LibriVox, and why it's so awesome

We mentioned LibriVox over a year ago, talking about its being a free audiobook site. I recently revisited this nifty little site and have a few thoughts to share with you all.

First off, I LOVE the concept. Public domain works are up for grabs, and in this case the grabs are pretty widespread. The selection of available materials is pretty extensive. This is largely a good thing, putting aside differences I have a bit of an issue with the quality of the audio.

Take for example this version of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The snobbish drama critic in me says: “Not much in the way of performance and the differing audio quality even among members in the same scene speaks volumes. I scoff at their puny attempts, SCOFF, I SAY! Now look away as I turn my nose up at you!”

Back to reality. Now, I realize that it’s unlikely that these folks are professional voice actors, but that’s precisely what makes this such a wonderfully egalitarian tool. So long as the quality of your “performance” is understandable and as true as possible to the text, your interpretation is welcome. This blending of literature and theater is what truly makes the Internet worth using, don’t you think?