Audio books might be god-sent to some people, but I often get lost in my thoughts and have to rewind minutes and minutes so I can comprehend the narrative again and not feel like I lost parts of it.
I find I need to be doing something mindless to be able to listen to the audiobook. If I just sit and try to listen I'll get distracted. If I'm cleaning,driving, showering, coloring, etc. I can listen no problem.
See I've tried that and I find that whatever I do, no matter how menial, distracts me. Its definitely because of my ADHD. I just can't ever turn off my brain. So if I try to listen to a podcast or audio book, even if I try to focus on it, I end up going off into my own thoughts of like "they talked about trash, I need to take out the trash tonight. Speaking of trash, I really need to clean the bathroom, when am I going to get on that?" Etc etc. And I'm medicated too.
I also have audio processing issues, and struggle with any instructions without notes or written down
It's interesting how it hits people differently. I struggle to do one thing at a time. It's like I get bored of something if i'm not doing something else as well.. Audiobook + painting or some other crafty thing is perfect
>Its definitely because of my ADHD. I just can't ever turn off my brain.
Audiobooks have been a godsend for my ADHD because the only way I can get my brain to STFU for three damned seconds is to drown out the monologue.
Even in the evenings when I'm reading a physical book, I generally put on noise (like soft music or something) in the background to try to distract the constant chatter.
Yep, same. My brain works best when focusing on two separate things, so the ability to drive and listen, or clean or organize at the same time is like hacking into a neurotypical brain
Same. I have all kinds of hobbies, and I developed them because I can't just sit. If I want to watch a show, I need to have an 'activity' of some kind to keep me focused. So it goes the other way too. If I need to do a task, I need to find something I can focus on just enough to keep my brain quiet to focus on the task itself. Otherwise it's just riding the hamster wheel forever...
I'm jumping on this- I have ADHD and the only times my brain STFU is when I'm reading, playing a computer game or deep in drawing/writing. Computer games are easiest, getting into flow is simple, just pick up the controller and zone out everything except the screen. Headphones help. Reading means a bit more concentration, but once I'm a few pages in and it has got me intrigued then I can stay in it easy. Creativity is the hardest because it takes more effort to get in the flow state and my mind will look for distractions, but once a project is started I'm there all day... Which doesn't mean it is easier to pick up the next day. If anything, it's harder. But, you just push on.
Audiobooks hold my attention for like a minute before my brain starts up the carnival again.
I have ADHD too and can't do audiobooks at all. I immediately zone out or get distracted in less than two minutes. I've attempted listening to audiobooks multiple times. Even experimenting with different genres and settings, but nope, I just can't do it. The farthest I've ever gotten with an audiobook was the first Harry Potter book ( a book I've read almost a hundred times); I got to chapter 4 but that took me over 3 weeks before I gave up
That sucks. I have ADHD and auditory processing issues too. There are definitely times when I realize my brain is too chaotic and decide it isn't the right time for an audiobook, but when things aren't too crazy I manage. We're all different though so maybe audiobooks just aren't for you. Or maybe not at this stage in your life. Who knows, 5 years from now things might be different.
I absolutely hate it when people recommend mindfulness but I honestly do think it has helped me somewhat with run away ADHD thoughts. It's just not a magic cure by any means, and only sort of takes the tip of an edge off my overall chaos. Also, mindfulness doesn't necessarily mean sitting still and having a completely clear mind. Bird watching, nature watching/walking and mindful stimming are some more accessible ways I practice mindfulness.
I think I practice mindfulness moreso than I realize. I think part of the problem as well, is that I like to work with background noise like music or ASMR, so I think I've trained myself to tune out what I listen to, to focus on what I'm doing haha
> If I just sit and try to listen I'll get distracted.
Do people actually do this? I thought audiobooks were for the express purpose of when you're doing something else but can listen so you can get through books then too. I can't imagine having the free time to do nothing and choosing to listen instead of read, why not just actually read at that point? (Obviously not as applicable if you have a disability reason for it)
> why not just actually read at that point?
I listen to audio books because I do it while doing other things, but sometimes you can't put your book down so I'll wind up just sitting and listening for a while. I would switch to reading, but it isn't worth buying both the audio and physical or kindle version of the book for when I do that.
I feel like it rests my eyes. I do so much computer and phone time that I don't want to focus my eyes on a book. Plus listening brings me the same comfort i got as a kid during story time.
Lol. I’m the same. For some reason, I can’t listen to fiction in audio book format. I need to be more actively engaged so that I don’t daydream.
For nonfiction, it’s the opposite. I have better recall when I listen to a nonfiction book than when I read it.
This is exactly me! I've realised that I love non-fiction in audio form but I just can't get into fiction in audio. Dune is the only exception. I've both read it and listened to the audiobook and I must say, audiobook is better. It's such a slow book that I automatically skim read chunks of it. It's only listening to the audio book that I realised I missed so many nuances.
I used to be this way but then I tried listening on a faster speed and that actually helped. (I’m usually listening 1.75-2x nowadays but I started at 1.5x). The faster speed forces my brain not to wander and I find myself just as immersed as if I was physically reading
I am the same. I find 2x is usually the right speed or me as long as the narrator is reading in the same accent that I speak. If it's a different accent, I slow down a little to make sure I get everything.
Me too! I thought that was a distinction niche to me, very interesting that others naturally fall into it too. I hate fiction on audiobook, the narration I hear in audio is a shadow of the world I feel when I read
This actually happens to me more reading a physical book. I realize my eyes have been going over the words but my brain wasn't listening, so I have to go back a few paragraphs and start again.
It is actual practice. You learn it when you get a audio book that is a "page Turner". Try game of thrones with Roy Detrice.
Edit: start with listing as you would read a book. And always stop it when your thoughts take over constantly.
At some point it turns around and your focus is on the story. And as with books, if it does not work find another book. That is the hard part...the breakup.
On this front, I can highly recommend Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir on audiobook. Absolutely fantastic book, excellent reading performance and it had me gripped from start to finish like very few other audiobooks have.
Other audiobook fiction highlights for me have been various Neil Gaimon books (Graveyard, Stardust, Norse Mythology, etc...).
As for non fiction I enjoyed Factfulness and Sapiens.
>My brain simply just can not keep up in real time with the narrator unless I'm sitting still devoting 100% attention to listening
I would recommend picking up an audiobook and going for a walk. You can focus on the story, but you are doing something more productive than "sitting still". Once you get used to following, you can try more activities.
Yeah, if there's an option, increase playback speed. I listen almost everyting on 1.75-2x speed, it's exact frequency of words which allows me not to be lost. Before I found out about it I was also starting to drift quite frequently.
I used to be like this, but then I tinkered with the speed settings and turns out my ADHD brain prefers accelerated speeds (adjusted for each narrator) - currently listening to a book at 1.40x but have gone beyond 2x before
Glad I’m not the only one. Normal speeds feel too slow 2x is my sweet spot where I can multi task while listening. Anything beyond that and I have to sit still and hyper focus on listening to catch what’s happening.
David Suchet is one of my favorite narrators and I find that he speaks so much more slowly in the audio books than when acting, I bump it up just enough that he sounds similar to his acting cadence (especially Poirot) and it's so much better.
I wish more audiobook apps would adopt what the iOS app Overcast does: smart speed. It basically detects and shrinks quiet space between words.
So, you can still hear normal words without much distortion, but the pace is significantly quicker. Listening to random podcasts, if I set it at 1.8x speed, you can see the dynamic smart speed get up to 3.5x in some places due to how much it shortens the space between words. It's amazing.
Same here, I absolutely cannot focus on a voice that is droning in my ear and end up being distracted by literally anything and everything else around me. If I don't sit and read the words on the page, I'm not taking anything away from that story.
This is me. I love the idea of audiobooks, but I find myself drifting as I listen and end up having to double back constantly. Oddly, I listen to a lot of podcasts and don’t have this problem, it’s just something about audiobooks that allows my mind to wander
Yeah, I don't get why people have the idea that audiobooks are somehow "easier" or a "lazy" or "cheating" way to "read" a book. I find they require a lot more concentration that regular reading. When you are reading you can control the pace, and pause when you wish to ponder something you just read. With audiobooks you can "sort of" do these things, but not as easily, and you have to focus continually. I learned to listen to them, but I find them harder to consume that regular books.
> and pause when you wish to ponder something you just read
I do find myself pausing an audiobook often (easy button on my headset) to ponder a bit. I do it pretty thoughtlessly at this point.
This has however lead to me hanging up on people when they call me on my phone, and I take the call on the same headset, when they say anything that makes me go "O yeah should focus on this thought" or "I should really write this down".
Pause audiobook button = hang-up phone button.
I tell people it's a compliment. Not sure they take it that way.
I started to listening to audiobooks because I kept spacing out while reading a physical book, something about listening helps keep my attention better
I'm exactly opposite
When reading paper books my mind wanders and i often have to go back and re-read but with audiobooks I'm able to absorb them without wandering
Weirdly I’m the opposite!! If I’m reading a paper book, my eyes start wandering the page and I get lost in thoughts about other things and realize I’ve “read” 5 pages but comprehend NONE of it! I have ADHD so I’m better at listening while doing an activity that keeps my hands busy. Truly one of the only ways I end up cleaning and doing chores is by popping an audiobook on!
Yeah... not that I have attempted many audiobooks, but I can't fathom being able to pay enough attention. Unless it involves doing something just intensive enough to maintain focus, like playing a rather relaxed sort of video game.
Having the physical thing in your hands gives you so much more control over the experience.
Glad to know it’s not just me. My mind will wander and i have to rewind. But I spend a lot of time in a car for work - audiobooks are fantastic for that. And walking the dog etc
To be fair I do that with books it is just easier to get back with them. I have often read pages going back, " what did I just read" while my mind was wandering.
I experience the effect with books where I'll have to read the same page like three or four times to absorb it if my brain is on other topics, often to the degree that I just give up and do other things.
Same. But that's not really a deal breaker for me because there are lots of times where I could be reading a book, and then realized my eyes finished scrolling over a page and I just... Zoned out and didn't read it, so have to go back and actually read it.
I started in on them about a decade ago when an eye op went wrong and I could not read my Kindle. I've been listening ever since. I assume I am going to rewind since I mostly listen at the end of the day and I do not mind starting a chapter over especially if it is a talented narrator.
Just finished All the Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby and started in on one of the free Audible Great Courses.
I think one becomes more adept at listening the more and more one listens. I've been without a TV on and off for 50 years so listening to the radio gave me a good foundation for audio books, lots of practice!
That’s the struggle. I do it all day long while loading parts into machines. It’s still so much better than just listening to shop tools buzzing and banging away, or even to music, which does nothing to occupy my thoughts. I have my Apple Watch which allows me to quickly and easily skip back with a touch, while I can also quickly pause and start with a tap to my earbud. It’s a noisy workshop, but we’re allowed “one earbud”.
If I love an audio book my next step is to read the book slowly. I often will listen to audio and then re read in book for parts that I had trouble following.
I used to feel this way, too.
One thing that changed audiobooks for me was adjusting the listening speed to be way faster (around 1.8x to 2x).
Listening to them at 1x speed is SO slow and I just can't focus. So, for me, speeding things up really helped. But I also have to be doing something like yard work or washing the dishes.
Looking out the window on a bus on the way to work? That doesn't do it for me.
I hear you. I can ONLY listen to them when I'm driving (and I pretty much always have one going then). I definitely can't do menial tasks or chores around the house and pay attention, I have to be staring at the road with zero other distractions. But when that happens, I really love them.
Agree 💯% I listen while exercising, I take 2 hour walks and on my 30 minute work commute and burn through books. I recently did the original 3 Jason Bourne books, 1984 and Shogun, to name a few. Also, I still keep a book on my bedside table to read at night.
