Harry Potter audiobooks are magical in their own right, allowing fans to experience the series as they never have before. But with such an expansive collection of audiobooks available, it can be hard to choose which version to buy. What if you don’t like the narrator? How do you find the best prices? Which version has the most content? This guide answers these questions and more, helping you choose the Harry Potter audiobook that’s right for you.
The first book was released more than 20 years ago
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was published in 1997.
That first book has been translated into 68 languages and sold more than 120 million copies.
It was named Book of the Year by School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Parenting Magazine, and American Booksellers Association; it also received numerous starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Hornbook Guide to Children’s & Young Adult Books, etc.
Today, all seven books in J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world have been released and have sold more than 450 million copies globally in 77 languages.
All of these books are read by David Tennant, John Lithgow, Maggie Smith, Jim Dale, Stephen Fry, and Jude Law.
It took 11 years to publish all seven books with another four years after that to produce digital downloads so they could be listened to in audiobook format as well.
Over 5,000 people have voiced characters in audiobook format including Benedict Cumberbatch, Emilia Clarke, Dan Stevens, Tom Felton, and Ron Weasley himself – Rupert Grint.
More than 40 actors who have previously worked on Harry Potter films and series lend their voices to these audiobooks.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was published in 2007. It became an instant New York Times bestseller and remained so for five years, while it remained on Publishers Weekly’s hardcover fiction list for more than 19 weeks. It has sold more than 36 million copies worldwide.
There are 8 books, 7 movies, and one play
it’s not a small undertaking to start listening to Harry Potter audiobooks. Before you get started, here are some things you should know.
The main narrator of every book and movie is Jim Dale. Dale has won a Grammy Award, was named an Officer of Order of Arts and Letters by France, and won an Emmy Award for voicing Maurice in The Secret World of Arrietty.
The first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is narrated by Jim Dale.
The other 7 books are narrated by a wide variety of actors that include Stephen Fry, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, and Maggie Smith.
All of these audio editions are unabridged audiobooks. There is also a play called Harry Potter and The Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2 available to listen to in full as an audiobook.
The Harry Potter series is one of my favorite things, and I have listened to all 8 books in audiobook format at least twice. While I love having Jim Dale read these to me, they are not perfect.
This guide will help you know what you’re getting into when you decide to listen to a Harry Potter audiobook.
If you start with the movie/play, take a break after each book/movie
While reading Harry Potter or watching one of its corresponding movies is fun, listening to Harry Potter audiobooks on a road trip is even better. The first time I listened to them was on a road trip on an annual family vacation.
We had so much fun laughing at everything that was happening in Rowling’s magical world that we almost ran out of gas because we forgot how far away from home we were driving.
Whether you’re on a road trip or simply looking for something to do while taking a drive, Harry Potter audiobooks will help pass your time quickly.
By listening to audiobooks of your favorite novels instead of watching or reading them yourself, you can save time while enjoying entertainment. This is especially true if you plan on reading all seven books within a short amount of time.
You don’t need to start with each book right away. Start with whichever book you like best, then take a break and listen to other audiobooks for a while before going back. This will keep your interest levels high and make your experience enjoyable from beginning to end.
Take your time when listening to each book
If you’re new to audiobooks, be sure not to rush through them. It can be easy to get distracted if you try and cram too much into a short period, so take your time and enjoy each moment.
It’s okay if you only listen for 10 minutes in one day; it will add up over time! Also, listening to audiobooks takes some getting used to, so don’t worry if at first, it feels a little weird.
When you are listening to an audiobook, it is easy to get distracted or zone out if you listen for too long.
It’s recommended that you don’t listen while driving or doing something that requires your full attention, and also be sure not to multitask while listening (do your dishes but don’t cook dinner!).
If at first, you find it difficult to focus on what you’re listening to, try setting yourself a timer, and once it goes off take a break for a few minutes before continuing.
It is also important to listen at a comfortable speed, which is usually slower than most people are used to. Your brain can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to get used to listening at a slower pace, so don’t give up!
Another tip is to take a break when listening for a long period. You don’t want to tire yourself out and not enjoy what you’re listening to!
Taking small breaks between chapters will allow you to clear your mind and continue with enjoyment.
Listening at 1.5x speed is best for most people
For reading, it’s best to listen at 1.5x speed. (If you don’t have that option on your device, try 2x speed and then slow it down with a simple audio program like Audacity.)
Listening to audiobooks at 2x is not great for comprehension or enjoyment—it’s like trying to watch a movie on fast-forward.
