Why is the iTunes Store currently offering the nearly 7-hour audiobook version of John Hodgman's The Areas of My Expertise for free? "It felt like the right and generous thing to do at this sparkly time of year," Hodgman said when contacted by email, before explaining that the inspiration first came to Penguin Audio executive producer Patti Pirooz, who worked with Hodgman and his Riverhead editor, Sean McDonald, to make it happen. "I believe so strongly in this project," Pirooz said, confirming her role in the promotion. "It's one of the best we've done all year, certainly one of the funniest." (Allow me to break my supposed objective stance for a moment to wholeheartedly agree!)

"Obviously I also hoped it would introduce a lot of people to the audiobook who perhaps did not know that the audiobook existed," Hodgman added, noting guest appearances from Robin Goldwasser and a mystery celebrity. "And Jonathan Coulton worked especially hard on it—he brilliantly, impossibly improvised an original state song for each of our 51 states totally on the spot." If that sounds like it's your cup of tea, better hurry: The audiobook is only expected to be on the freebie list until Christmas Day. At least you won't have to worry about the iTunes store running out of copies, no matter how brisk the business gets—and, considering that 2,500 copies were downloaded on Tuesday alone, I'd say the word has spread.