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
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!