seven books of the series are available in the audio format, which means you can actually hear the entire series on your MP3 player or your iPod, when you are on the go.

Just to remind you the titles of the books in this series are:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Author: John Berendt
This non-fictional book has been a bestseller at The New York Times for 216 weeks. The book speaks about personalities in Savannah, but has a Southern Gothic tone to its narration.

The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
In this book is a chilling story of a family, which has shifted to a small town on the coastal belt. Along with the parents, there are three children in the story. After shifting to the new house, the family members have different experiences like bad dreams, hearing of different noises, etc.

They further find that the house, the family has shifted to, is haunted. Trying to hunt the problem, they come across a mysterious character called the Prince of Mist. Discovering the mysterious characters alters the life of the people, who have found the character totally.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes is for everyone, whose staple 'reading' diet consists of detective stories. In this book there are 12 short stories. The stories were initially published as single stories, before it was compiled into a book.

These are actually detective cases, which were encountered by Dr. Watson and his friend Sherlock Holmes. Since the time these stories were published as single stories, it has become an ideal for detective stories.

George's Secret Key to the Universe
Authors: Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking
George, who has parents that have always been mistrustful of technology, has been warned to stay away from their new neighbors. The new neighbors are Eric, who is a scientist, along with Annie, his daughter, who has scientific leanings herself.

However, George does become friends with them as well as the supercomputer, Cosmos. And from there we listeners are treated to the wild adventure George experiences as he travels to a black hole and other planets.

The book also delves into the scenario of the consequences of Cosmos getting into the wrong hands. Stephen Hawking, the celebrated author of 'A Brief History of Time', along with his daughter, Lucy, unravel the mysteries of the universe for listeners of all ages.

Heart-Shaped Box
Author: Joe Hill
Judas Coyne, the central character of this narrative, who collects macabre things, pays a thousand dollars for a dead man's suit, which is supposed to be haunted by a restless spirit.

But Judas Coyne is not afraid, after all he has coped with a lot of ghosts in his lifetime, such as lovers whom he abandoned callously, an abusive father and the band mates he deceived. So, what was one more, he thought.

But the thing that is delivered to him in a black colored heart-shaped box is not a metaphorical or imaginary ghost, but the real thing. And the suit's former owner is suddenly all over the place... staring at Coyne from his TV, looking in from the window, sitting in his car, lurking behind the bedroom door.

Lying in wait with a chain hanging from one hand at the end of which is a shiny razor blade. Joe Hill, whose short fiction has won several awards, has created this masterful work of dark fantasy, which is full of acid terror and relentless thrills.

After going through the list of audio books, everyone may not necessarily agree with the listings here. We cannot forget that the choice of books is going to be matter of debate for it is very subjective and will change according to each person's taste. Therefore, each one of us may have a different 'best' list.