J.M. NORTHUP

Most people aren’t aware of this, but did you know that audiobooks have been around since 1877? Yep, that’s right. They were first created by the famous inventor Thomas Edison. With the advent of his phonograph (the precursor to the record player), he effectively brought forth the audiobook by reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

Now, I am not a particular fan of Thomas Edison. If you know anything about the so-called “current war,” then you can understand why. However, I give him full props when it comes to this endeavor, especially since his intent was to help the visually impaired, allowing them a means to enjoy books and reading. As was the case with the lightbulb, there were other inventors who created recording devices, but what made Edison’s unique was the fact his could BOTH record and reproduce sound.