An audio book is a recording of commercially available printed material. It is an alternative form of books. The education systems are constantly innovating and modifying the way lessons are taught. The challenges of physically handicapped (like blindness) people are now minimized with the emergence of new education strategies. Audio book is one of them. These are actually books that are read aloud and recorded. Through this kind of book, an illiterate person can also enjoy the content and get the knowledge. Audio books are generally distributed on CDs, cassette tapes, downloadable digital formats and most recently, some digital formats.

Authors and publishers now recognize the advantages of transforming published book into audio books. Some book publishers even predicted that these format of books would exceed the sales of paperback books or e-books one day. Why this is so, is understandable when you consider the benefits of these books. The main advantages are,- (1) For many people, listening to an audio book is more entertaining and exciting than reading a printed book. (2) Downloading these books are quick and easy. (3) For the book publishers, recordings can be duplicated easily and downloadable books will never run out of stock. (4) These books are affordable Many audio book clubs provide audio book download and rental service at low cost. (5) The parents can listen together with their kids and have fun. An audio book can be the best alternative of a bedtime story.

Publishers and producers use compact disc, cassette tapes, or the online portal as medium of audio book. Currently, CDs have dominated the audio book format. It is so because CDs are now on the paradigm when it comes to audio technology. The cassette tape format currently takes about 40% of the audio books sold and purchased through the market, according to the estimates. But the fastest growing segment of format type for audio book is the downloadable type. The downloadable books are the most convenient format because the book is stored online or virtually.

Sometimes, audio books manufacturers also hire famous celebrities to read out the contents. This is based on thinking that several people would appreciate it more and would be more interesting. Finally, aside from being academically useful, it can also be used to teach people.

By: Alden Jerry

About the Author:

As an SAT Tutor and College Coach, I make it my business to read every relevant piece of literature on the subject of SAT Test Prep. I must admit that I have been in the test prep business for some time and as a result I am jaded and skeptical when reading anything that promotes “new ideas”. Surprisingly, “Hack The SAT” (Penquin Books) by Eliot Schrefer brings some fresh ideas to the stodgy world of standardized test preparation. The book was recommended to me with much hype. The author is a multi faceted fiction writer, non-fiction writer, and tutor to Manhattan’s elite children.

Written in a semi sarcastic tone a la “Up Your Score” (a favorite study guide of mine) the book has many smart and sometimes funny approaches to the reading, writing and math sections of the SAT. The author gives the student what he calls, several “tricks of the trade”–time saving, problem solving methods as well as techniques to avoid the silly traps the testmakers often set. Schrefer’s writing style attempts to communicate in the language of a High School Junior or Senior. Whether he succeeds is anybody’s guess. I haven’t been in High School for over 30 years.

The book gives some solid advice on how to properly attack a critical reading passage. A running vocabulary list appears at the bottom of each page. There are some basic but necessary rules of grammar designed to help with the writing multiple choice part of the SAT. The essay section is excellent and a must read. The Math tutorial is fresh and it introduces many time saving tricks with the use of a calculator. There are some errors in the Math section which the author promises will be corrected with the next printing. A sharp student who can spot these errors will know he or she is paying attention!

In the final chapter, there is a comprehensive mini quiz which the author calls an SAT Drill. The answer key refers the student to the particular page where the question’s concept is reinforced. A special bonus section on college applications is very informative.

I recommend “Hack The SAT” to students who have taken the exam at least once and have already read “Up Your Score”. Schrefer’s book boldly contends that his secret strategies can raise your score hundreds of points. The operative word here is can. He and I both agree that all the slick shortcuts in the world will not improve a student’s score unless that student is committed to sitting down and taking as many practice exams as possible. The same way major league baseball players take batting practice every day before the game, the student must practice, practice, practice.

By: Steven Weisman

About the Author:

Very few books can claim that it is the “Bible of …” However the second edition of For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles reaffirms its title in the domain of beetle breeding. In 2001, the first edition of the book was published simultaneously in English and Chinese and written by Jonathan Lai. It was neither a volume about insect taxonomy nor a book about insect vulgarization. It was all about the art of beetle husbandry, an unheard hobby at the time. Although beetle rearing was already very popular in Japan and finding beetle literature in that country was easy, getting hold of information about beetle breeding was a rarity outside the Land of the Rising Sun. The first edition was beautifully illustrated and covered the major genus (Lucanidae, Dynastidae and Cetonidae) that were reared in the hobby.

