Discussion: Audiobooks

August 7, 2017     erinthebooknut     Discussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve listened to audiobooks since I was a kid. I vividly remember lying on the floor in my bedroom coloring as Jim Dale read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I sat in the living room as Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery played in the background, Victor Garber’s voice weaving pictures in my head.

And then for many years I just stopped.

I never stopped reading, I just read everything myself. But why?

One, because my reading was faster than the narrator. Two, because I couldn’t pick up our stereo and move around the house (I didn’t have a portable CD player until later). And Three, I thought having someone read for me made me stupid.

And then I became an adult and reading time became harder to find. I had a job, I had responsibilities, errands, and chores. But I still wanted to have my stories.

Audiobooks are great when you want to be doing other things but still be engaged in a story. I have Overdrive and Audible on my phone and I take it with me on errands. I listen to audiobooks while cleaning the apartment and doing laundry. I listen on my walk to work and during my break. I even listen while I blog, if I’m not getting too distracted.

It also helps me get through books I’ve had a hard time with. All those backlist titles on my shelf that I know I should read? Put it on in the background. And if I don’t like it I no longer feel bad for not keeping it. This way my reading time can go to the massive pile of review books but I still have other stuff in between.

And so I learned listening to books doesn’t make me stupid. In fact, it makes me smart.

How do you feel about audiobooks? Share in the comments.

From my shelf to yours,

Erin

 

One response to “Discussion: Audiobooks

  1. I love the idea of audiobooks, but I often have a hard time focusing on them. The best experience I’ve had is listening to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on a road trip–I was totally engaged in the story. But when I listen to books I haven’t read before, I start thinking about other things or simply fall asleep. If I could focus long enough, I’d love to listen to books while doing chores or knitting!

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