What audiobook are you listening to in your Prius?

RobertG · Apr 23, 2007

For books in the public domain, you can download MP3s at LibriVox. Also, there is this list of sites where you can find free books in the public domain.

PriusRos · Apr 23, 2007

Driving the Prius hasn't changed my listening habits but I've been listening to audio books for a long time. My local library has a great selection of books on CD. I either listen to them on the CD player in the car, or download them to my iPod for listening on the Metro.

I generally like political and international/spy thrillers, courtroom dramas, murder mysteries, politics, and some historical novels. Just finished listening to The Camel Club by David Baldacci and now have Al Franken's Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell them loaded.

thoughtvineyard · Jun 28, 2007

I too have experienced a change in aural stimulation. I used to listen to a lot of music, now I find myself totally bored with my own music. It feels too loud and intrustive to me.

I've started downloading audio books on Sundays so I can have listening "material" all week long. It used to be a real pain in the butt, and I tired of unneccesarily transferring files from itunes to my ipod.

Now I just download from www.exclusive-audiobooks-download.com and get them instantly and just burn to CD. I finally found a site to make my Sunday download-sesh seem a lot less irritating. I just can't seem to find the time to get to the library.

Do other people download audio books from the internet?
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I've noticed an interesting phenomenon that has happened in the 4 weeks since I bought my Prius: listening to the news holds a lot less appeal. I'm either driving in silence now, or listening to audiobooks. They seem to fit the aesthetics and the "mood" of the Prius more than news about politics, wars, celebrity melt-downs etc.

Have you had a similar experience, or is it just me?

Why have my listening habits changed? It seems to be that the Prius is conditioning me to slow down. Not only is it so clean and new that I feel quiet in it, but the machine is training me to go slower. In my old Accord, the only "feedback" I got was the speedometer and the clock. These feedback mechanisms seem to promote only one response: speed. That's the only way to "win" their game. In the Prius, there's an overwhelming amount of feedback that goes in the opposite direction: a vivid moment-by-moment feedback graphic that tells me exactly how much gas I'm burning.

In the previous car, my male competitive instinct was rewarded by speed. This car rewards...slowness, graceful driving, attentiveness, and planning. My new contest: how far can I get down 11th Street in 99.9 mpg mode? Do I have enough time to commute home the slow route so I can get my average up a bit? How do I go 68mph on I-5 without getting in the way?

The newness of the car and the quieter approach to driving has affected my listening habits. I'm now gracefully cruising along, listening to -

"Across the Nightingale Floor" by Lian Hearn. It's an intruiging historical fantasy (is that an oxymoron?) about feudal Japan that's quite vivid in its language and imagery.

"A New Earth" by Eckart Tolle, which explores both the nefarious aspects of our minds and egos and the benevolence and strength of our deeper natures. Thought-provoking and inspiring.

"Fresh Air" podcasts with Terry Gross.

Or it's just silence.

Maybe I should drive a Ford Expedition for a while to see if that sends my tastes in some other direction. Or maybe a Hummer...

Has the Prius affected your listening habits?

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subarutoo · Jun 29, 2007

Just finished "The Last Juror", by Greshim. Pretty good, and well read. I just started a Clive Cussler, "Polar Shift", though he he getting pretty "formula", all the same. I spend over 10 hours a week commuting, and burn thru audiobooks pretty fast. Luckily my wife is a librarian, so I have an almost unlimited free supply.

I can't imagine how the car you drive can affect what you listen to, except that in the Prius I can actually hear the words. It is so much quieter than my Subaru.

What audiobook are you listening to in your Prius?

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What audiobook are you listening to in your Prius?

RobertG New Member

PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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