One thing to keep in mind is that the rights that the publishers are exercising here are the same rights initially possessed by the writer, before they transfer

One thing to keep in mind is that the rights that the publishers are exercising here are the same rights initially possessed by the writer, before they transfer them to the publisher. So it's about the publishers, yes, but before that it's about protecting the creators. > I get why the audiobook is more. I'm paying for the author's story + actor. But I never understood why once I have the audiobook I could not be allowed the text version for free. The audiobook isn't just "more", it's technically a separate work altogether. The audiobook producer will acquire a license to use the book in its own work. Presumably the consideration for the license is either straight up cash or some cut of the profits from the sales of the audiobook, or some combination of the two. But copyright is not just one right, it's a bundle of rights. And most likely, when the publisher licenses use of the book for creation of the audiobook, they are (probably explicitly) not also licensing rights of distribution of the text of the book. So disseminating the text of the original work would be a violation of the publisher's rights.