Listening Books while Traveling

Since I travel a lot, I love to use that time to listen some wonderful books I like to read. I just finished listening “What the Dog Saw and other Adventures” by Malcolm Gladwill. It’s a typical Malcolm Gladwill book with lots of facts and connections among them. I didn’t like it in the starting as he was talking a single topic for so long (for example Ketchup). But the more I listened the more I liked it. I would highly recommend the book to anyone.

The book I’m listening currently is “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. This is the first book I’m reading/listening from the author. Surprisingly one of my professors in management used Jim collins’ findings in some of our classes. It talks mainly about the one things I’m trying hard, “DISCIPLINE”.

I understand that not all of us have the facility to get audio books. But we still can get paperbacks for a cheaper price (if you are in US). I don’t buy lots of books. I am a member of 3 libraries. So, I try to borrow books from those libraries. Even then I won’t get all the books I want to read. For paperback books, I use paperbackswap.com, a book exchange website. If you have a book that you no longer need, just post it in the website. If someone requests it, send the book to that person. By sending one book, you’ll get 1 credit. You can request a book you want using that credit. You can continue this way as long as you need. All you have to pay is the postal fee when you send the book to people who have requested. Its way cheaper than buying a book in Amazon. I bought 1 credit using $3. 45 for a book called The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt (My favorite author). The same book is selling for $16.47 in Amazon. I’m not sure how things are working in other countries. But you’ll have some ways to get books at a cheaper price. Please post your ideas to get books in the comment section.

I can’t stress you enough why we have to explore to some of the wonderful books in the world. It shapes us for the good. When I came to US, I was afraid to talk to people as I was not confident about my English. I even didn’t know the culture, work ethics, life style, and people management. But I learned and understood so much about the corporate world and the culture in each country through books. Some times nothing can teach us all these things except self learning and experience (ours or others).