They came in big noisy plastic cases shaped like large books that held several tapes for long audiobooks. They were made of cheap, thin, disposable-feeling plastic rather than something you’d want for permanent storage. It’s hard to explain what I’m talking about but they were a rather unique experience. They were similar to the plastic clamshell cases used by VHS movies but much larger.
Oh I remember. I borrowed my friends collection of hitchhiker’s guide read by Douglas Adams and copied every one.
Kept them all in a shoebox for years!
I would fall asleep listening to them, then the next night before bed spend ages rewinding and checking and rewinding to find the spot I last remembered listening to before falling asleep. To then fall asleep within 5 minutes and repeat the whole process again the following night.
Good times.
I had a blind friend with a (preinternet) collection of braille and audio books that filled her entire 600 square foot apartment. Shelves upon shelves upon shelves. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen them, but braille books are physically enormous. They have to make the paper extra thick and special to print (punch tactile holes) on both sides of the page. It’s really neat. One of them was a Bible on vinyl. I can’t remember who recorded it but pulling it out of my ass I’d bet good money on Donny Osmond
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
And yelled GET REKT SCHOPENHAUER THESE WOODS RULE
I didnt realize you had audiobooks back in the era of casette tape
They came in big noisy plastic cases shaped like large books that held several tapes for long audiobooks. They were made of cheap, thin, disposable-feeling plastic rather than something you’d want for permanent storage. It’s hard to explain what I’m talking about but they were a rather unique experience. They were similar to the plastic clamshell cases used by VHS movies but much larger.
I remember them, and you described them perfectly.
I forgot those things existed. What a flashback.
Hmm I see. I think I got a set of felt-tip pens in a book-shaped plastic case like that once.
Oh I remember. I borrowed my friends collection of hitchhiker’s guide read by Douglas Adams and copied every one. Kept them all in a shoebox for years!
I would fall asleep listening to them, then the next night before bed spend ages rewinding and checking and rewinding to find the spot I last remembered listening to before falling asleep. To then fall asleep within 5 minutes and repeat the whole process again the following night.
Good times.
Audiobooks were first called “books on tape.”
I had a blind friend with a (preinternet) collection of braille and audio books that filled her entire 600 square foot apartment. Shelves upon shelves upon shelves. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen them, but braille books are physically enormous. They have to make the paper extra thick and special to print (punch tactile holes) on both sides of the page. It’s really neat. One of them was a Bible on vinyl. I can’t remember who recorded it but pulling it out of my ass I’d bet good money on Donny Osmond
You could even rent them out from the public library.
Public libraries still do this! I think it’s CDs now though.
– Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
And yelled GET REKT SCHOPENHAUER THESE WOODS RULE