Audible For Dummies

Recently I noticed that Audible is great for dummies. To be more specific I noticed that if you are an Audible paying subscriber you have access to dozens of Audible For Dummies books available within the subscription. 

They have books on goat keeping, bee keeping, ham radio and more available for us to listen to for “free” within the subscriptions that we have. This is great, not because we ever finish For Dummies books, but because we can read them for cheaper than usual. 

Usually, at least in Switzerland, For Dummies books cost 20-30 CHF each, unless you find them in lending libraries in villages, for free, but that’s a matter of luck, rather than reliably. 

In the past when we bought books we would go to a library and we would thumb through the book, and see whether the content engaged us. With digital books, whether audio or e-book we can’t do that so easily. We can read a sample but the sample doesn’t give the same “try before you buy experience” as leafing through a book. 

With Audible having so many For Dummies books to choose from we can listen to bit and pieces of books, and see whether we want to buy the book, after all, or not. 

I was curious to read “Blogging for Dummies” but because the book is old, and because I’ve been blogging longer than the writer of that book I thought “The book is a waste of money”. By getting the book included with my Audible plan I can read it for “free” and see whether it is as much as a waste of time as I thought it was. I have listened to some of the book but haven’t formed an opinion yet. 

If I was producing a For Dummies book I would remove the introduction about the symbols and what they mean, as well as remove the part about “you can read it in any order you like”. With an audiobook we usually read them from beginning to end, without skipping around like in a printed book. 

And Finally

Not all for Dummies books are included within the Audible subscription so you might be lucky and find the book you’re curious about, or not. I share this as a curiousity. This is an opportunity to learn about new topics whilst walking, cooking driving, etc.