1.5x will save you over 70 hours of listening time, which adds up quickly! And you’ll enjoy it much more than if you were listening at 2x speed.
You’ll be able to follow along without getting lost or missing anything, and you can slow it down a little bit if you find yourself having trouble keeping up.
Listening at 1.5x is great for your brain, too—it keeps things interesting and will help keep your focus on track, even through long novels like The Lord of The Rings trilogy.
And if you have family, friends, or coworkers who are reading along with you and are slower readers than you are, 1.5x speed is a great way to stay in sync with them!
You can read at your own pace while still keeping up with what they’re doing and not missing anything. And that can make it much more fun to be a part of their journey.
Listen between activities or while working out
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Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or music can make for a great distraction when you’re trying to squeeze in a workout.
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You can listen to books you love but never have time to read on your commute or listen as you work out at home.
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When looking for new titles, look for ones with shorter chapters; listening often helps me stay focused and engaged and makes my workouts fly by!
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Music can also make workouts more fun and help you stay motivated. Many people find that listening to music helps them work out longer, harders, and more often because it makes their workout feel less like a chore and more like an activity.
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When choosing music for your workout, think about what genre works best for you. Some popular genres of choice include country, pop, dance, rock, and hip-hop.
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Podcasts are another great way to keep your mind occupied while working out. Research shows that listening to educational podcasts can help you learn as you exercise and get fit!
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Some popular topics of choice include self-improvement, business, and leadership, health & wellness, history, science, and entertainment.
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Audiobooks are books recorded in audio format and read aloud by a narrator.
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Listening to audiobooks can provide hours of entertainment and help you learn while you commute or exercise.
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There are many popular book series that have been produced in audiobook format; such as Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones, and Outlander.
Use headphones when possible
Listen to audiobooks through headphones if possible. You can listen to higher volumes without bothering others, and you won’t have to worry about the audio being distorted when you turn a page.
If you use headphones, make sure they are in good condition to avoid getting tangled up or breaking during your workout session.
Additionally, make sure that there is no risk of them falling out and becoming lost during your workout.
When you are looking for a pair of headphones, make sure that they are sweat-proof and water-resistant to protect them from damage when you’re exercising.
You should also look for headphones with a secure fit, like ear hooks or behind-the-ear hooks designs. These will help keep your headphones in place during exercise and prevent them from falling out at any time.
Headphones with noise-canceling features are a good option if you want to focus on listening to your audiobook, instead of what’s going on around you.
When shopping for these kinds of headphones, be sure to look for ones that block out external sounds by at least 25 dB.
Noise-canceling headphones can make it easier to keep track of where you are in your book when using them at the gym or on a run.
Headphones can be a great way to get through your workout and focus on your reading.
By choosing a pair that is designed for use during exercise, you can focus on your book instead of worrying about keeping them in place or potentially damaging them with sweat or water.
Get used to pronunciations of names
As with any language, it can be difficult to wrap your head around how to pronounce certain names of characters and places.
Luckily, there are some great guides out there that help even non-Potterheads learn how to say spells like Diffindo (Diffindo!) and where Hogwarts is located within Britain.
Learn about Harry’s world: If you’re a fan of history, it can be helpful to get a sense of how J.K. Rowling built her fantasy world on historical facts.
You can find evidence of what was true and what wasn’t in The Wizarding World through sites like Magical History Tours that show maps with magical locations compared to real-world ones.
Finally, it’s not a bad idea to brush up on your general knowledge of fantasy or science fiction so you have an idea of what else is out there. You can even start by reading Harry Potter itself!
As much as you might want to dive right into that magical world, it’s not a bad idea to prepare yourself for what lies ahead.
There are endless resources out there for every type of fan. Now go get reading!
Add the book on Goodreads
By adding Harry Potter audiobooks to your Goodreads Want to Read shelf, you’ll be notified of future releases.
Plus, you can comment on other readers’ reviews and join a community of book enthusiasts.
And if you have an Audible account (you can sign up for a free trial ), each time a new audiobook is available, you’ll receive it for free through the platform.
Additionally, you can share your review on social media. For example, J.K. Rowling is known for personally responding to tweets about her Harry Potter series.
An option worth considering is that if you don’t like reading, but still want to listen to a Harry Potter audiobook, check out its Audible version.
All of J.K. Rowling’s books are available as audiobooks on Audible, read by Jim Dale.
Dale won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2013 and has narrated over 400 audiobooks during his career—including all of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series.