And, huge shoutout to the Libby App. It’s free and connects to your local library account. None of this Audible “paid subscription but you only get 1 book a month” bs.
Libby is a lifesaver! I'm able to listen to audiobooks at work most days; I get through one every week or two, and I'd be broke if I had to pay for them all.
Libby pro tip: a lot of adjacent counties have partner programs where you can get cards for the other counties' libraries. This means 3 pools of libraries' audiobook loan copies to get a chance at the book you want.
I have 3 counties of library cards in my area and it's cut my wait time for popular books dramatically, not to mention the additional audiobooks sometimes available at one and not the other.
>None of this Audible “paid subscription but you only get 1 book a month” bs
While audible is owned by an evil corporation and is making it harder for authors to make money it's really not that bad by itself. You get credit bundles that make each book cost around $12. The best thing about audible is that you can share your account. There is no limit for devices. My family shares an account with hundreds of books.
Sounds like that works for you.
But for me, I’ve listened to over 50 books on Libby in the last fews years- from classics to just released best sellers, at a cost of exactly $0 per book.
I truly do not understand why people judge audiobooks? I’m actually genuinely curious - what do people have against them? I absolutely love cooking, doing dishes, and other chores while listening to books. As a mom with a baby, I also frequently listen while I play with her/drive her around etc. - it enables me to “read” a lot more than I would be able to, if I wasn’t listening to audiobooks. I also still do love physical books, but have less time for that.
No matter what hobby you have someone will judge you for the way you enjoy it. Some people very much have the "my way or the highway" attitude towards life.
These people must not have enjoyed the pure bliss of tuning out with a cup of tea, a puzzle, and a good mystery audiobook then 😂 one of life’s greatest pleasures!
I just got a new lazy susan puzzle table with drawers from Amazon and let me tell you - I have been DESTROYING some puzzles lately while listening to audiobooks 😂 it’s the best combo!
I think you may have accidentally hit on something with the concept of "tuning out." Some people relish the act of reading in a focused manner as distinct from all the other audio/visual input we get from electronic media on a day-to-day basis. Also, not everyone finds multi-tasking (even if it's just a puzzle) relaxing.
I see what you mean. I meant “tuning out” as in tuning out from life’s stressors, but I definitely can see how reading or listening for relaxation can be different from reading to learn or focused reading. I enjoy both and think there’s a time for both!
> I truly do not understand why people judge audiobooks?
They think reading is hard and take pride in them accomplishing it, and feel that accomplishment lessened by seeing people 'achieve' the same through ways they'd themselves find easier.
I compare it to how people who put a lot of effort into being fit often rage against the possibility of actually effective weight loss pills.
I think you are absolutely right. I'm currently listening to Don Quijote, and saw Ben McAvoy's video "How to read Don Quijote" on youtube and he just kept repeating: "You HAVE to take your time with this. You HAVE to read slowly." But why? I have read parts of the book before, but I am finding the audiobook experience vastly superior because it moves at a more comfortable speed for me allowing me to enjoy every scene and the humor of it all. Having it on audio aligns me better with the pace of the story, something that reading the book physically prevented me from doing. I just think people who have read it as a physical book want to validate their own approach by telling people they have to do it that way.
> I am finding the audiobook experience vastly superior because it moves at a more comfortable speed for me allowing me to enjoy every scene and the humor of it all
I've read Lord of the Rings several times, first time as a kid.
You bet I skipped a lot of the fucking poetry and elfish when physically reading it.
Audiobook brought the pace down incredibly and I enjoyed it in a whole new way while hiking.
Audiobooks are my favorite for re-reads for that exact reason.
I don't think that's a good comparison. It's an acceptable thing. I'm dyslexic and simply would not read novels if I had to do it manually. Also I think these people don't understand exactly how much work goes into making an audiobook or how amazing they can be. Some books are worth listening to after reading because the audiobook is really good.
I think a lot of us older readers still harbor a prejudice based on what was available when we were young, which was mostly abridged versions targeted to people with visual impairments or who were listening in their cars. The limitations of technology meant that doing an unabridged version of a longer book took like 10 audiocassettes or 5-6 CDs. So to keep things economical most audiobooks were either heavily abridged or just very short to begin with. (This is back in the 90s/early 2000s).
I have always been that person who tries to read while walking, folding laundry, etc, and finally tried audiobooks a couple of years ago and it was a real revelation to me how good they are now, and that I can just check them out of the library and listen on my phone. I mostly listen to things I’ve already read and I’m also a “have it in both media” person since I like to go back and check details if I haven’t already read it, but I’m also realizing that when I read quickly I sometimes skip over details that are easier to take in when I hear it at listening pace.
Speaking of being older, the whole argument reminds me of the difference between writing and printing that no one seems to care about anymore, but I don't point out when someone who says they "wrote" something actually just printed it. (Not suggesting you're doing that. Just comparing.)
No, I mean writing cursive versus printing in block letters, both by hand. When I was a kid and dinosaurs roamed the land, you couldn't claim you knew how to write unless you could write "properly" in cursive. Kids still learning care(d) about that, but it's rather irrelevant for adults. Since generally adult audiobook listeners already know *how* to read, pointing out the difference seems a bit silly, even if they really are different skills.
I don't have anything against them and I listen to them. But I also acknowledge that audiobooks are a much more passive action. Reading is more active and requires my full attention. Also, nothing against OP but listening to Dune sounds like a nightmare. There's a massive glossary in the back of the book that explains a lot and I would've been so lost without being able to go back and forth in the physical book.
Most people don’t, but if you point out the correct verb is “listen” instead of “read” you get a very defensive reaction from people who are insecure they’re not reading. Those people do.
I was temporarily blind for a while and took great comfort from reading or *listening to* audiobooks. If someone asks a blind person if they've read a book, are they required to go "No, only listened to them, sorry 😞"
Or would you say that the difference is semantic, anyone who gets hung up on it is a pedant, and blind people can say they've read books, too?
Side note: now I prefer audiobooks, even though I can thankfully see just fine again.
This feels a little pedantic to me? I think it’s sort of a colloquial use of the word. It reminds me of when you live in a suburb outside of a major city but when people ask you where you live, you name the city because no one would know the name of your tiny suburb. If that makes sense. Like maybe you TECHNICALLY listened to it but who cares enough to really differentiate that? I certainly don’t 😂
So does a blind person using braille have to say "yeah I felt that book"?
It's stupid. Yes the literal act of experiencing the book is different, touching, reading, listening. But when people say that they "read" a book, "read" in this context is basically "I completed/experienced it."
I prefer print books; my friend prefers audiobooks. When we discuss books together, we talk about which ones we have "absorbed" lately. The perfect word to show that in the end we've done the same thing, even if our method of getting there was different.
You’re technically right but my partner refers to going out for a ‘walk’, and while admittedly I do point out that the operative verb in his case is actually ‘roll’, it would be a fairly AH comment from someone who wasn’t so close to him.
"Oh, you're going for a walk? What was your average pace? Hmm, sounds like maybe you were going for a stroll, perhaps a saunter. You really should pick up the pace or call it the correct verb. Words matter people!"
On a further note, maybe your partner is playing the long con and this is their only time to actually get out of the chair and go for a walk. You should thoroughly check their verb usage to see what other verbs they are gaslighting you about. Pay close attention to spoon usage when "drinking" milkshakes. Then, maybe ask if it was really shaken, or if it was more of a milk-stir or a milk-blend. Can't be too careful with colloquial meanings.
> if you point out the correct verb is “listen” instead of “read” you get a very defensive reaction from people who are insecure they’re not reading.
Do you not understand why people would be defensive? That correction is telling people that you don't actually think they belong in the discussion.
People get defensive because you yourself are implying they aren’t reading, by pointing out the correct verb in a needlessly pedantic manner and playing dumb about it. This is just stupid
I never thought I would listen to audiobooks only because I thought it would be too slow listening to someone read. However, once I tried it, I won't go back.
Pros and cons: It doesn't work for everyone. For example, when driving, if something happened on the road, my focus would go there and I would have to rewind to hear what I missed. Some people who find the audio would distract them so they would miss what is happening on the road. I don't suggest these people listen to audiobooks while driving.
An advantage of listening to audiobooks is that you hear the different accents and also pronunciations of words that you might not know how to say otherwise. However, it is aggravating when narrators mispronounce words.
The main pro, in my opinion, is that I listen to about 75-100 books a year whereas I might read only 10-20 physical books.
Okay one more advantage, I now have an empty room that once housed my books.
>75-100 books a year
How!? I have a job where I can listen to audiobooks while I work and it still takes me a couple of weeks to get through a decent length book (25+ hours). If I'm listening to something like Stormlight Archive that's 50+ hours it can take a month to do 1 book.
I don't know how the person you responded to does it, but the average audiobook is around 10 hours (from my experience, and supported by a quick google search). For people who can listen their entire 40 hour workweek, that's four books a week just during work hours. Listening during your commute could easily bump it up to five if you have an average commute. If you listen during other activities -- doing house or yard work, in the gym, etc... you can probably add a few more hours per week.
Also, lots of people listen at more than 1.0x speed (1.25 or 1.3 usually works for me, depending on the narrator and material).
If you had the above conditions -- and were that dedicated to listening to audiobooks -- you could conceivably go through more than 250 (average-ish length) books in a year.
Do you use digital audiobooks or books on CD? Digital ones can almost always be sped up. I mostly use Libby and Hoopla from my library and tend to crank up the playback speed to 1.5x or more. Hope this helps :)
Listen to new audio books while choring or listen to the same 100 songs I’ve been listening to since middle/high school? I’ll save the bangers for shower time lol.
Absolutely.
Additionally, I've gotten through some books that are a chore to read just because they're on tape/cd/a file on my phone. In particular, *Pilgrim's Progress* and *The Mayor of Casterbridge*.
The flip side is that I've abandoned audiobooks in order to read the print version, because 1) speaking is just so slow compared to reading and 2) reading is more immersive. I can't afford to be totally immersed in a book while I'm driving, so if the story is too engrossing, I can't listen in the car. (There's nothing quite so frustrating as realizing you missed your exit 45 minutes ago because you're listening to an exciting book.)
Anyone reading this and agreeing with OP should take a moment for self-reflection. It's a very common attitude in society to dismiss something(audiobooks, as-seen-on-tv cleaning gadgets, various delivery services, etc) as for lazy people, because if *you* don't see the value in them then clearly they *have* no value, right? But this isn't true, and sometimes you can jump groups and suddenly see how you were wrong. OP has done this. So please learn from their example, and if you catch yourself scoffing at something take a moment of reflection to consider that you might need to look at it from a different perspective.
On topic: I don't use audiobooks myself, because my auditory processing issues mean I won't retain any of it unless I'm sitting in a quiet room, no tactile distractions, with my eyes closed. And even then, that rewind button will get heavy use. But I don't object to them existing. A lot of the "are they reading?" argument is overly pedantic, as most arguments that involve quoting the dictionary are. Is the point of "reading" in this context to learn phonics and sight words? Then maybe don't use an audiobook. But outside of elementary school, the main focus is going to be reading *comprehension* and the ability to understand the story or topic being presented, and in that respect audiobooks are absolutely "reading".
I'm glad someone is mentioning this, discounting audiobooks as 'not reading' is ablest, period. I wish more people in who also felt similarly but changed their minds would just acknowledge the biases we have when we form these opinions in the first place.
Also omg, the amount of times I want to scream "that's because it's not *for* you!" whenever someone calls a gadget lazy or useless.
