Audio-Bibliophiles discussion

This was a question that was brought up in my Literacy, Language, and Learning class and I wondered what you all though about this...

What is the purpose of reading?? In my opinion, it is to comprehend what is written. People write books to convey a story, thought or fact. If the true meaning of what is written has been understood, does it really matter how it was accomplished??

I love to read, physically read. I have always been an avid reader and love to immerse myself in a story. I honestly feel that those who don't read are missing out on so much. But, there are people out there who will Not "read" a book. Typically because they are not "good" readers, whether that means they have problems reading (dyslexia...etc.) or they just aren't fast readers. I have friends who would never read a book, mainly because it took too long. They weren't fast readers and just didn't have the time to spend reading. I have introduced them to audiobooks and they have become book lovers because of this. They can listen on their commute to/from work or while working around the house. Can we honestly say that listening to the book being read to them made it any less comprehensible? I can physically read a book while a friend listens to the audio. We can have a very thorough discussion about the book without any problems. I have to admit, I am a very fast reader. I can read a 300 page book in about 3 hours. I have physically read a book then listened to it in audio and noticed many passages that I must have skimmed over when physically reading it. I didn't realize how often I skimmed until then. Audiobooks make me hear each & every word.

I know I have seen where some say the narrator changes your interpretation of what is written, depending on the inflections they use to portray the story. Is this true? Probably, but honestly, different people can read the same book & can come away with slightly different feelings on what the author meant. If you are a person that has issues with this...meaning, you want to decide for yourself by reading the words themselves what an author means, by all means, physically read the book. Audiobooks are not for you. But, for the most part, I think the purpose of reading a book is accomplished by listening to audiobooks.

I agree nikki but for different reasons. Historically, stories were told orally from generation to generation or place to place as in renaissance Europe or American Indian culture.

Very good point Audra.

☻Nikki☻ wrote: "Very good point Audra."

Thank you.

I have always liked books, real physical books. I like the crispness of a new book and the musky smell of used books. I like going to the bookstore and just walking down the aisles for hours. But I have always been a very slow reader. I always felt this wasn't that big of a deal, but then I discovered Audible.

I know it sounds silly, but Audible changed my life. For the first time, I could have all these books at my fingertips and actually read them quickly. I could experience the wonderful agony of keeping up with a series and being tortured while waiting for the next book to come out. Audible keeps me on my toes with stories, authors and series that I want to read. And just the sheer volume of books I have consumed through Audible surpasses anything else I have read.

I still read physical books, usually shorter ones. And I love going to bookstores and seeing what is out and making notes to myself for Audible later. I think the only real downside to reading audiobooks is the inability to share them. When I find a new book I love, I like to tell others. I can't lend my audiobooks to anyone, but so many of my friends also use Audible now that I just let them know what should be their next listen.

I also read a lot of physical books and I'm a pretty fast reader. In fact sometimes I feel audiobooks slow me down, but they provide a lot of other benefits, bringing characters to life, adding expression and suspense and humor. I laugh out loud much more at audiobooks than when reading alone.

I would hope that all young people could learn to enjoy both kinds of reading, but something is better than nothing. My son always read newspaper articles and online stuff but couldn't stick with a fiction book. But when we were driving around visiting colleges, I got Harry Potter books on audio, (he had never read them and the movies weren't out yet) He was the one who said, when we were about to get out of the car, "Wait, I want to hear how this part ends". - I was delighted.

Listening to an audiobook is an activity, just like any other. I read, listen and use a kindle. Each experience is different and has it's own merits, I don't feel I have to justify it. My husband deliberatly teases and says it's cheating, but how can it be, it's just different. He watches sport on TV, I don't say to him that he's cheating by not going out to kick the ball himself.

I used to strictly read my books and considered listening to Audio books somewhat cheating. Then I lost my night job where I could just sit and read for several hours a night and got a job scanning documents which left me no time to read. I started listening to Audio books and now I "read" more books then I ever could have before. I love listening to books and I love reading books. When I finish reading or listening I have the same feeling either way of enjoying a great book.

Chris wrote: "Listening to an audiobook is an activity, just like any other. I read, listen and use a kindle. Each experience is different and has it's own merits, I don't feel I have to justify it. My husband d..."

I would say it's more like the difference between being at the game or watching it on TV with commentators, each has its own character.

I used to think audiobooks were cheating too. However, I signed up for the audible trial and downloaded two books. I waited until the last day of the trial because I had no idea what to download and when I would listen to the books. One of the books I downloaded I needed to read for a book club. So I started to listen to the books.

