In the summer of 2015, I moved to Taipei, Taiwan, and shortly thereafter I began to read more. I always had enjoyed reading, but I felt compelled to read more often when I moved abroad, and so my reading rate increased over the following number of months. Mainly, I read on my electronic device through iBooks and Kindle Unlimited, but soon started consuming more audiobooks.

I then heard someone, can’t remember who now, on the Tim Ferriss Show podcast, discussing the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I thought that I’d look for it in audiobook format, and that’s when I came upon Librivox.

Librivox is an organization that offers books that are in the public domain (mostly books published before 1923) in free audiobook format from volunteers. You can download books from within their smartphone app or their website.

Being in audiobook format, you can listen anywhere and anytime you want – while at the gym, driving,  shopping, whenever!

Some of my personal favorites within Librivox are: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, Common Sense by Thomas Paine, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Power of Concentration by William Walker Atkinson, and Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin.

Among the best books on architecture include: Ten Books on Architecture by Vitrivius, Thoughts on Art and Life by Leonardo Da Vinci, The History of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand de Lesseps, and The Seven Lamps of Architecture by John Ruskin.

I have gained invaluable insights on life,  and learned so much more on the subjects of history, architecture, sociology, among others. Libribox has had a hugely beneficial effect on my life, and will continue to for decades to come.

Librivox has just posted their 12,000th book and celebrated their 13th anniversary, so huge congratulations to them! The knowledge, advice, and ideas within this one single app at no cost is utterly astounding.

I believe that every single person with a smartphone should download Librivox and listen intently to as many books as you can. Our world has been impacted so positively because of it, and would become even more of an influence with more exposure. I’m not sure how I didn’t come across Librivox sooner, but it’s better late than never, and I can say with confidence that Librivox can and will change your life!