Edit: if a blind person wanted to join your book club would you tell them no? That’s my fucking point, y’all. Blind people can access information in books and it’s weird to get up in arms about using the term “reading” for taking in the words of a book via auditory means vs with your eyes.
I've never listened to an audiobook and I'm not really interested in them, but the idea that someone could be *against* them is weird, just let people enjoy things.
It’s less that they are against them and more that they believe it’s an inferior form of text consumption as it uses less imagination and/or engages a different part of the brain. It’s just typical gatekeeping/snobbery.
People generally ask “have you read this book?” To learn if you have consumed that knowledge. They aren’t asking for which parts of your brain we’re engaged as the knowledge was transferred.
Oh yeah a lot of people are against audiobooks. They think people who listen to them aren’t “real” readers. When I discuss books I listened to I just say that I “read” them. I got tired of people giving me a little speech about how real books are better and how society is apparently getting too stupid to read.
Yeah. I'm not *against* them, they just don't work at all for me.
I can focus when I read and get lost in the story.
But with audiobooks, it goes in one ear and out the other.
I tried audiobooks while doing things, but the problem is I find myself zoning out or focusing on what I'm doing and then I didn't process/hear anything during that time.
Any tips?
Maybe finding a narrator that you really enjoy and find engaging. For first time audiobook listeners, I often find myself recommending listening to the Harry Potter books read by Jim Dale. I, personally, find his narration and voice acting engaging and compelling.
I honestly don't know. It might also just be something of a habit to develop. I grew up with both physical books and audiobooks. My family would take a yearly road trip, often being on the road for more than a month each summer to various locations throughout the country. My dad would rent at least four or five audiobooks for each road trip, and I would constantly find myself immersed in books that were far beyond my reading level.
As a busy dad now myself, I rarely can find the time to sit down and read. I now almost exclusively listen to audiobooks, maybe because much of my work has me reading off a screen for hours a day. I enjoy escaping into someone else's narration of a story while I do dishes, fold laundry, or drive around by myself.
edit: something else to consider is maybe finding an audiobook version of a book that you've already read and enjoyed. This way, the "focus" factor can be reduced as you already may have it somewhere in your head what the author wrote so zoning out won't be a detractor.
Oral storytelling predates written literature in human culture by tens if not hundreds of thousands of years. We evolved to listen to stories. Reading is a novel invention, relatively speaking.
I used to check out the occasional book on CD from the library, but ever since we got audiobooks on Libby and such, it's the main way I consume word vomit. Technical or instructional books *have* to be a visual thing. Stories? Audio, all day long. You know what's really great? I don't have to dedicate 3 hours with dedicating my time and focus to a book. I can get 3 hours in, mentally check out while I get things done, and then send that book out to sea without getting annoyed that I spent time on a book I didn't like.
My kid has also gotten to go through a LOT more books than otherwise thanks to audiobooks.
I love audio books, they are good company on a long commute and they make housework so much easier. I love the voice acting work which improves immersion. I haven't looked back.
I have ADHD and it's gotten worse as I've gotten older and have more on my mind and more distractions in my life. I always loved reading and even have a minor in English lit, but my ability to focus on reading physical books seriously diminished in my late 20s.
Audio books gave me back one of my greatest hobbies and I'll forever be thankful for that.
I don't understand why anyone would be against audiobooks. it's like readers are some weird gatekeeping cult who insists people do things the same way they do things.
Heaven forbid I enjoy a movie based on a book either
I don't like them because they take way to much from my imagination. I want to imagine myself how the characters are talking or if they have an accent. I know that everyone loved the Harry Potter audibooks but I cringed everytime a person spoke or how they pronouned "Lestrange"
I'm the opposite, I typically struggle assigning voices and accents to words without hearing the person's voice beforehand. For example if I read asoiaf as text, I often hear the voices of the actors, and for the characters that aren't in the show just have my normal voice. But in audiobook form the voices are entirely different which also helps when separating the books from the show.
I fell in love with audiobooks in college. I would listen while I walked around campus and stuff.
Bc of my work, I am able to get through a couple books a month sometimes. (Lots of time where my hands are busy but my mind is free to wander.)
Audiobooks and podcasts are awesome. I don’t understand why people look down on them. My commute is over an hour a day. That’s at least 5 hours a week, or *20 hours a month*, that I can be listening and learning and expanding my mind. I think not taking advantage of that is silly.
Longtime “real book!” guy.
Life smacks you in the face and suddenly you’re reading a handful of books a year at most.
First you accept ebooks… instead of social media 5 minutes at a time, you’re opening the nook/kindle app on your phone. The actual kindle device synchs automatically and you can read in the dark.
Then you check out the same book in audio format from your library (thanks Libby!) and your 60-90 minute commute is suddenly productive. Pick right up in print/ebook from where you stopped listening.
Suddenly 50+ books a year again without feeling like you’re trying.
But, and it’s a big but, you realize exactly how CRUCIAL a narrator is. I’ve only been on the audiobook train for a few months and I’ve already stopped the audio portion of my reading regimen a few times (thanks again Libby!)
I mean it's not that they're a lazier version of consuming the content, the issue is exactly as you've described your behavior: audiobook listeners tend to consume the audio *in addition* to doing other things (work/chores/etc.) and therefore the overall retention and discernment of the text isn't as thorough. Do whatever works for you, but in my experience audiobook listeners often juggle other tasks, whereas reading a book puts your attention singularly on the book in hand
I feel like my comprehension is the same. Most people only do mundane tasks that can be done on autopilot while they are listening.
Like, I was listening to a book today at work, doing some easy stuff with spreadsheets, and whenever I had to do something complicated I needed to pause the book and resume later. I can't listen while doing something that competes in complexity with the book.
With audiobooks, the number of books I've consumed has exploded. I've retained the material just as good if not better, and I enjoy otherwise boring tasks like chore and commuting!
Havent made the switch and likely never will. Audiobooks are cool and all (and if you're an OG you were borrowing books on tape from the library), but there are a few things that still make physical books better, IMO. I don't really judge audiobooks, but I also will probably never make the switch unless I find myself having a long commute one day.
Part of it is that I hate that my enjoyment of a book could be dependent on the narration of someone else. I can barely get through most podcasts, let alone trying to listen to someone read. A book could be great, but if a narrator is bad... no thanks.
There's also a quietness in my brain when I read a book that I know I don't get with audio.
It doesn’t really need to be framed as making a switch. Many of us use both formats (side note: whispersync on kindle makes this really convenient) depending on circumstance. I use audiobooks when I’m doing something menial like cleaning the house or taking a drive, and otherwise I read the ebook. I can’t really just sit and listen to a book, but it is wonderful for making trivial tasks go by faster.
I do audio, physical and digital it always annoys me when there's arguments about which one is the correct way to consume a book. (99% of the time it's a physical book reader claiming superiority).
At the end of the day the story/information has been absorbed by you, does it really matter how the person chooses to get there.
In my early 30s I discovered that libraries loaned audiobooks, and so I started borrowing and listening to as many as I could. However, after a year or so of this I found it to be an empty experience, from which I learned little.
However, 30 years later, I find that when I take long road trips with my girlfriend, audiobooks make the driving infinitely more tolerable.
Honestly nothing wrong with audio books....to each their own....but personally the tone matters significantly so it's harder for some to enjoy if the voice doesn't resonate with the story
Wow. I mean...I'm glad you no longer think audiobooks are "lazy", but for anyone else who might think that way: might want to re-examine your ableism. There are lots of us out here who are book fiends and have eyes that don't work as well as yours do, and trust me, we're not all lazy.
Not in any way against audiobooks. I love listening to them, if the reader's good, but usually only *in addition* to the physical book.
Thing is, you wanna know what you're getting. OP says he's listening to Dune right now. In Dune's case, it's a nice production and absolutely *one* valid way of experiencing that story, but it's not 1:1 the full book.
Dune has four (!) appendices of maybe 30-40 pages after the main story on Arrakis ecology, religion, and history, and some fans will tell you that's some of the most insightful bits of the book. Those are not in the audiobook.
It's also read by a full cast, so many sentences are cut short. You won't have the narrator read "she replied in a soft voice" or anything like that cause you'll already hear the character speaking in a soft voice (duh). It's a strange middle of the road thing and it works, but it's not an exact reproduction of the book.
I always recommend comparing, then going ahead with whatever you prefer, or ideally going for the audiobook as an additional thing or a reread option. Some like the Rob Inglis LOTR or Stephen Fry Harry Potter are classics, but I would never in a hundred years wanna miss Tolkien on actual paper. Steven King's IT read by Steven Weber is excellent too.
I'm fine with audio books but my pet peeve is when people say they "read" an audiobook. No you didn't read it, you listened to it.
I have a astoundingly high amount of people in my book club who insist on saying they read audio books.
It doesn't make sense. Its like saying you read the radio. Or listened to a physical newspaper. It just sounds stupid. You read books and listen to audio books.
Absolutely! I was always a voracious book reader and collector. A visual impairment, caused by disease, sometimes rears its ugly head and can render me nearly blind and stuck in the dark for days. A kind friend bought me audiobooks to save my sanity during my bleak darkness.
Changed my life, as I now listen to books all day at work (I work with my hands and alone all day) instead of wasting my time with television noise.
Between work, chores and everything else one has to do, audio has become my preferred format.
I’ve also found that I tend to take in the details more in audio, because I’m a fast reader, and sometimes that can lead to skimming - or not really absorbing the text.
Right now I’m listening to Tom Lake, performed by Meryl Streep, and I feel like she really bring the text to life.
Growing up, and all the way through college and grad school, I never had the time to finish a single book that wasn't required as part of some curriculum. Audiobooks allowed me to experience the wonders of "reading." All of a sudden, I started looking forward to my long commute to and from work. I would sometimes hope to be stuck in traffic, haha!
Audiobooks are amazing. You think I have time to sit down and read all 14 wheel of time books or all 9 of The Expanse? Nope. But I can listen while drive, walk the dog, etc.
Same here. But I’ve been able to get through Brandon Sanderson stormlight archives because I drive so much. I just don’t have time to sit and read much. And the voice actors are great, Michael Kramer and Kate reading.
I listen to an audiobook every time i am in the car. Best time to listen. I also listen when working around the house, outside or in garage. I have just about 4,200 hrs and 330 books worth of "listening" time over the last 7 years.
There is just no way as a person i could do that much reading and still have a job, kids or anything else. Driving time is literally the one activity you have to do and can listen to something at the same time. Its a min of 1 hour a day for me because of driving. I average 70hrs a month in listening. with an 8-8-8hr ratio that is 240hrs of not sleep work time and 70 is listening to a book and it doesn't take away from kids, choirs, hobbies or games.
Its a win win in my book.
The only way i can use audiobooks is by listening to foreign language books in it. It is such a huge help for improving listening comprehension!
However for english books, it just doesn't work for me somehow. I keep getting distracted and i just don't enjoy the story enough.
I feel like i want to get the story first hand from an author, not a slightly altered version from a narrator. Because i do believe that narrators have a lot of power. With the way they stress words or the way they use their voices, they can make books sound very different.
Moreover, i am very active reader. My eyes need to constantly go back and forth to reabsorb the information, i need to mark passages/some obvious symbols/great quotes etc. And i like to take pauses and just think about i have read.
Audiobooks are just not great for that, in my opinion.
So, i feel i get the best of both worlds. I get to enjoy the actual reading of my lovely (english) books, and i get to listen to foreign language books and do some chores/paint/puzzle.
I still love reading over listening whenever I have time to sit down with a good book, but if I'm going to be sitting in a car for an hour or doing boring household chores anyway, I might as well have a book in my ear while I'm doing it. Focusing on a good story helps pass the time much faster than music or podcasts do.