And I don't think there is anything wrong with the activity. While reading itself is one activity and listening is something that can be done during another aka like exercising or housework, I think both are valid "reading" activities because you still get the story, the author's words, and the information in the book.

I agree with Nikki overall. I like your response and I think that it is a well articulated response also representing how I feel now after I've started listening to audiobooks.

I also love reading actual books. I tried audio books last year and really enjoyed them. For me it is all about the narrator, if the narrator is not good, my mind will wonder and them I am thinking about something else and not focusing on my book. For my favorite authors, I will read the actual book. I do enjoy audio as a reread of a book, then I can get through it quicker,

I agree with Nikki, its definitely considered reading. You are still getting the story and can easily discuss it with someone who used their own eyes to read the book. Audio books allow me to maximixe my time and still hear about characters and story lines that interest me. I am an audio book addict now. :) I am so glad I was able to train myself to listen to them while I drive.

As someone with ADD tendencies, listening to books actually helps me focus. If I don't have something to listen to, my mind can wander totally away and be even less aware of my driving. However, if there's a lot of traffic or I'm in an unfamiliar area, I'll turn off the book.

I also turn off my book if I am in an unfamiliar area watching for turns, etc.

Another time I turn off the book in the car is when I can't bring my mind back to focus on the book. There are just some days that I can't control my thoughts. :)

Listening should definitely count as reading!

Like a previous poster said, the main point is that there is a story being conveyed from one person to another, regardless of whether that story is written down for me to read or on a CD for me to listen to.

I do think reading a hardcopy versus listening to a book can make for two totally different experiences, though. There are several books that I've read once on paper/e-reader and then again on audio, and I get slightly different things from each. I often find myself choosing a book on CD that I'd read years before as a hardcopy just to see what the experience is like with audio. Sometimes I enjoy the physical reading better (usually because the narrator sucks!) and sometimes I find that I really, really enjoy listening to a story better (sometimes when there is an excellent narrator, but more often when I come across a book that is narrated with an ensemble cast, like the Ender's Game series which is a amazing on audio).

I think I will always be partial to actual physical books (I felt that way when I started reading e-books, too). But things in life get busy, and it is often far easier for me to play CDs while doing an activity that I have to do anyway (like drive 30 to 45 minutes twice a day for work) than it is for me to set aside time after work or on weekends to physically sit down and read a book.

I love books but as a child I was read anything my mother happened to be enjoying herself and I developed a lifelong love of being read to. It is a great luxury in my view. Because of the pleasure I receive from the medium I focus closely on the subject matter. This way I have been able to fill in some of the gaps in my scientific education listening to readings of works by Ricard Dawkins and Richard Berendzen and other scientific writers. Books that I would never read, I can absorb with interest as a listener. It also allows me to indulge a pleasure in good novels, well read. And I really like an audio book for a long solo drive or a plane flight with the noise cancelling headphones. Reading is about the transmission of ideas and language that is beautiful written is also beautiful heard.

I enjoy some lighter books more on audio, such as mysteries or humor, like Bridget Jones. The performance can add so much to the story. I am more likely to laugh out loud at an audiobook then when I am just reading it myself.

I love to sit down and read a book, but time is required for that . I will read when I'm on vacation, or a cold winter weekend. I have a job that puts me in a room with no phones or people for several hours at a time. That's what started me on Audio books. I've been a member of audiable.com for several years now and I can not work without a book to listen to. If I have the right narrator it makes the book come to life. I buy at least 1 book a week, if not more. And if the book is really good I listen to it in the car to an from work. I feel like listening to a book is the same as reading, if not better. Because with 5 kids I don't get much time to myself.

I am a "two-timer" as my husband calls it. I read a book when I have the chance to sit down the actual copy, but since my jobs demand so much driving and motion, I listen to the audiobooks in between jobs, etc. I just FFWD the audiobook to whatever point I stopped reading, and pick up where I left off. I find this lets me finish a book in a matter of days, rather than in a week or two. I know some people tell me there is "no way" I could remember all that I listen to on the audiobook, but I have a very specific memory when it comes to books... If I get distracted, I will rewind the audiobook until the last spot I remember, and start again. I think it totally counts as reading, and it helps me get through my day!

Latasha wrote. I know some people tell me there is "no way" I could remember all that I listen to on the audiobook, . . .

I think I remember better the books I listen to vs read in print (except for the really great ones which stand out anywhere). I learn well from hearing, (which was useful in college lectures) - could be I focus more when listening than when reading in print where I can more easily skim. A good narrator can make the story so much more interesting than I can for myself.

I love to read books, and I also enjoy listening to audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks when I'm taking a walk, exercising, or driving (alone) in a car. Listening to an audiobook uses a somewhat different set of skills than reading, and probably uses different parts of the brain. Some people can never get the knack of listening to books--they lose their concentration. But with practice, it becomes automatic.

