The Free Word: 650 Recordings (And Still Counting)!

Once or twice a year I use this space to update you on my pastime as a reader for Librivox.org. Librivox (translated variously as Free Word, Free Voice, Book Voice, etc.) is a worldwide non-profit organization that has as part of its mission to bring to life as many works of literature as possible. This is accomplished by readers such as myself who record and edit works of both historical significance and others that have been rescued from obscurity. I recently completed my 650th recording and decided to share that fact with the few loyal readers of this blog!

When I joined Librivox three years ago my mentor, Phil Chenevart of Louisiana, was very prescient. He helped me get the technical aspects of my recordings down pat before he allowed my work to be published. He said, at the time, (and a paraphrase) that it was worth the investment of time at the moment to ensure that the “hundreds of recordings I will make in the future” will be both good and rewarding to me as a reader and to the listener. 650 recordings later he has been proved correct. Recording for Librivox has become one of the most rewarding things that I do.

People join Librivox for many reasons. For me, I was very interested in bringing books to life for people who are blind, disabled or otherwise have little time or ability to read a book. Since everything we, as readers, record is electronic, our works are available for streaming or download. They can be found on such diverse media as cell phone apps, YouTube and websites. While some sites may actually charge you for our work, every recording is available at no charge at www.Librivox.org

I have made some good friends while working with my fellow readers at Librivox. Maria Kaspar of New York, Ann Boulais of California, Sidhu of India and MaryAnn Spiegel of Illinois are just a few whom I have worked closely with. Recently Maria, Ann and I have completed works on topics as diverse as the Civil War (The Secret Service) and the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 (A History of the Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco). As a solo reader I recently recorded Selected Classics of Washington Irving by Washington Irving and Uncle’s Dream by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

No matter what your taste in literature may be, you will probably find a recording of it at Librivox. From classis by Dickens, Doyle or Tolstoy, to early issues of National Geographic, recordings of works in the public domain are available for your listening pleasure. If you would like to check out what I have recorded please visit: www.librivox.org/reader/8011 Please come and check out Librivox. I guarantee you will find something that will entertain, educate or just help pass a quiet day.