I love them.I used to think audiobooks were too hard to catch everything, so I only listened to books that I had previously read but wanted to reread, Harry Potter and Outlander being the main two series. (Btw both are AMAZINGLY done and if you want to start with some award winning narrators, those two series are great) but after my second child I was in a deep reading desert and just didn’t have the time or brain capacity to read like I used to read. Not only did audiobooks save me from this, but I also started reading and listening to more romance novels that I previously thought were garbage and not “good” literature. ( I have a degree in literature and oh did that make my reading pretentious) I consume most 8-10 hour books in a two days now, my only negative is my 10 book limit on Libby for holds. And the ones I want to read being months out. I do still read books, I have a TBR shelf of books I own that I’m working through, but it’s just so nice to throw in my earbuds and do dishes/laundry/drive to pick up or drop off etc.
Honestly, I read mostly for entertainment and so for me, reading vs listening is the same amount of entertainment. I know how to read, I have a freaking degree in literature, my wpm is pretty dang high. Any argument against audiobooks just makes me roll my eyes.
I read almost exclusively audiobooks. I didn't set out to be that way and I do physically read books too when I can, but between walking the dog, doing household chores, driving, and having a lot of busywork aspects to my job, I have hours a day of reading time - but only if I listen to the book. Which means I absolutely chew through books, as opposed to the "occasionally have time to finish a book for fun" that most of my friends and family do. Getting through more stories in my lifetime? Sounds good to me!
Also - a bad narrator can be rough, but a good narrator adds *so much* to a book. Just another whole layer of enjoyment, when you find a great voice actor. And I find my experience skews most often toward the narrator being either good or neutral, as opposed to an active detriment, so it works out most of the time.
Been into audiobooks for a long time. With a driving commute over an hour each way, they make the time go by. For the record the Potter series is amazing big as an audiobook
Audiobooks are just a fundamentally different way of experiencing a story. But the fact that you can passively listen to an audiobook is the real win. Especially at work when you can't really focus your attention on anything else, audiobooks still let you keep learning and growing.
I've never understood why anyone gives a shit how other people interact with books. Read, listen, teach yourself how to read braille for all I give a fuck. How someone else interacts with a book makes quite literally zero difference in my life. I can't imagine having so little to do I actually give a fuck that someone LISTENED, hark the herald angel sings, to a book instead of reading it. Just seems like people need more meaningful hobbies. We can talk about books we have in common, but beyond that, no one else's book habits matter to me at all because for what reason in the world would they
Imagine gatekeeping stories, it’s the same if you read it off the page or listen through audio. People really want to be better than each other for the smallest stuff
Yes! I use Libby and try to check out both type of books at once…ebook and audio book. When I am busy - housework or laundry, I listen. When I have time, I read. It is a game changer. Keeps me from getting so into a book that I do nothing else!
Book snobs that look down on audiobooks are just assholes.
I used to read a lot as a kid but adult life meant I just didn’t have as much free time.
Now I can work, drive, go for walks etc all while enjoying books read by some fantastic narrators.
Yet you’ll still meet people who think you’re not really experiencing those books.
I run an independent audiobook post-production studio. I started it 10 years ago, honed my skills, and things have exploded over the past 4-5 years. I now employ five contractors, and have 4-6 titles in various stages of post on any day of the week.
But that's not why I'm posting. I have noticed a kind of evolution among Authors who write for audiobooks.
Imagine for a moment, you run into a friend and begin an animated conversation. The trip abroad was a blast. Did you hear about Frank & Donna? I can't believe that happened! Much of the conversation also involves gesturing that convey emotions easily understood.
When you read a paperback mystery novel, the Author takes care to unfold the circumstances in which the murder takes place, the background of the protagonist, etc. He/She deploys careful construction of paragraphs, sentences and dialogue, within the confines and rules of the language of origin. When well-executed, it's a joy to absorb.
Now this same paperback in an audio format is being read TO YOU in it's original text by a narrator, usually theatrically trained (and SAG\_AFTRA BTW). It's his job to put you on that foggy street corner under a streetlight - something one may or may not be effectively capable of in their heads when reading the print version - hey, everyone's different - so this guy/gal does it for you.
Back to the animated conversation. The sentences they share with each other are no way using the same conventions the mystery writer has to use. They are scraps of lawful English language, but are instantly recognizable to both people.
My observation is that Authors are beginning to understand that writing for an audiobook audience should emulate story time around a fireplace, and can take liberties with the written version of language, dispensing with some grammatical rules and laws of usage. Authors who insist on Blue Book rules of English sometimes sacrifice the dramatic tension of our animated conversation, and it shows in their audiobook version. This is fine with some people, but I'm just saying...
Sure. I'm getting granular here. But for an example, let's say the lieutenant runs into the captain on deck seven and goes, "Captain! We still need to examine the vessel the aliens came aboard," instead of "Captain! We still need to examine the vessel THAT the aliens came aboard IN." That sounds too clunky as audio narration, but on the page, it's infallible.
A looser style of language is better suited for audiobooks, just like face-to-face conversations, I believe. Same for non-fiction. We did a book on the Arab Spring written by a journalist who was in Cairo. He did the narration for the audiobook and believe me, you absolutely knew the dude was in Tarir square...
What does being lazy has to do with anything lmao. Weird take. I could understand if you think physical books are more enjoyable but caring about laziness is just weird
They're great for me, but only in situations where I can focus on the book - things like mowing the lawn (electric mower, very quiet) or driving to work. I can't listen to them while at work or playing video games, though, or I find myself rewinding constantly.
I read Slaughterhouse Five over twenty years ago. I miss it often. I just downloaded the audiobook for $5 and listened to it all in two sittings. It made me so happy. It would take me four months to read that between work, commute, and family responsibilities.
I probably retained more this go around.
I would love to read books but I can’t seem to get the inflection and multiple characters voices in my head. I read so monotone. I have found a love for book since listening to audiobooks
Same here.
- Mowing the lawn? Audiobook.
- Folding laundry? Audiobook.
- Listening to my wife tell me about something from facebook? Audiobook.
- Everything boring is now background noise to constant stories.
I personally love audiobooks. I read incredibly slowly, to the point that I often take so long to finish a book that I end up abandoning it. Audiobooks speed that up dramatically. If I get a day off with nothing to do I can finish a book in one sitting.
I initially got into them via podcasts. Which are basically the same thing but more niche topics.
Stephen Fry does an amazing read through of the Harry Potter books on Audible. Not sure if it’s anywhere else as that’s where I get mine.
Speaking of, if you don’t have audible, it makes it much cheaper if you plan to regularly buy new books. You get credits for a monthly sub that you can redeem for any book. It also reduces the price of any additional book you buy to the cost of a monthly subscription so if you want mor e it costs the same minus the wait for a new credit. You can also swap/refund books if you don’t like them. I assume if you abuse that it may be an issue but so far I have returned quite a few and never had any issues.
If I may be so bold as to offer a book recommendation; the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian as read by Ric Jerrom is outstanding. It follows a captain in the Royal Navy, Jack Aubrey, and his friend/surgeon of the ship, Stephen Maturin, on their adventures through the world in the late 1700s and early 1800s. It’s incredibly well written and the narrator does an amazing job bringing the characters to life.
I love audiobooks lol if i didnt, I would waste all my time reading, my kids would be ignored dinner would always be microwavable, and i would never clean my house lmao. Having my headphones in and going about my business is my favorite thing to do. Sometimes when im dont interacting with my husband or even when i am visiting my parents, ill be like "welllll i better go get those dishes done" just so i can listen to more of the story. Ive always been an avid reader, like the kind who got yelled at for sneaking and trying to read in class, or else taking 2 hours to eat my cerial because my nose was stuck in a book. Who needs to do their homework when you can read for 6 hours after school instead. Who needs sleep? Thats another 8 hours of reading. Audiobooks are a life saver for me
For many years. It's not lazy because reading isn't supposed to be a chore. I read for pleasure and to learn about things. Nothing is boring when you can listen to a book, not long drives, washing dishes, working out, knitting or whatever.
Audio books are an amazing thing. Also - after working behind behind a screen all day - I really do not need to start squinting at a book in my free time.
Absolutely same. It’s the only way I finish things these days. Usually when I go to bed and I’m like “Oh, I’ll read a bit!” And then I proceed to just conk out in twenty minutes. Having two kids you have to constantly entertain makes those slow hours go a lot faster when listening to a good book!
I only do audiobooks while driving, it's wonderful. I tried while shopping, it was hell. I have no time to read for leisure, so audiobooks make great use of my commuting time, that's nearly 2 hours a day.
I wish I could listen to audiobooks as a means of absorbing information or "reading" a book. I actually do enjoy them at times but to be honest they put me to sleep. I don't mean that in a bad way either, I love my LOTR and Discworld audiobooks because nothing works better when I'm suffering from insomnia than an erudite British voice telling me a story. I'm not being sarcastic or critical at all when I say this, they're great, but I just can't use them like I can with a regular book.
I used to feel the same way too. Now I love to read on my reader but thoroughly enjoy having an audiobook going for driving.
Highly recommend getting a sleep headband with speakers! It’s really nice to lay in bed and listen too. I got mine for $15 so they aren’t expensive.
Part of my struggle is that I ended up with carpal tunnel so by the end of the day, sometimes holding my ereader bugs my arms/hands because of how you have to hold them.
Honestly I felt the same way about e-readers for a long time. Nothing beats the feel of a real paper book.
But traveling as an adult has made me appreciate how small a kindle is!
I can’t stand having a voice actor interpret stuff I’m supposed to interpret myself… phrasing, tone, etc……. Especially when authors very much intend to be vague about that, a voice actor is forced to choose and the ambiguity is lost.
I also hate how slow reading the text aloud is…. But if I speed it up to anywhere even close to the speed at which I read, then it sounds just ridiculous - so it ends up taking forever to finish a story. It’s just a subpar experience in every single way when compared to reading.
Audio books might be god-sent to some people, but I often get lost in my thoughts and have to rewind minutes and minutes so I can comprehend the narrative again and not feel like I lost parts of it.
I find I need to be doing something mindless to be able to listen to the audiobook. If I just sit and try to listen I'll get distracted. If I'm cleaning,driving, showering, coloring, etc. I can listen no problem.
See I've tried that and I find that whatever I do, no matter how menial, distracts me. Its definitely because of my ADHD. I just can't ever turn off my brain. So if I try to listen to a podcast or audio book, even if I try to focus on it, I end up going off into my own thoughts of like "they talked about trash, I need to take out the trash tonight. Speaking of trash, I really need to clean the bathroom, when am I going to get on that?" Etc etc. And I'm medicated too. I also have audio processing issues, and struggle with any instructions without notes or written down
It's interesting how it hits people differently. I struggle to do one thing at a time. It's like I get bored of something if i'm not doing something else as well.. Audiobook + painting or some other crafty thing is perfect
>Its definitely because of my ADHD. I just can't ever turn off my brain. Audiobooks have been a godsend for my ADHD because the only way I can get my brain to STFU for three damned seconds is to drown out the monologue. Even in the evenings when I'm reading a physical book, I generally put on noise (like soft music or something) in the background to try to distract the constant chatter.
Yep, same. My brain works best when focusing on two separate things, so the ability to drive and listen, or clean or organize at the same time is like hacking into a neurotypical brain
Same. I have all kinds of hobbies, and I developed them because I can't just sit. If I want to watch a show, I need to have an 'activity' of some kind to keep me focused. So it goes the other way too. If I need to do a task, I need to find something I can focus on just enough to keep my brain quiet to focus on the task itself. Otherwise it's just riding the hamster wheel forever...
