Audio

If you listen to audio books, you may want to check out Audible.com, from which you can purchase any of thousands of audio books as well as other audio magazines, newspapers, or radio programs. Once downloaded to your computer, you can listen to them on your desktop, burn them to CD, or play them on an MP3 device.

I have been a member of Audible.com for well over a year now and have been extremely pleased with what they provide. While you can always buy single items, there are two subscription programs that give rather substantial savings. The first is "Basic Listener" which allows you to choose one audiobook plus one audio magazine, newspaper, or radio program each month for $14.95 a month. The other is Premium Listener, which allows you to choose any two audiobooks each month for $21.95 a month.

If you join through their webpage, you get 50% off of the first month membership. If you prefer, I can refer you and you will get the first month (i.e., two full audio books!) for free. Please e-mail me, and I will e-mail you back a referal.

Here are some of the Chinese-related audio books available:

• The Bonesetter's Daughter, by Amy Tan
• Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie
• The Travels of Marco Polo
• Empress Orchid, by Anchee Min
• Art of War, by Sun Tzu
• Bound Feet and Western Dress, by Pang-Mei Natasha Chang
• and many others . . .

Audible.com also has Chinese language resources:

• Pimsleur Quick and Simple Chinese Mandarin for English Speakers
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chinese — Level 1, Level 2, and Vocabulary
• VocabuLearn: Chinese — Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3
• In-Flight Mandarin Chinese

Happy listening!