For those of you in need of ideas for Christmas, if you’re looking for something in the audio category, allow me to offer some handpicked suggestions, both in my favorite audio content and audio mp3 electronics. All products link to Amazon.com or Amazon.ca, and Faith By Hearing will receive an affiliate commission on every sale, no cost to you.
First, two must-haves.
Max Mclean’s ESV audio Bible in mp3 format. This is the entire Bible in a very affordable version. Max Mclean’s narration of Scripture is, in my opinion, the best Bible narration I’ve ever heard. The audio CD versions are much more expensive than this full Bible in the mp3 format. It’s very easy to upload onto an iPod. See it at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
The Valley of Vision, narrated again by Max Mclean. This is a classic collection of Puritan prayers that have been a daily blessing to countess Christians since it’s publication. Max Mclean breaths life into these prayers in this audio version. See it al Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
Focus on the family has done an amazing job of producing a number of audio dramas that my entire family loves. They are great for even the shortest of road trips. My kids are forever asking us to play the next disc when we get into the van.
The Chronicles of Narnia — C.S. Lewis’ classic series is brought to life with drama, sound effects and a great cast of voices. We’ve had our copy for over 2 years now. My children have listened to this series multiple times, and to this day continue to ask for it. We have also given this as a gift to other families who have children and they have often remarked at how much they love it. You can’t miss with this gift if you have children. See it at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
Les Miserables — This is my personal favorite, another dramatized audio adaptation (not the musical). The story of Jean Val Jean is engaging and will have a greater appeal for adults and older children. If you’re looking for something for yourself, this would be the first thing I would suggest. See it at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
Ben Hur and Billy Budd are also two other audio dramatizations that will appeal more to older children and adults. If you enjoy Les Mis, then these would be two you want to add to your collection. See Ben Hur at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. See Herman Melville’s Billy Budd at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, narrated by Max Mclean. If you haven’t ever read Pilgrim’s Progress Max Mclean’s audio version may be just the ticket for you. Bunyan’s book is a classic and has never been out of print. Historically it has out sold all other Christian books, second only to the Bible. See it at Amazon. com or Amazon.ca
On the hardware front I recommend getting an mp3 iPod speaker system. Many of them are portable and most offer excellent sound quality. They are very handy for listening to you iPod anywhere in your home or work place. The Bose SoundDock is one of the top recommendations for sound quality. It also recharges your iPod while seated in the dock. For those of you, like me, who have concerns about using your earbuds too often, this is a needed accessory. See it at Amazon.com
And finally, if you don’t yet own an iPod, there are a wide variety to choose from to suit your needs. Although there are many other mp3 players on the market, I will always buy iPod. I have no complaints about my iPod, which is now 5 years old and still going strong in the coldest of weather as I commute to work everyday. It works easily with iTunes on Windows or Mac. I can’t recommend it more highly.
The iPod classic holds a massive 120 GB, which is great if you plan to use it as an audio storage device and use it with a sound dock. See this at Amazon.com
The iPod nano is perfect for those who don’t need a lot of storage. With either the 8 GB or 16GB versions, you will be able to hold the entire Bible plus much more. For most people 16GB will be more than adequate storage. See it at Amazon.com
The iPod touch is all about functionality. There is no internal drive like the iPod classic, rather it has Flash memory in 8, 16 or 32 GB. 32 GB is about all you really need for an iPod unless it’s being used to store a huge collection of audio. The touch has video, games and even Wifi connectivity. In fact, it’s almost an iPhone, and you might wonder what the difference is? Not much. The touch does not have phone capability. It’s advantage over the iPhone is it 32 GB option. See it at Amazon.com
Faith by Hearing 