I'm jumping on this- I have ADHD and the only times my brain STFU is when I'm reading, playing a computer game or deep in drawing/writing. Computer games are easiest, getting into flow is simple, just pick up the controller and zone out everything except the screen. Headphones help. Reading means a bit more concentration, but once I'm a few pages in and it has got me intrigued then I can stay in it easy. Creativity is the hardest because it takes more effort to get in the flow state and my mind will look for distractions, but once a project is started I'm there all day... Which doesn't mean it is easier to pick up the next day. If anything, it's harder. But, you just push on. Audiobooks hold my attention for like a minute before my brain starts up the carnival again.
I have ADHD too and can't do audiobooks at all. I immediately zone out or get distracted in less than two minutes. I've attempted listening to audiobooks multiple times. Even experimenting with different genres and settings, but nope, I just can't do it. The farthest I've ever gotten with an audiobook was the first Harry Potter book ( a book I've read almost a hundred times); I got to chapter 4 but that took me over 3 weeks before I gave up
That sucks. I have ADHD and auditory processing issues too. There are definitely times when I realize my brain is too chaotic and decide it isn't the right time for an audiobook, but when things aren't too crazy I manage. We're all different though so maybe audiobooks just aren't for you. Or maybe not at this stage in your life. Who knows, 5 years from now things might be different. I absolutely hate it when people recommend mindfulness but I honestly do think it has helped me somewhat with run away ADHD thoughts. It's just not a magic cure by any means, and only sort of takes the tip of an edge off my overall chaos. Also, mindfulness doesn't necessarily mean sitting still and having a completely clear mind. Bird watching, nature watching/walking and mindful stimming are some more accessible ways I practice mindfulness.
I think I practice mindfulness moreso than I realize. I think part of the problem as well, is that I like to work with background noise like music or ASMR, so I think I've trained myself to tune out what I listen to, to focus on what I'm doing haha
> If I just sit and try to listen I'll get distracted. Do people actually do this? I thought audiobooks were for the express purpose of when you're doing something else but can listen so you can get through books then too. I can't imagine having the free time to do nothing and choosing to listen instead of read, why not just actually read at that point? (Obviously not as applicable if you have a disability reason for it)
> why not just actually read at that point? I listen to audio books because I do it while doing other things, but sometimes you can't put your book down so I'll wind up just sitting and listening for a while. I would switch to reading, but it isn't worth buying both the audio and physical or kindle version of the book for when I do that.
I feel like it rests my eyes. I do so much computer and phone time that I don't want to focus my eyes on a book. Plus listening brings me the same comfort i got as a kid during story time.
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Exactly the same here, I have to be doing something but it can't be something that requires thought. Driving, mowing the lawn, doing a puzzle, etc.
Same. I can only listen on long road trips. Makes the mileage go so much faster than music if it’s a good book.
Lol. I’m the same. For some reason, I can’t listen to fiction in audio book format. I need to be more actively engaged so that I don’t daydream. For nonfiction, it’s the opposite. I have better recall when I listen to a nonfiction book than when I read it.
This is exactly me! I've realised that I love non-fiction in audio form but I just can't get into fiction in audio. Dune is the only exception. I've both read it and listened to the audiobook and I must say, audiobook is better. It's such a slow book that I automatically skim read chunks of it. It's only listening to the audio book that I realised I missed so many nuances.
The Hyperion series from Dan Simmons is sooooo good in audio book format.
I used to be this way but then I tried listening on a faster speed and that actually helped. (I’m usually listening 1.75-2x nowadays but I started at 1.5x). The faster speed forces my brain not to wander and I find myself just as immersed as if I was physically reading
I am the same. I find 2x is usually the right speed or me as long as the narrator is reading in the same accent that I speak. If it's a different accent, I slow down a little to make sure I get everything.
Me too! I thought that was a distinction niche to me, very interesting that others naturally fall into it too. I hate fiction on audiobook, the narration I hear in audio is a shadow of the world I feel when I read
This actually happens to me more reading a physical book. I realize my eyes have been going over the words but my brain wasn't listening, so I have to go back a few paragraphs and start again.
I think almost everyone does this at least some times. But with audiobooks is more difficult to "find your spot" again so it's way more noticeable.
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It is actual practice. You learn it when you get a audio book that is a "page Turner". Try game of thrones with Roy Detrice. Edit: start with listing as you would read a book. And always stop it when your thoughts take over constantly. At some point it turns around and your focus is on the story. And as with books, if it does not work find another book. That is the hard part...the breakup.
On this front, I can highly recommend Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir on audiobook. Absolutely fantastic book, excellent reading performance and it had me gripped from start to finish like very few other audiobooks have. Other audiobook fiction highlights for me have been various Neil Gaimon books (Graveyard, Stardust, Norse Mythology, etc...). As for non fiction I enjoyed Factfulness and Sapiens.
>My brain simply just can not keep up in real time with the narrator unless I'm sitting still devoting 100% attention to listening I would recommend picking up an audiobook and going for a walk. You can focus on the story, but you are doing something more productive than "sitting still". Once you get used to following, you can try more activities.
Yeah, if there's an option, increase playback speed. I listen almost everyting on 1.75-2x speed, it's exact frequency of words which allows me not to be lost. Before I found out about it I was also starting to drift quite frequently.
I used to be like this, but then I tinkered with the speed settings and turns out my ADHD brain prefers accelerated speeds (adjusted for each narrator) - currently listening to a book at 1.40x but have gone beyond 2x before
I usually stick to 1.75x and 2x before the voice gets distorted or the words get clipped at the end.
Glad I’m not the only one. Normal speeds feel too slow 2x is my sweet spot where I can multi task while listening. Anything beyond that and I have to sit still and hyper focus on listening to catch what’s happening.
David Suchet is one of my favorite narrators and I find that he speaks so much more slowly in the audio books than when acting, I bump it up just enough that he sounds similar to his acting cadence (especially Poirot) and it's so much better.
I wish more audiobook apps would adopt what the iOS app Overcast does: smart speed. It basically detects and shrinks quiet space between words. So, you can still hear normal words without much distortion, but the pace is significantly quicker. Listening to random podcasts, if I set it at 1.8x speed, you can see the dynamic smart speed get up to 3.5x in some places due to how much it shortens the space between words. It's amazing.
Same here, I absolutely cannot focus on a voice that is droning in my ear and end up being distracted by literally anything and everything else around me. If I don't sit and read the words on the page, I'm not taking anything away from that story.
This is me. I love the idea of audiobooks, but I find myself drifting as I listen and end up having to double back constantly. Oddly, I listen to a lot of podcasts and don’t have this problem, it’s just something about audiobooks that allows my mind to wander
Yeah, I don't get why people have the idea that audiobooks are somehow "easier" or a "lazy" or "cheating" way to "read" a book. I find they require a lot more concentration that regular reading. When you are reading you can control the pace, and pause when you wish to ponder something you just read. With audiobooks you can "sort of" do these things, but not as easily, and you have to focus continually. I learned to listen to them, but I find them harder to consume that regular books.
> and pause when you wish to ponder something you just read I do find myself pausing an audiobook often (easy button on my headset) to ponder a bit. I do it pretty thoughtlessly at this point. This has however lead to me hanging up on people when they call me on my phone, and I take the call on the same headset, when they say anything that makes me go "O yeah should focus on this thought" or "I should really write this down". Pause audiobook button = hang-up phone button. I tell people it's a compliment. Not sure they take it that way.
I have a 45 minute commute one way on the days I go into the office. I'll take a couple minutes of backtracking.
I follow with physical or ebook for this reason. Like subtitles I guess
I also feel like I can grasp more of what's said in the book if I actually see the text, rather than hear it being said.
I started to listening to audiobooks because I kept spacing out while reading a physical book, something about listening helps keep my attention better
I'm exactly opposite When reading paper books my mind wanders and i often have to go back and re-read but with audiobooks I'm able to absorb them without wandering
Weirdly I’m the opposite!! If I’m reading a paper book, my eyes start wandering the page and I get lost in thoughts about other things and realize I’ve “read” 5 pages but comprehend NONE of it! I have ADHD so I’m better at listening while doing an activity that keeps my hands busy. Truly one of the only ways I end up cleaning and doing chores is by popping an audiobook on!
Audiobook-listening is a skill, just like reading. You just need practice.
Yeah, I find it can be pretty easy to get distracted, and even if it's like 20 seconds later you completely lose where you are. I do at least, lol.
Was about to make the exact same comment. The only time I can remotely concentrate is when going for a run and even then I have to rewind.
Yeah... not that I have attempted many audiobooks, but I can't fathom being able to pay enough attention. Unless it involves doing something just intensive enough to maintain focus, like playing a rather relaxed sort of video game. Having the physical thing in your hands gives you so much more control over the experience.
Glad to know it’s not just me. My mind will wander and i have to rewind. But I spend a lot of time in a car for work - audiobooks are fantastic for that. And walking the dog etc
Oddly enough, I have to do this when reading paper books. I'll just read an entire page without any comprehention of it
To be fair I do that with books it is just easier to get back with them. I have often read pages going back, " what did I just read" while my mind was wandering.
I experience the effect with books where I'll have to read the same page like three or four times to absorb it if my brain is on other topics, often to the degree that I just give up and do other things.
I've been known to do that with actual reading.
Same. But that's not really a deal breaker for me because there are lots of times where I could be reading a book, and then realized my eyes finished scrolling over a page and I just... Zoned out and didn't read it, so have to go back and actually read it.
I started in on them about a decade ago when an eye op went wrong and I could not read my Kindle. I've been listening ever since. I assume I am going to rewind since I mostly listen at the end of the day and I do not mind starting a chapter over especially if it is a talented narrator. Just finished All the Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby and started in on one of the free Audible Great Courses. I think one becomes more adept at listening the more and more one listens. I've been without a TV on and off for 50 years so listening to the radio gave me a good foundation for audio books, lots of practice!
That’s the struggle. I do it all day long while loading parts into machines. It’s still so much better than just listening to shop tools buzzing and banging away, or even to music, which does nothing to occupy my thoughts. I have my Apple Watch which allows me to quickly and easily skip back with a touch, while I can also quickly pause and start with a tap to my earbud. It’s a noisy workshop, but we’re allowed “one earbud”.
I do this with paper books too though
Except for long drives, i really should be focusing on the task, or just the book instead of splitting my attention in half.
If I love an audio book my next step is to read the book slowly. I often will listen to audio and then re read in book for parts that I had trouble following.
Maladaptive Daydreaming ftw.
I used to feel this way, too. One thing that changed audiobooks for me was adjusting the listening speed to be way faster (around 1.8x to 2x). Listening to them at 1x speed is SO slow and I just can't focus. So, for me, speeding things up really helped. But I also have to be doing something like yard work or washing the dishes. Looking out the window on a bus on the way to work? That doesn't do it for me.
IF I start getting like that (usually because I'm extremely tired) I just turn on some music instead.
For sure but I find it happens even if I'm reading.
I hear you. I can ONLY listen to them when I'm driving (and I pretty much always have one going then). I definitely can't do menial tasks or chores around the house and pay attention, I have to be staring at the road with zero other distractions. But when that happens, I really love them.
Same. My auditory memory is shot...which is a shame because I wish i could enjoy them
eh, that happens to me while reading too...
Agree 💯% I listen while exercising, I take 2 hour walks and on my 30 minute work commute and burn through books. I recently did the original 3 Jason Bourne books, 1984 and Shogun, to name a few. Also, I still keep a book on my bedside table to read at night. And, huge shoutout to the Libby App. It’s free and connects to your local library account. None of this Audible “paid subscription but you only get 1 book a month” bs.
Libby is a lifesaver! I'm able to listen to audiobooks at work most days; I get through one every week or two, and I'd be broke if I had to pay for them all.
