The World is Flat by Thomas L Friedman

I've started listening to the free audio version of Thomas L Friedman’s The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century and it's every bit as fantastic as I was told.

And listening to the bonus free prepublication audio excerpt of Friedman’s Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution–and How It Can Renew America makes me want to get my hands on a copy when it is released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on September 8, 2008.

I'm thrilled that I heard about the free giveaway!

I'd love to hear about any other free book offers!

FREE: The World is Flat by Thomas L Friedman

Tomorrow through August 4th, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Macmillan Audio will be offering the audio edition of Thomas L Friedman's The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century for free!

Click here to read the 1st chapter of this book on globalization or click here to read an article by Thomas L. Friedman from the NYTimes about some of the concepts in the book.

I haven't read the book, only the article linked above and I'm thrilled to receive a free audio version of this book!

To get the audiobook in three easy-to-download sections (and as a bonus an exclusive prepublication audio excerpt of Friedman's Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America to be released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on September 8th), visit Thomas L Friedman's website or simply click here.

Audio Book - Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

Today I listened to my first audio book (which I borrowed from the library last week on a whim): Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama and read by the author.

Click here to read Paul Watkins's New York Times review of the first edition of this book "A Promise of Redemption" published August 6, 1995 or click here to read the Introduction to the 2004 edition.

Obama's lyrical speech and talent with voices won him a spoken word Grammy in 2006 for the audio book version of Dreams from My Father and another Grammy in 2008 for the audio book edition of The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (beating out Bill Clinton for his audio book Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World and Jimmy Carter for his audio book Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bringing Peace to a Changing World).

While I prefer to read my books, listening to Dreams from My Father has made me appreciate audio books. It's quite a different experience to hear an author read his or her book.

I'm hopeful that I'll also enjoy listening to David McCullough's 1776!