You can also purchase Audible audiobooks on Amazon. Once you’ve purchased an audiobook, your membership will include it permanently. Audible has a wide range of popular books, including Harry Potter books read by Stephen Fry, Christopher Eccleston, and many more voice actors.
| Audible is another Amazon subscription | service by which members | can listen to audiobooks, |
|---|---|---|
| such as the Harry Potter books, | via the Audible app | There are two subscriptions |
| Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus, | both of which offer free 30-day trials. | The first Harry Potter audiobook is now free on Audible . |
Harry Potter Audiobooks Free
Did you know that several of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are available as audiobooks, read by actor Stephen Fry?
While they can be a bit pricy, they are still worth it for all Harry Potter fans who like to listen to audiobooks while driving or doing chores around their home.
These audiobooks are not available for download, so if you live in a place where there aren’t a lot of people selling them, you might want to consider buying through eBay.
Shipping charges can make it difficult to find them at a good price though.
If you have some of your audiobooks, you might want to consider selling them for a profit on eBay.
This is not always as easy as it seems because audiobook technology is advancing quickly and many people are making their own at home.
If you have some old cassettes that contain books you loved reading as a child, you can convert them to CDs for a price of around $10. On eBay, these sell for about $20 or more.
Summary
Harry Potter is one of those series that has been adapted in pretty much every medium possible. From books to movies to video games, it’s an exciting adventure that has reached millions of people. One of my favorite ways to enjoy Harry Potter is by listening to its audiobook format, which is why I thought it would be fun to share some insight into how audiobooks work.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Here are some important questions to know.
1. How might I pay attention to Harry Potter books free of charge?
Stories Audible can be gotten to on a work area, PC, telephone, or tablet. No login or participation is required. Furthermore, Audible individuals can tune in, for nothing, to the recently delivered book recording of J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, described by stars of the Wizarding World from Noma Dumezweni to Jude Law.
2. Is Harry Potter on Audible free?
Perceptible, in a joints effort with Pottermore Publishing, declared that starting today, audience members can get to the principal book in the Harry Potter series free of charge on Alexa home gadgets.
3. Did Spotify eliminate Harry Potter book recordings?
Sadly it appears to be the substance has been taken out from the Spotify Platform. This can occur for various reasons, there are more data over on the Spotify Support site.
4. Is Harry Potter on Spotify?
Harry Potter and the Order of the Playlists
Starting from the beginning of podcasting, Potterheads have been utilizing sound to keep sharing Harry’s story, coming full circle in more than 1,700 Harry Potter being a fan digital recordings accessible on Spotify all over the planet.
5. Where could I at any point pay attention to Harry Potter at home?
One new section will be accessible every week on harrypotterathome, which is essential for Wizarding World, and Spotify. Coincidentally, the web variant likewise incorporates a video of the perusing. Shock!
6. Where might I at any point peruse the Harry Potter books?
The whole Harry Potter book series is accessible as a feature of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited library, a month-to-month membership administration that gives you admittance to a large number of books, and three magazine memberships. You can peruse these books on a Kindle tablet or any telephone, tablet, or PC with the Kindle application introduced.
7. What App Can I read Harry Potter on free of charge?
Get From the Overdrive/Libby Apps
Overdrive and Libby are a portion of my number one perusing applications, and you can utilize them to get Harry Potter digital books free! As a matter of fact, you can utilize these applications to get an assortment of digital books and book recordings free of charge on your telephone, PC, and so forth.
8. Who peruses the Harry Potter book recordings?
Assuming you’ve at any point attempted to purchase the Harry Potter book recordings, you saw something sort of precarious: there are two altogether different forms. The adaptation most broadly accessible in the U.S. is described by Jim Dale. The U.K. rendition is perused by Stephen Fry.
9. Is Harry Potter free on Alexa?
Following Audible adding the first Harry Potter book to their new free internet-based library of book recordings, Audible Stories, audience members can now get to the first Harry Potter book for nothing on their Alexa home gadgets.
10. Do I have to pay for Audible assuming I have prime?
While it’s in fact an Amazon organization, Audible is excluded with a Prime enrollment, so you’ll need to independently pursue it. When you do, nonetheless, you’ll get close enough to more than 470,000 book recording titles (and then some).
Conclusion
Audiobooks are one of my favorite ways to enjoy a story. They make it possible to enjoy books that I wouldn’t have time to read, and they give me access to stories in formats I might not otherwise be able to enjoy (I don’t drive, so audio dramas aren’t as accessible for me). As a writer myself, audiobooks help me understand how writers can use audio formats to develop characters and provide immersive worlds through music and sound effects.