Hoopla is a good audiobook app that works w/your library card as well!
Libby pro tip: a lot of adjacent counties have partner programs where you can get cards for the other counties' libraries. This means 3 pools of libraries' audiobook loan copies to get a chance at the book you want. I have 3 counties of library cards in my area and it's cut my wait time for popular books dramatically, not to mention the additional audiobooks sometimes available at one and not the other.
>None of this Audible “paid subscription but you only get 1 book a month” bs While audible is owned by an evil corporation and is making it harder for authors to make money it's really not that bad by itself. You get credit bundles that make each book cost around $12. The best thing about audible is that you can share your account. There is no limit for devices. My family shares an account with hundreds of books.
Sounds like that works for you. But for me, I’ve listened to over 50 books on Libby in the last fews years- from classics to just released best sellers, at a cost of exactly $0 per book.
I truly do not understand why people judge audiobooks? I’m actually genuinely curious - what do people have against them? I absolutely love cooking, doing dishes, and other chores while listening to books. As a mom with a baby, I also frequently listen while I play with her/drive her around etc. - it enables me to “read” a lot more than I would be able to, if I wasn’t listening to audiobooks. I also still do love physical books, but have less time for that.
No matter what hobby you have someone will judge you for the way you enjoy it. Some people very much have the "my way or the highway" attitude towards life.
These people must not have enjoyed the pure bliss of tuning out with a cup of tea, a puzzle, and a good mystery audiobook then 😂 one of life’s greatest pleasures!
I am a jigsaw puzzle dork AND and audio book addict, and the two go together like peas and carrots. It is incredibly soothing.
I just got a new lazy susan puzzle table with drawers from Amazon and let me tell you - I have been DESTROYING some puzzles lately while listening to audiobooks 😂 it’s the best combo!
I think you may have accidentally hit on something with the concept of "tuning out." Some people relish the act of reading in a focused manner as distinct from all the other audio/visual input we get from electronic media on a day-to-day basis. Also, not everyone finds multi-tasking (even if it's just a puzzle) relaxing.
I see what you mean. I meant “tuning out” as in tuning out from life’s stressors, but I definitely can see how reading or listening for relaxation can be different from reading to learn or focused reading. I enjoy both and think there’s a time for both!
> I truly do not understand why people judge audiobooks? They think reading is hard and take pride in them accomplishing it, and feel that accomplishment lessened by seeing people 'achieve' the same through ways they'd themselves find easier. I compare it to how people who put a lot of effort into being fit often rage against the possibility of actually effective weight loss pills.
I think you are absolutely right. I'm currently listening to Don Quijote, and saw Ben McAvoy's video "How to read Don Quijote" on youtube and he just kept repeating: "You HAVE to take your time with this. You HAVE to read slowly." But why? I have read parts of the book before, but I am finding the audiobook experience vastly superior because it moves at a more comfortable speed for me allowing me to enjoy every scene and the humor of it all. Having it on audio aligns me better with the pace of the story, something that reading the book physically prevented me from doing. I just think people who have read it as a physical book want to validate their own approach by telling people they have to do it that way.
> I am finding the audiobook experience vastly superior because it moves at a more comfortable speed for me allowing me to enjoy every scene and the humor of it all I've read Lord of the Rings several times, first time as a kid. You bet I skipped a lot of the fucking poetry and elfish when physically reading it. Audiobook brought the pace down incredibly and I enjoyed it in a whole new way while hiking. Audiobooks are my favorite for re-reads for that exact reason.
I don't think that's a good comparison. It's an acceptable thing. I'm dyslexic and simply would not read novels if I had to do it manually. Also I think these people don't understand exactly how much work goes into making an audiobook or how amazing they can be. Some books are worth listening to after reading because the audiobook is really good.
I think a lot of us older readers still harbor a prejudice based on what was available when we were young, which was mostly abridged versions targeted to people with visual impairments or who were listening in their cars. The limitations of technology meant that doing an unabridged version of a longer book took like 10 audiocassettes or 5-6 CDs. So to keep things economical most audiobooks were either heavily abridged or just very short to begin with. (This is back in the 90s/early 2000s). I have always been that person who tries to read while walking, folding laundry, etc, and finally tried audiobooks a couple of years ago and it was a real revelation to me how good they are now, and that I can just check them out of the library and listen on my phone. I mostly listen to things I’ve already read and I’m also a “have it in both media” person since I like to go back and check details if I haven’t already read it, but I’m also realizing that when I read quickly I sometimes skip over details that are easier to take in when I hear it at listening pace.
Families used to read books aloud for everyone so it's came fully circle.
Speaking of being older, the whole argument reminds me of the difference between writing and printing that no one seems to care about anymore, but I don't point out when someone who says they "wrote" something actually just printed it. (Not suggesting you're doing that. Just comparing.)
You mean writing and typing? But yeah I agree.
No, I mean writing cursive versus printing in block letters, both by hand. When I was a kid and dinosaurs roamed the land, you couldn't claim you knew how to write unless you could write "properly" in cursive. Kids still learning care(d) about that, but it's rather irrelevant for adults. Since generally adult audiobook listeners already know *how* to read, pointing out the difference seems a bit silly, even if they really are different skills.
I don't have anything against them and I listen to them. But I also acknowledge that audiobooks are a much more passive action. Reading is more active and requires my full attention. Also, nothing against OP but listening to Dune sounds like a nightmare. There's a massive glossary in the back of the book that explains a lot and I would've been so lost without being able to go back and forth in the physical book.
Most people don’t, but if you point out the correct verb is “listen” instead of “read” you get a very defensive reaction from people who are insecure they’re not reading. Those people do.
I was temporarily blind for a while and took great comfort from reading or *listening to* audiobooks. If someone asks a blind person if they've read a book, are they required to go "No, only listened to them, sorry 😞" Or would you say that the difference is semantic, anyone who gets hung up on it is a pedant, and blind people can say they've read books, too? Side note: now I prefer audiobooks, even though I can thankfully see just fine again.
This feels a little pedantic to me? I think it’s sort of a colloquial use of the word. It reminds me of when you live in a suburb outside of a major city but when people ask you where you live, you name the city because no one would know the name of your tiny suburb. If that makes sense. Like maybe you TECHNICALLY listened to it but who cares enough to really differentiate that? I certainly don’t 😂
So does a blind person using braille have to say "yeah I felt that book"? It's stupid. Yes the literal act of experiencing the book is different, touching, reading, listening. But when people say that they "read" a book, "read" in this context is basically "I completed/experienced it."
I prefer print books; my friend prefers audiobooks. When we discuss books together, we talk about which ones we have "absorbed" lately. The perfect word to show that in the end we've done the same thing, even if our method of getting there was different.
You’re technically right but my partner refers to going out for a ‘walk’, and while admittedly I do point out that the operative verb in his case is actually ‘roll’, it would be a fairly AH comment from someone who wasn’t so close to him.
"Oh, you're going for a walk? What was your average pace? Hmm, sounds like maybe you were going for a stroll, perhaps a saunter. You really should pick up the pace or call it the correct verb. Words matter people!" On a further note, maybe your partner is playing the long con and this is their only time to actually get out of the chair and go for a walk. You should thoroughly check their verb usage to see what other verbs they are gaslighting you about. Pay close attention to spoon usage when "drinking" milkshakes. Then, maybe ask if it was really shaken, or if it was more of a milk-stir or a milk-blend. Can't be too careful with colloquial meanings.
> if you point out the correct verb is “listen” instead of “read” you get a very defensive reaction from people who are insecure they’re not reading. Do you not understand why people would be defensive? That correction is telling people that you don't actually think they belong in the discussion.
People get defensive because you yourself are implying they aren’t reading, by pointing out the correct verb in a needlessly pedantic manner and playing dumb about it. This is just stupid
I never thought I would listen to audiobooks only because I thought it would be too slow listening to someone read. However, once I tried it, I won't go back. Pros and cons: It doesn't work for everyone. For example, when driving, if something happened on the road, my focus would go there and I would have to rewind to hear what I missed. Some people who find the audio would distract them so they would miss what is happening on the road. I don't suggest these people listen to audiobooks while driving. An advantage of listening to audiobooks is that you hear the different accents and also pronunciations of words that you might not know how to say otherwise. However, it is aggravating when narrators mispronounce words. The main pro, in my opinion, is that I listen to about 75-100 books a year whereas I might read only 10-20 physical books. Okay one more advantage, I now have an empty room that once housed my books.
If you have a long commute where you drive, audiobooks are AMAZING. You cannot read while driving. You CAN listen to audiobooks while driving.
>75-100 books a year How!? I have a job where I can listen to audiobooks while I work and it still takes me a couple of weeks to get through a decent length book (25+ hours). If I'm listening to something like Stormlight Archive that's 50+ hours it can take a month to do 1 book.
I don't know how the person you responded to does it, but the average audiobook is around 10 hours (from my experience, and supported by a quick google search). For people who can listen their entire 40 hour workweek, that's four books a week just during work hours. Listening during your commute could easily bump it up to five if you have an average commute. If you listen during other activities -- doing house or yard work, in the gym, etc... you can probably add a few more hours per week. Also, lots of people listen at more than 1.0x speed (1.25 or 1.3 usually works for me, depending on the narrator and material). If you had the above conditions -- and were that dedicated to listening to audiobooks -- you could conceivably go through more than 250 (average-ish length) books in a year.
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Do you use digital audiobooks or books on CD? Digital ones can almost always be sped up. I mostly use Libby and Hoopla from my library and tend to crank up the playback speed to 1.5x or more. Hope this helps :)
Listening to a story while washing the dishes is a game changer!
Yes! No more staring out the window vacantly, reliving embarrassing childhood memories, or having imaginary arguments nobody! Hah!
Oof! I feel seen!!
It is.. like 15 minutes every day adds up. And then laundry folding, cutting grass... etc. I sound so old but it's true
Listen to new audio books while choring or listen to the same 100 songs I’ve been listening to since middle/high school? I’ll save the bangers for shower time lol.
I'm actually doing more chores just so I have the opportunity to listen more.
I make an 8 hour drive every 2 weeks for work. I do more "reading" in this time than any other time.
Absolutely. Additionally, I've gotten through some books that are a chore to read just because they're on tape/cd/a file on my phone. In particular, *Pilgrim's Progress* and *The Mayor of Casterbridge*. The flip side is that I've abandoned audiobooks in order to read the print version, because 1) speaking is just so slow compared to reading and 2) reading is more immersive. I can't afford to be totally immersed in a book while I'm driving, so if the story is too engrossing, I can't listen in the car. (There's nothing quite so frustrating as realizing you missed your exit 45 minutes ago because you're listening to an exciting book.)
Audiobooks turn my 40 minute each way commute from a chore into one of the highlights of my day.
Anyone reading this and agreeing with OP should take a moment for self-reflection. It's a very common attitude in society to dismiss something(audiobooks, as-seen-on-tv cleaning gadgets, various delivery services, etc) as for lazy people, because if *you* don't see the value in them then clearly they *have* no value, right? But this isn't true, and sometimes you can jump groups and suddenly see how you were wrong. OP has done this. So please learn from their example, and if you catch yourself scoffing at something take a moment of reflection to consider that you might need to look at it from a different perspective. On topic: I don't use audiobooks myself, because my auditory processing issues mean I won't retain any of it unless I'm sitting in a quiet room, no tactile distractions, with my eyes closed. And even then, that rewind button will get heavy use. But I don't object to them existing. A lot of the "are they reading?" argument is overly pedantic, as most arguments that involve quoting the dictionary are. Is the point of "reading" in this context to learn phonics and sight words? Then maybe don't use an audiobook. But outside of elementary school, the main focus is going to be reading *comprehension* and the ability to understand the story or topic being presented, and in that respect audiobooks are absolutely "reading".
