When you begin to look at the value proposition, you really have a better deal even if it were sold at the same price?  Maybe that's why last year the downloadable audio book industry climbed to two billion dollars followed by growth projections of (30%) each year thereafter!  Wow! …  This creates a great foundation for me to further explain what people who love to read books really see in this new paradigm of audio books online downloads.  When you think of your friends who love to read (and who doesn't?) why not give them the gift of an audio book download instead of the last hard copy book you gave them?  It's cheaper, more convenient; they can listen to it while driving, on the plane or relaxing during a spare moment? There are quite a few sites available today where you can download audio books.  Audible, Todaysaudiobooks & Simplyaudiobooks are just a few, but each has its own way of marketing that's stands out from the other.  For example, Todaysaudiobooks has many thousands of downloadable audio book titles, covering 100's of subject areas, but they have an additional special twist in their offering.  They "also" will donate a portion of its total sales each year to Easter Seals charity to aid in supporting their child care development programs.  I believe this adds to every customer's buying experience knowing that not only are they getting a tremendous deal on a high quality audio book download, but are also helping "some" needy American child as well! It's no wonder that the popularity of audio books has recently become so popular?  Listening to audio books is entertaining, relaxing and allows multitasking as well.  Just think about having a quick break where you want to get away mentally?  In an airport waiting on that plane, riding in a car, on a train going to and from work, etc…  They all allow a convenient escape, just by reaching in your pocket and pulling out the iPod, MP3 player, etc…  Heck! You are in the office and even listening to that great book you haven't finished on your desktop computer, with or without headphones! Digital storage these days is making more and more sense as well.  When you are done listening to the audio book you save it away digitally and keep it for another time … or maybe as a gift sometime later, who knows? Audio books for children offer many potential areas of assistance and educational training for parents.  With kids having an overload of unprotected exposures these days, why not provide directed learning, hobbies, positive mentorship in the form of audio books that you can download and better control what they are listening to and where they are spending a great deal of their time?  Many of the required reading books they are assigned to read in school classes might be much better received if they could listen to it on their iPods or MP3 type players. Listening to downloadable audio books while you are on the move, whether you're driving to work, washing the car or even doing some other chores can make the day go a little bit faster.  Actually at the rate new audio books are being released, you'll never run out of available books to listen to, since the demand in all of the categories is on the rise. Downloadable audio books are not a fad and the trend towards audio books over hard copy books is steadily growing!  The beauty with audio books is that you have more than one option for listening to them.  Downloading and distributing audio books is easy and can be done in minutes. Also buying and playing audio books is an uncomplicated process. This is just the initial installment article on "Are Downloadable Audio Books Worth Their Cost?"  Look for additional articles coming soon…