Audio books have gone mad in popularity in the last few years. The technology is so cool and easy, there are thousands of top titles published and the benefits that audio books offer are ones that paper simply can't bring to the table. This combination has brought audio book very much into the mainstream as a genuine alternative to paperback or hardback books. For example, just one of hundreds of such scenarios: You couldn't learn a language from a paper book while walking the dog could you? Of course not, but with an audio book you can and it's loads of fun too!

So it will come as no surprise that so many people are going nuts for audiobooks. Here are just a few of the advantages that audio books have over normal hardcover or paperback books:

1) You can make incredibly constructive use of dead time. Time that would be otherwise utterly impossible to fill with a paper book. For example, listen to a section of a hyper motivational audiobook while on the way to work.

You'll not only learn but also save the time spent reading such a book. More than that though, a book is a passive device that you have to draw information out of.

An audio book in comparison pushes it to you. In the example of motivational audiobooks that's a huge advantage as you can get the worlds best motivational trainers giving you a pre-work zip up talk every morning.

That will, I absolutely guarantee you, energize you for the day ahead.

2) Audio books are much more cost effective and environment friendly than hardback and paperbacks. Very simply they don't need trees to be cut down and greenhouse gases released to produce them.

3) With mp3 player functions such as mid track resume, bookmarking or simple visual chapter selection you can flip through them easily and quickly. Pick up where you left off or find a place quickly again just like that.

4) You can listen to an audiobook when it's dark (example - walking the dog at night when you have no lights). So, with an audio book you can still 'read' no matter what the time or situation. I find them great when out fishing at night when you don't want to use a light but do want to have a book going.

5) Get the children to sleep faster - With an audiobook, unlike a traditional book you can simply play it for them until they fall asleep. Plus with audio books specifically for children the narrator(s) are expert actor/speakers trained to read children's books so they make them loads of fun and then there are extras like the sound effects that really bring it to life better than you can (sorry to say but it's true!)

So why not go and check out some audiobooks today and find out for yourself how useful and how fun they are. There are loads of free audio books as well so you can test the water for free as well.