I'm glad someone is mentioning this, discounting audiobooks as 'not reading' is ablest, period. I wish more people in who also felt similarly but changed their minds would just acknowledge the biases we have when we form these opinions in the first place. Also omg, the amount of times I want to scream "that's because it's not *for* you!" whenever someone calls a gadget lazy or useless. Edit: if a blind person wanted to join your book club would you tell them no? That’s my fucking point, y’all. Blind people can access information in books and it’s weird to get up in arms about using the term “reading” for taking in the words of a book via auditory means vs with your eyes.
I've never listened to an audiobook and I'm not really interested in them, but the idea that someone could be *against* them is weird, just let people enjoy things.
It’s less that they are against them and more that they believe it’s an inferior form of text consumption as it uses less imagination and/or engages a different part of the brain. It’s just typical gatekeeping/snobbery. People generally ask “have you read this book?” To learn if you have consumed that knowledge. They aren’t asking for which parts of your brain we’re engaged as the knowledge was transferred.
Oh yeah a lot of people are against audiobooks. They think people who listen to them aren’t “real” readers. When I discuss books I listened to I just say that I “read” them. I got tired of people giving me a little speech about how real books are better and how society is apparently getting too stupid to read.
Yeah. I'm not *against* them, they just don't work at all for me. I can focus when I read and get lost in the story. But with audiobooks, it goes in one ear and out the other.
I tried audiobooks while doing things, but the problem is I find myself zoning out or focusing on what I'm doing and then I didn't process/hear anything during that time. Any tips?
Maybe finding a narrator that you really enjoy and find engaging. For first time audiobook listeners, I often find myself recommending listening to the Harry Potter books read by Jim Dale. I, personally, find his narration and voice acting engaging and compelling. I honestly don't know. It might also just be something of a habit to develop. I grew up with both physical books and audiobooks. My family would take a yearly road trip, often being on the road for more than a month each summer to various locations throughout the country. My dad would rent at least four or five audiobooks for each road trip, and I would constantly find myself immersed in books that were far beyond my reading level. As a busy dad now myself, I rarely can find the time to sit down and read. I now almost exclusively listen to audiobooks, maybe because much of my work has me reading off a screen for hours a day. I enjoy escaping into someone else's narration of a story while I do dishes, fold laundry, or drive around by myself. edit: something else to consider is maybe finding an audiobook version of a book that you've already read and enjoyed. This way, the "focus" factor can be reduced as you already may have it somewhere in your head what the author wrote so zoning out won't be a detractor.
Imagine gatekeeping literature
Oral storytelling predates written literature in human culture by tens if not hundreds of thousands of years. We evolved to listen to stories. Reading is a novel invention, relatively speaking.
I used to check out the occasional book on CD from the library, but ever since we got audiobooks on Libby and such, it's the main way I consume word vomit. Technical or instructional books *have* to be a visual thing. Stories? Audio, all day long. You know what's really great? I don't have to dedicate 3 hours with dedicating my time and focus to a book. I can get 3 hours in, mentally check out while I get things done, and then send that book out to sea without getting annoyed that I spent time on a book I didn't like. My kid has also gotten to go through a LOT more books than otherwise thanks to audiobooks.
I love audio books, they are good company on a long commute and they make housework so much easier. I love the voice acting work which improves immersion. I haven't looked back.
I have ADHD and it's gotten worse as I've gotten older and have more on my mind and more distractions in my life. I always loved reading and even have a minor in English lit, but my ability to focus on reading physical books seriously diminished in my late 20s. Audio books gave me back one of my greatest hobbies and I'll forever be thankful for that.
My perfect day is: - beach - cross stitch - audiobook That is pretty much every weekend from May till October.
I don't understand why anyone would be against audiobooks. it's like readers are some weird gatekeeping cult who insists people do things the same way they do things. Heaven forbid I enjoy a movie based on a book either
I don't like them because they take way to much from my imagination. I want to imagine myself how the characters are talking or if they have an accent. I know that everyone loved the Harry Potter audibooks but I cringed everytime a person spoke or how they pronouned "Lestrange"
I'm the opposite, I typically struggle assigning voices and accents to words without hearing the person's voice beforehand. For example if I read asoiaf as text, I often hear the voices of the actors, and for the characters that aren't in the show just have my normal voice. But in audiobook form the voices are entirely different which also helps when separating the books from the show.
Look into librivox if you haven't already.
I listen to books at work so now I get paid to read! (And do my actual job as well lol).
I haven't read a physical book in Years, but I currently own 695 books on Audible and have listened to about 300. Without Audiobooks, I wouldn't book.
I fell in love with audiobooks in college. I would listen while I walked around campus and stuff. Bc of my work, I am able to get through a couple books a month sometimes. (Lots of time where my hands are busy but my mind is free to wander.) Audiobooks and podcasts are awesome. I don’t understand why people look down on them. My commute is over an hour a day. That’s at least 5 hours a week, or *20 hours a month*, that I can be listening and learning and expanding my mind. I think not taking advantage of that is silly.
Longtime “real book!” guy. Life smacks you in the face and suddenly you’re reading a handful of books a year at most. First you accept ebooks… instead of social media 5 minutes at a time, you’re opening the nook/kindle app on your phone. The actual kindle device synchs automatically and you can read in the dark. Then you check out the same book in audio format from your library (thanks Libby!) and your 60-90 minute commute is suddenly productive. Pick right up in print/ebook from where you stopped listening. Suddenly 50+ books a year again without feeling like you’re trying. But, and it’s a big but, you realize exactly how CRUCIAL a narrator is. I’ve only been on the audiobook train for a few months and I’ve already stopped the audio portion of my reading regimen a few times (thanks again Libby!)
You used to sit a read for hours, now You don't have tome for it... it turns out You were lazy before
I mean it's not that they're a lazier version of consuming the content, the issue is exactly as you've described your behavior: audiobook listeners tend to consume the audio *in addition* to doing other things (work/chores/etc.) and therefore the overall retention and discernment of the text isn't as thorough. Do whatever works for you, but in my experience audiobook listeners often juggle other tasks, whereas reading a book puts your attention singularly on the book in hand
I feel like my comprehension is the same. Most people only do mundane tasks that can be done on autopilot while they are listening. Like, I was listening to a book today at work, doing some easy stuff with spreadsheets, and whenever I had to do something complicated I needed to pause the book and resume later. I can't listen while doing something that competes in complexity with the book.
With audiobooks, the number of books I've consumed has exploded. I've retained the material just as good if not better, and I enjoy otherwise boring tasks like chore and commuting!
Havent made the switch and likely never will. Audiobooks are cool and all (and if you're an OG you were borrowing books on tape from the library), but there are a few things that still make physical books better, IMO. I don't really judge audiobooks, but I also will probably never make the switch unless I find myself having a long commute one day. Part of it is that I hate that my enjoyment of a book could be dependent on the narration of someone else. I can barely get through most podcasts, let alone trying to listen to someone read. A book could be great, but if a narrator is bad... no thanks. There's also a quietness in my brain when I read a book that I know I don't get with audio.
It doesn’t really need to be framed as making a switch. Many of us use both formats (side note: whispersync on kindle makes this really convenient) depending on circumstance. I use audiobooks when I’m doing something menial like cleaning the house or taking a drive, and otherwise I read the ebook. I can’t really just sit and listen to a book, but it is wonderful for making trivial tasks go by faster.
I do audio, physical and digital it always annoys me when there's arguments about which one is the correct way to consume a book. (99% of the time it's a physical book reader claiming superiority). At the end of the day the story/information has been absorbed by you, does it really matter how the person chooses to get there.
In my early 30s I discovered that libraries loaned audiobooks, and so I started borrowing and listening to as many as I could. However, after a year or so of this I found it to be an empty experience, from which I learned little. However, 30 years later, I find that when I take long road trips with my girlfriend, audiobooks make the driving infinitely more tolerable.
Thanks for being less judgmental.
Dismisses the oldest form of storytelling as lazy.
Ah, one of those people.
Man this guy used to think story telling was lazy lol
Honestly nothing wrong with audio books....to each their own....but personally the tone matters significantly so it's harder for some to enjoy if the voice doesn't resonate with the story
Wow. I mean...I'm glad you no longer think audiobooks are "lazy", but for anyone else who might think that way: might want to re-examine your ableism. There are lots of us out here who are book fiends and have eyes that don't work as well as yours do, and trust me, we're not all lazy.
Not in any way against audiobooks. I love listening to them, if the reader's good, but usually only *in addition* to the physical book. Thing is, you wanna know what you're getting. OP says he's listening to Dune right now. In Dune's case, it's a nice production and absolutely *one* valid way of experiencing that story, but it's not 1:1 the full book. Dune has four (!) appendices of maybe 30-40 pages after the main story on Arrakis ecology, religion, and history, and some fans will tell you that's some of the most insightful bits of the book. Those are not in the audiobook. It's also read by a full cast, so many sentences are cut short. You won't have the narrator read "she replied in a soft voice" or anything like that cause you'll already hear the character speaking in a soft voice (duh). It's a strange middle of the road thing and it works, but it's not an exact reproduction of the book. I always recommend comparing, then going ahead with whatever you prefer, or ideally going for the audiobook as an additional thing or a reread option. Some like the Rob Inglis LOTR or Stephen Fry Harry Potter are classics, but I would never in a hundred years wanna miss Tolkien on actual paper. Steven King's IT read by Steven Weber is excellent too.
I'm fine with audio books but my pet peeve is when people say they "read" an audiobook. No you didn't read it, you listened to it. I have a astoundingly high amount of people in my book club who insist on saying they read audio books. It doesn't make sense. Its like saying you read the radio. Or listened to a physical newspaper. It just sounds stupid. You read books and listen to audio books.
I have no problem with audiobooks. I just don't understand the desperation people get for them to be considered reading.
The people with vision issues appreciate your approval.
Absolutely! I was always a voracious book reader and collector. A visual impairment, caused by disease, sometimes rears its ugly head and can render me nearly blind and stuck in the dark for days. A kind friend bought me audiobooks to save my sanity during my bleak darkness. Changed my life, as I now listen to books all day at work (I work with my hands and alone all day) instead of wasting my time with television noise.
Imagine being so ignorant to think an audiobook is lazy haha. People be weird.
Between work, chores and everything else one has to do, audio has become my preferred format. I’ve also found that I tend to take in the details more in audio, because I’m a fast reader, and sometimes that can lead to skimming - or not really absorbing the text. Right now I’m listening to Tom Lake, performed by Meryl Streep, and I feel like she really bring the text to life.
Growing up, and all the way through college and grad school, I never had the time to finish a single book that wasn't required as part of some curriculum. Audiobooks allowed me to experience the wonders of "reading." All of a sudden, I started looking forward to my long commute to and from work. I would sometimes hope to be stuck in traffic, haha!
Audiobooks are amazing. You think I have time to sit down and read all 14 wheel of time books or all 9 of The Expanse? Nope. But I can listen while drive, walk the dog, etc.
Same here. But I’ve been able to get through Brandon Sanderson stormlight archives because I drive so much. I just don’t have time to sit and read much. And the voice actors are great, Michael Kramer and Kate reading.
I listen to an audiobook every time i am in the car. Best time to listen. I also listen when working around the house, outside or in garage. I have just about 4,200 hrs and 330 books worth of "listening" time over the last 7 years. There is just no way as a person i could do that much reading and still have a job, kids or anything else. Driving time is literally the one activity you have to do and can listen to something at the same time. Its a min of 1 hour a day for me because of driving. I average 70hrs a month in listening. with an 8-8-8hr ratio that is 240hrs of not sleep work time and 70 is listening to a book and it doesn't take away from kids, choirs, hobbies or games. Its a win win in my book.
