The Silmarillion as an MP3 audiobook. - Tehanu @ 05:14 PST
Larry writes in: "Audible.com is an outfit that sells downloaded books in an encoded, quasi-MP3 format. They are intended for commuters and others who feel they can split their attention between what they hear and what they do.

"The point is that they are offering The Silmarillion in three parts (i.e., three downloaded MP3-style "books"). The reader is superb. For people like me who just can't get into the printed book, this particular recording makes it fully accessible. It is still hard to get into, as the first hour is a "challenge", if you get my meaning. However, if you hang in there, it gets better and better. The reading is probably available from somebody else as a pile of tapes, but I prefer MP3 players.

"The best way to get books from Audible.Com is to subscribe for a year, whereupon they send you a player. However, you can make a single purchase, and download certain decoding software for certain players, if you have one that will accept it."