It single-handedly launched the popularity of beetle keeping in Taiwan and helped numerous other beetle breeders around the world. ? The second edition of For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles is co-authored by Jonathan Lai and Ko Shin-ping, a professional beetle breeder. It is published in a two-volume set and includes both English and Chinese instructions. It picks up where it left off with everything a breeder needs to know to successfully raise beetles. It covers many of the same material as the first edition. However the author has gained further experience since the first edition and, with the collaboration of other professional breeders, the book now includes further beetle rearing knowledge, more breath-taking time lapsed pictures and even corrected facts from the previous edition.

Volume I explains the different level of decay found in wood which is needed to make successful beetle substrate. It also reveals the secret of making flour-fermented wood substrate (a question often raised but seldom explained in beetle rearing forums) to encourage your beetle larvae to reach maximum size. It covers most of the major Rhinoceros (Dynastidae) Beetles such as: Megasoma, Chalcosoma and the various Dynastes species such as D. granti, D. tityus, D. hyllus and D. neptunus. A very extensive chapter is dedicated to D. Hercules and its various forms, all shown in life size photos.

One single chapter summarizes the Flower (Cetonidae) Beetles while another one is dedicated to the Goliathus beetle. To the newcomer who wants to try his hand with the Goliathus, this chapter contains information which is crucial to the success of its rearing. However, to the experienced breeder who has perused the net to find breeding info about Goliathus rearing techniques, he will find that it is the same article printed on?Natural Worlds by German breeder, Karl Meier. Finally, the volume is completed by Rutelini scarabs (by well known American breeder, Orin McMonigle) and Long-arm scarabs (Euchirinae), a genus missing from the previous publication.

Volume II is mostly concentrated on Stag (Lucanidae) beetles such as the various Dorcus, Prosopocoilus, Odontolabis and Lucanus genus. Identification keys are included to differentiate the different subspecies and maximum specie sizes (when available) are given. Other subjects included are: Mating and Oviposition, Larval Sex Determination and Mites. In my opinion, the Holy Grail is the recipe for making your own kinshi bottles. Kinshi has been the one factor which has allowed Japanese breeders to dominate the beetle breeding hobby. All the record size specimens have been produced in Japan. The magical kinshi consists of allowing mushroom mycelium to colonize a wood substrate. Stag beetle larvae who consume such substrate grow at tremendous rate and emerge into major adults. The step by step illustrated instruction is just priceless!

The two volumes consist of individual chapters, each explaining the specific rearing techniques in terms of breeding conditions, egg laying requirements and larval care of a particular specie. Pictures of the beetle in various states (egg, larva, pupa and imago) are illustrated. As an owner of the first edition, I realized that much of the information would be repeated in this new version but the addition of the new photos and the updated breeding techniques were more than enough to make it an enjoyable experience. However, one flaw which was present in the first edition was again found in the new one: the under-representation of the Flower Beetle (Cetonidae) family. Flower beetle species consist of 30% of all species found in breeding and yet, only two chapters (one general Flower Beetle chapter and one Goliathus chapter) were included. Comparatively, the Dynastes hercules family was described to all the known sub-species.

?In conclusion, the second edition of For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles is a must have for all serious coleopterists, whether breeder or not. Much of the information surrounding the breeding behaviors of beetles has come from the beetle breeding community. The authors succeed in passing all the required knowledge from A to Z to all newcomers and experienced breeders are bound to find a few surprises.

The book is available: here.???

Authors: Jonathan Lai, Ko Shin-ping
468 pages/850 full-color photographs
43 chapters
Text in both English and Mandarin Chinese
Each set contains two books and one box
The whole set is 4 cm thick
Dimensions: 19.4 cm x 27.4 cm
ISBN: 978-957-41-5817-1

By: Jayson Wong

About the Author: