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Universal-owned streaming service Spotify has begun testing an audiobook offering with a limited library of narrative recordings already released.
The collection currently consists of nine novels that are available to the public alongside a series dubbed Sitting with the Classics on Spotify. The series packs lectures on each book by Harvard professor Glenda Carpio. The lectures focus on the history and themes of each novel.
As reported by Hollywood Reporter, Spotify’s new lineup of audiobooks will be available for free to users across the globe. However, the books will be promoted to English-speaking markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany.
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Some of the audiobooks that users across Africa might find available include:
- Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
- Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
- Cane – Jean Toomer
- Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
- Passing – Nella Larsen
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave – Frederick Douglass
- The Awakening – Kate Chopin
- Persuasion – Jane Austen
- Red Badge of Courage – Stephen Crane
Apparently, this is not the first time Spotify has commissioned and officially launched audiobooks on the platform. The company had launched a version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that was read by many celebrity narrators including the film star Daniel Radcliffe.
This will, however, be the first time that Spotify has launched a bigger collection of novels. This could be a hint to the company’s plans of offering additional content of this variety going forward.
The streaming platform has made this clear in the recent past with world-renowned figures signing exclusive podcast deals. This includes deals with Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian-West, and Joe Rogan, designed to attract more users to the platform.
In fact, it is reported that the company has considered having separate subscription service for podcasts alone. This will include exclusive extra content and no ads from the podcasts.
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