Romance Audiobooks discussion

Are there people here who dislike actually reading? For some reason, I despise it and no matter how many times I try, I always find myself reverting back to audiobooks. Is this 'normal'? Are there others like me who only listen to audiobooks?

Why do YOU listen to audiobooks?

I love to read, though lately I've become enamoured of audiobooks. I listen to them when I cannot hold a book to read. I also love to listen while doing mundane tasks (cleaning, road trips, and grocery shopping).

Sorry, I can't see me ever giving up the books.

I have to say that I love reading as well. It doesn't matter what format. I want to read.

I love audiobooks for the convenience that they provide me. Yes, they take longer to get through than when I 'read' a book but when I'm commuting or cleaning my house, they are a great way to get lost in a story.

I started listening after a shoulder surgery. Now I a, almost exclusively listening after a partial paralysis of my hand. Harder to hold my Kindle or a book.

I listen because they are convenient, they don't lay all over house and get dusty, and I get a better feel for the story.

They are also something I can tune into when I'm going somewhere or when I'm on my computer.

I can't imagine ever giving up actually reading a book. I read in every format - paperback, hardcover, kindle, iPad, Kobo (I'm a gadget geek).

I started listening to audiobooks to get over my first person pet peeve and now I also listen to 3rd person, but that is very rare and it is usually because of a narrator that I love.

I listen because I love it! I find that the story gets in my brain quicker somehow. English is my second language and although I'm very comfortable with it, sometimes when I'm reading, I keep reading and re-reading the same sentence.

Listening also helps me with classics and with complicated names/pronunciations. In some time periods - Victorians come to mind - sentences were as long as paragraphs and I have a lot of trouble finding the rhythm of the writing on my own.

That said, I still love reading! I have a Kindle and most of the time and both reading and listening at the same time. :)

Thanks everyone!! <3

Reading is a labor of love for me. I love everything about books but I have dyslexia so the actual reading is slow going. Audiobooks allow me to lose myself in a story & not get tripped up on the words.

I often take advantage of whisper sync books & read along with narration.

It's also convenient to be in the middle of a good listen & jump up to switch out a load of laundry without interruption! Then off for a run, etc.

i listen because i have a 2-3 (potentially more commute each day) and no way for my sanity could i listen to the radio all that time (now i do like 5 minutes as i start the drive for a traffic update and about 5 at the end; depending on where the current chapter in my book ends)

i also listen on the treadmill, never been able to listen to music, but audiobooks work well

I have a difficult time staying awake when I read, not to mention that I don't have a lot of free time. I enjoy audio books because I can listen in the car, at the gym, and pretty much anywhere. We travel quite a bit with my daughter being a competitive dancer so it gives me something to listen to on long car rides. At the gym, I find myself counting how many songs I've listened to and then stop working out because it seems like a long time. If I'm listening to a story, sometimes I'm so involved I can lose track of time. Also when I read, I have a difficult time forming pictures in my head, but when I hear a story I can form vivid pictures.

I listen to audiobooks because the narration gives more depth to the story. My biggest pet peeve is when a great author who writes a great book, ends up with their book being narrated by a mediocre narrator who ruins your experience of the book.

I also love Overdrive, Hoopla, and other streaming book downloads is that they are on your phone, you won't loose the book, and it's in one place.

Rein wrote: "I have a difficult time staying awake when I read, not to mention that I don't have a lot of free time. I enjoy audio books because I can listen in the car, at the gym, and pretty much anywhere. We..."

I lose complete lack of time when listening to an audiobook, especially mysteries and thrillers. On long road trips, I've had instances where I reach my destination and don't remember much about the drive.

Mara wrote: "I listen to audiobooks because the narration gives more depth to the story. My biggest pet peeve is when a great author who writes a great book, ends up with their book being narrated by a mediocre..."

I've been known to abandon an audiobook and go get the eBook version when the narrator was a disappointment. Thankfully, this hasn't happened that often.

interesting read http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/08/...
listening to audiobooks is not cheating

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "interesting read http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/08/...
listening to audiobooks is not cheating"

Thanks, Paris. For the life of me, I don't get why listening would ever be considered less than reading.

I love listening to audiobooks because it allows me to "read" while doing other things too. I'm disabled, and stuck at home all day, so I listen to books instead of watching tv, and can do household chores or take care of the animals while enjoying a good book. It's also a really good method of pain control for me. It lets me zone out and immerse myself in another world, meet new people, or visit old friends

What is interesting is that women of the book club would claim the member cheated by listening. Also, the scientific "breakdown" of the cheating.

Christi wrote: "I love listening to audiobooks because it allows me to "read" while doing other things too. I'm disabled, and stuck at home all day, so I listen to books instead of watching tv, and can do househol..."

Ditto for me, too! I don't mind doing some of the more dull and menial things anymore now that I've got my headphones piping out a good book.

Samantha wrote: "What is interesting is that women of the book club would claim the member cheated by listening. Also, the scientific "breakdown" of the cheating."

I know, even though they could articulate why.

I think that mental stimulation and enjoyment come in many forms and I don't see how cheating should even be a thought. Isn't the goal of a book in any form, to create a mood, set a scene, give life to characters, allow the reader to be transported to another place, and be entertained?
some people are more visual some more auditory (that would be me) - I love audiobooks - they get me through my work day, I work from home and they have replaced my music streaming.

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "interesting read http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/08/...
listening to audiobooks is not cheating"

I agree with you. Listening to audiobooks is NOT cheating. One is still processing the same information, just in a different modality. Also, unless one deliberately skips parts using the app, one can't easily skim or skip pages.

Audiobooks are the reason that I can read as much as I do. Cleaning, laundry and other mundane tasks are so much easier now!

Reading is the absorption of ideas. What difference does it make in the way that happens? Maybe for those not used to audiobooks it's something "new" and the reaction is the typical human resistance to change.

I could easily see that! A lot of people seem to be very reluctant to even try audiobooks, or seem to view them as "weird". I've been trying to get my bf to listen to some for years now lol. He sees it as not actually reading a book. We tend to debate about it a lot, since I'm an audiobook addict lol.

Jonetta wrote: "Christi wrote: "I love listening to audiobooks because it allows me to "read" while doing other things too. I'm disabled, and stuck at home all day, so I listen to books instead of watching tv, and..."

I know, it's great! It makes cleaning soooooo much nicer lol. I can just zone out and live in the book for a bit, and I dont even mind that I'm doing something that I normally really dont like, or enjoy, doing lol. I have a much cleaner house now haha. And it gives me an excuse to listen, which is great!

My most hated chore is cleaning out the refrigerator. Years ago, I used to do my neighbor's bookkeeping in exchange for her cleaning my frig. This morning, I put on my headphones and happily cleaned out my refrigerator. Got lost in the story:)

I listen to audio for a few reasons. I listen in the car, while doing work that takes little thought. I can crochet and listen...but try turning a page with no hands. Any time I cant turn pages, or move and look at a page.

Also, I'm more likely to try a book in genre I'm not a big fan of. I don't HATE historicals, but I do avoid them. I'm more likely to pick up a historical, if someone else is going to read it to me.

I'll pick up an audio, to "buddy read" with one of my kids. I've read several YA book with them, due to audio, that I wouldn't have otherwise.