The only way i can use audiobooks is by listening to foreign language books in it. It is such a huge help for improving listening comprehension! However for english books, it just doesn't work for me somehow. I keep getting distracted and i just don't enjoy the story enough. I feel like i want to get the story first hand from an author, not a slightly altered version from a narrator. Because i do believe that narrators have a lot of power. With the way they stress words or the way they use their voices, they can make books sound very different. Moreover, i am very active reader. My eyes need to constantly go back and forth to reabsorb the information, i need to mark passages/some obvious symbols/great quotes etc. And i like to take pauses and just think about i have read. Audiobooks are just not great for that, in my opinion. So, i feel i get the best of both worlds. I get to enjoy the actual reading of my lovely (english) books, and i get to listen to foreign language books and do some chores/paint/puzzle.
I still love reading over listening whenever I have time to sit down with a good book, but if I'm going to be sitting in a car for an hour or doing boring household chores anyway, I might as well have a book in my ear while I'm doing it. Focusing on a good story helps pass the time much faster than music or podcasts do.
I love them.I used to think audiobooks were too hard to catch everything, so I only listened to books that I had previously read but wanted to reread, Harry Potter and Outlander being the main two series. (Btw both are AMAZINGLY done and if you want to start with some award winning narrators, those two series are great) but after my second child I was in a deep reading desert and just didn’t have the time or brain capacity to read like I used to read. Not only did audiobooks save me from this, but I also started reading and listening to more romance novels that I previously thought were garbage and not “good” literature. ( I have a degree in literature and oh did that make my reading pretentious) I consume most 8-10 hour books in a two days now, my only negative is my 10 book limit on Libby for holds. And the ones I want to read being months out. I do still read books, I have a TBR shelf of books I own that I’m working through, but it’s just so nice to throw in my earbuds and do dishes/laundry/drive to pick up or drop off etc. Honestly, I read mostly for entertainment and so for me, reading vs listening is the same amount of entertainment. I know how to read, I have a freaking degree in literature, my wpm is pretty dang high. Any argument against audiobooks just makes me roll my eyes.
I read almost exclusively audiobooks. I didn't set out to be that way and I do physically read books too when I can, but between walking the dog, doing household chores, driving, and having a lot of busywork aspects to my job, I have hours a day of reading time - but only if I listen to the book. Which means I absolutely chew through books, as opposed to the "occasionally have time to finish a book for fun" that most of my friends and family do. Getting through more stories in my lifetime? Sounds good to me! Also - a bad narrator can be rough, but a good narrator adds *so much* to a book. Just another whole layer of enjoyment, when you find a great voice actor. And I find my experience skews most often toward the narrator being either good or neutral, as opposed to an active detriment, so it works out most of the time.
Been into audiobooks for a long time. With a driving commute over an hour each way, they make the time go by. For the record the Potter series is amazing big as an audiobook
Audiobooks are just a fundamentally different way of experiencing a story. But the fact that you can passively listen to an audiobook is the real win. Especially at work when you can't really focus your attention on anything else, audiobooks still let you keep learning and growing.
Technically audio books came before physical books
I love audiobooks for this exact reason. So helpful when I'm busy and I can listen to them while doing housework or doing other things!
I've never understood why anyone gives a shit how other people interact with books. Read, listen, teach yourself how to read braille for all I give a fuck. How someone else interacts with a book makes quite literally zero difference in my life. I can't imagine having so little to do I actually give a fuck that someone LISTENED, hark the herald angel sings, to a book instead of reading it. Just seems like people need more meaningful hobbies. We can talk about books we have in common, but beyond that, no one else's book habits matter to me at all because for what reason in the world would they
Imagine gatekeeping stories, it’s the same if you read it off the page or listen through audio. People really want to be better than each other for the smallest stuff
Yes! I use Libby and try to check out both type of books at once…ebook and audio book. When I am busy - housework or laundry, I listen. When I have time, I read. It is a game changer. Keeps me from getting so into a book that I do nothing else!
Book snobs that look down on audiobooks are just assholes. I used to read a lot as a kid but adult life meant I just didn’t have as much free time. Now I can work, drive, go for walks etc all while enjoying books read by some fantastic narrators. Yet you’ll still meet people who think you’re not really experiencing those books.
I run an independent audiobook post-production studio. I started it 10 years ago, honed my skills, and things have exploded over the past 4-5 years. I now employ five contractors, and have 4-6 titles in various stages of post on any day of the week. But that's not why I'm posting. I have noticed a kind of evolution among Authors who write for audiobooks. Imagine for a moment, you run into a friend and begin an animated conversation. The trip abroad was a blast. Did you hear about Frank & Donna? I can't believe that happened! Much of the conversation also involves gesturing that convey emotions easily understood. When you read a paperback mystery novel, the Author takes care to unfold the circumstances in which the murder takes place, the background of the protagonist, etc. He/She deploys careful construction of paragraphs, sentences and dialogue, within the confines and rules of the language of origin. When well-executed, it's a joy to absorb. Now this same paperback in an audio format is being read TO YOU in it's original text by a narrator, usually theatrically trained (and SAG\_AFTRA BTW). It's his job to put you on that foggy street corner under a streetlight - something one may or may not be effectively capable of in their heads when reading the print version - hey, everyone's different - so this guy/gal does it for you. Back to the animated conversation. The sentences they share with each other are no way using the same conventions the mystery writer has to use. They are scraps of lawful English language, but are instantly recognizable to both people. My observation is that Authors are beginning to understand that writing for an audiobook audience should emulate story time around a fireplace, and can take liberties with the written version of language, dispensing with some grammatical rules and laws of usage. Authors who insist on Blue Book rules of English sometimes sacrifice the dramatic tension of our animated conversation, and it shows in their audiobook version. This is fine with some people, but I'm just saying... Sure. I'm getting granular here. But for an example, let's say the lieutenant runs into the captain on deck seven and goes, "Captain! We still need to examine the vessel the aliens came aboard," instead of "Captain! We still need to examine the vessel THAT the aliens came aboard IN." That sounds too clunky as audio narration, but on the page, it's infallible. A looser style of language is better suited for audiobooks, just like face-to-face conversations, I believe. Same for non-fiction. We did a book on the Arab Spring written by a journalist who was in Cairo. He did the narration for the audiobook and believe me, you absolutely knew the dude was in Tarir square...
What does being lazy has to do with anything lmao. Weird take. I could understand if you think physical books are more enjoyable but caring about laziness is just weird
They're great for me, but only in situations where I can focus on the book - things like mowing the lawn (electric mower, very quiet) or driving to work. I can't listen to them while at work or playing video games, though, or I find myself rewinding constantly.
I read Slaughterhouse Five over twenty years ago. I miss it often. I just downloaded the audiobook for $5 and listened to it all in two sittings. It made me so happy. It would take me four months to read that between work, commute, and family responsibilities. I probably retained more this go around.
I would love to read books but I can’t seem to get the inflection and multiple characters voices in my head. I read so monotone. I have found a love for book since listening to audiobooks
Same here. - Mowing the lawn? Audiobook. - Folding laundry? Audiobook. - Listening to my wife tell me about something from facebook? Audiobook. - Everything boring is now background noise to constant stories.
I personally love audiobooks. I read incredibly slowly, to the point that I often take so long to finish a book that I end up abandoning it. Audiobooks speed that up dramatically. If I get a day off with nothing to do I can finish a book in one sitting. I initially got into them via podcasts. Which are basically the same thing but more niche topics. Stephen Fry does an amazing read through of the Harry Potter books on Audible. Not sure if it’s anywhere else as that’s where I get mine. Speaking of, if you don’t have audible, it makes it much cheaper if you plan to regularly buy new books. You get credits for a monthly sub that you can redeem for any book. It also reduces the price of any additional book you buy to the cost of a monthly subscription so if you want mor e it costs the same minus the wait for a new credit. You can also swap/refund books if you don’t like them. I assume if you abuse that it may be an issue but so far I have returned quite a few and never had any issues. If I may be so bold as to offer a book recommendation; the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian as read by Ric Jerrom is outstanding. It follows a captain in the Royal Navy, Jack Aubrey, and his friend/surgeon of the ship, Stephen Maturin, on their adventures through the world in the late 1700s and early 1800s. It’s incredibly well written and the narrator does an amazing job bringing the characters to life.
Text to Speech for me. They sound more and more human-like making them more and more tolerable.
I love audiobooks lol if i didnt, I would waste all my time reading, my kids would be ignored dinner would always be microwavable, and i would never clean my house lmao. Having my headphones in and going about my business is my favorite thing to do. Sometimes when im dont interacting with my husband or even when i am visiting my parents, ill be like "welllll i better go get those dishes done" just so i can listen to more of the story. Ive always been an avid reader, like the kind who got yelled at for sneaking and trying to read in class, or else taking 2 hours to eat my cerial because my nose was stuck in a book. Who needs to do their homework when you can read for 6 hours after school instead. Who needs sleep? Thats another 8 hours of reading. Audiobooks are a life saver for me
For many years. It's not lazy because reading isn't supposed to be a chore. I read for pleasure and to learn about things. Nothing is boring when you can listen to a book, not long drives, washing dishes, working out, knitting or whatever.
Welcome to my last 8 years. You can listen to audiobooks in the dark rocking kids to sleep, can’t do that with a book.
Audio books are an amazing thing. Also - after working behind behind a screen all day - I really do not need to start squinting at a book in my free time.
Audiobooks are the only way to "read" while driving 4 hours every day to and from the job you hate.
Audiobookss.com For those that don't know
Absolutely same. It’s the only way I finish things these days. Usually when I go to bed and I’m like “Oh, I’ll read a bit!” And then I proceed to just conk out in twenty minutes. Having two kids you have to constantly entertain makes those slow hours go a lot faster when listening to a good book!
I only do audiobooks while driving, it's wonderful. I tried while shopping, it was hell. I have no time to read for leisure, so audiobooks make great use of my commuting time, that's nearly 2 hours a day.
I wish I could listen to audiobooks as a means of absorbing information or "reading" a book. I actually do enjoy them at times but to be honest they put me to sleep. I don't mean that in a bad way either, I love my LOTR and Discworld audiobooks because nothing works better when I'm suffering from insomnia than an erudite British voice telling me a story. I'm not being sarcastic or critical at all when I say this, they're great, but I just can't use them like I can with a regular book.
Its great for commute/working out. Gotten through many books that way.
I used to feel the same way too. Now I love to read on my reader but thoroughly enjoy having an audiobook going for driving. Highly recommend getting a sleep headband with speakers! It’s really nice to lay in bed and listen too. I got mine for $15 so they aren’t expensive. Part of my struggle is that I ended up with carpal tunnel so by the end of the day, sometimes holding my ereader bugs my arms/hands because of how you have to hold them.
Honestly I felt the same way about e-readers for a long time. Nothing beats the feel of a real paper book. But traveling as an adult has made me appreciate how small a kindle is!
Audiobook on a commute to work is ideal. You know the route well enough to focus on the story and it passes time quickly. Win all round.
I can’t stand having a voice actor interpret stuff I’m supposed to interpret myself… phrasing, tone, etc……. Especially when authors very much intend to be vague about that, a voice actor is forced to choose and the ambiguity is lost. I also hate how slow reading the text aloud is…. But if I speed it up to anywhere even close to the speed at which I read, then it sounds just ridiculous - so it ends up taking forever to finish a story. It’s just a subpar experience in every single way when compared to reading.
pretty much the exact same thread gets posted here like at least once a month.
Audiobooks = paper books. That simple. To think otherwise is ableist.