I enjoy the pleasure of reading books in many formats audio, eBooks and print. To me the joy of learning is one of the pleasures of existence. I also find that frequently a narrator introduces an aspect to the experience that had not occurred to me before . . . such as the audiobook version of NEXT by the late Michael Crichton. The narrator brought various voices to the characters that I would never have thought of if I had only read the print edition. And with some books I prefer the audio version because that was the way I was first introduced to the characters. Tarquin Hall's book series about Vish Puri - most private investigator would have been more difficult to navigate if it had not been for the narration provided by Sam Dastor IMHO.

by Michael Crichton

by Tarquin Hall

And recently I listened to a free download from Audible.com from Jeffery Deaver where he spoke of using audible version's of his books to refresh his memory about his characters as sometimes it may be a year or two between new books about them.

Audiobooks are also an excellent way to reread a book. Narrators, with their different inflections, emphasize words and phrases I wouldn't have given as much stress to, prompting me to consider story details differently. Jeremy Irons reading Lolita
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76...
or Ethan Hawke reading Slaughterhouse Five
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/78...
are good examples of this.

The greatest insights come when you are able to consider a work on your own, then listen to the author narrate their story.

I think listening to an audiobook is equivalent to reading a book. It's still the same text, just being consumed in different ways. As David says above, it is sort of a learned behavior to listen attentively, but once you have accustomed yourself to it, I don't think average listeners miss any more details than average readers do.

I have found, though, that I sometimes hate characters largely because I hate the way the reader spoke for them. Most often when a man reads for a female character and makes his voice high and silly. (WHY do they do that? I don't know.) That is one of the hazards.

Josh wrote: "Audiobooks are also an excellent way to reread a book. Narrators, with their different inflections, emphasize words and phrases I wouldn't have given as much stress to, prompting me to consider sto..."

Yes, Lolita is a completely different experience with Jeremy Iron's mesmerising voice arguing his own perversity through with such persuasiveness

It's reading Jim, but not as we know it.
My highly literate son claims he never reads, but absorbs all his written material from a miscellany of screens in a electro-butterfly fluttering. His syntax is far better than me, and I've read more books than I can possibly remember.
So everybody to their own, its all part of a rich lit-mix and you can't have enough ways to absorb great stories!

I haven't read all of the posts but I think that the answer is reading you do with your eyes and listening you do with your ears. It has been proffered that some of us are auditory learners and others visual learners. It has also been suggested that even the audio-oriented folks form pictures in their minds if not the same at least similar to those who read rather than see the same data. I think that the answer therefore can be yes and no.

Audio books are great for times or situations when we can't read books. I got into audio books when I started running as I wanted something more than music to distract me from the tedium of running. My father, age 93, who has been a life long reader went to audio books when he could no longer read the large print library books. His audio book listening gives him great pleasure and he & my mother can still discuss books that she reads & he listens to. For a really rich book I have done both (read & listened in tandem, though not precisely in unison.

Chérie wrote: "Audio books are great for times or situations when we can't read books. I got into audio books when I started running as I wanted something more than music to distract me from the tedium of runnin..."

Nice

Chérie wrote: "Audio books are great for times or situations when we can't read books. I got into audio books when I started running as I wanted something more than music to distract me from the tedium of runnin..."

I agree, absolutely... I am an avid reader, I read about 3-4 books a week on my e-reader - mostly romance. I also knit and force myself to workout and work on projects around the house. During those activities, I like to listen to audiobooks - historical non-fiction, true crime, and what my husband calls "what everybodys reading books"

lol I like that category - "what everybody reads". That is the perfect way to describe those books and I know exactly which ones that encompasses. :D

There are several things that I love about audiobooks

1. My husband is not the type to sit down with a book. He has been trying lately (since he won a Kindle Fire) and has made it through a few, but it is not natural to him and takes him a very long time. He just doesn’t think to sit down and read. But audiobooks…he LOVES! He devours them! He can listen to them while he works and drives. He has listened to many of them multiple times (I think he is on his third listening of Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, right now) and I can’t come close to keeping up with him on audiobooks.
2. For me, they are excellent for the times when I can’t, or really shouldn’t, be picking up a book to read (which I constantly long to do). Times like driving, cleaning, doing errands, or sometimes during work. I can’t pick up a book at those times, but I can listen to one!!
3. Having both mediums at hand gives me the ability to finish more books more quickly. I have a huge amount of books I want to read (over 1,500 on my Nook and adding more regularly) and this allows me to make that a possibility.
4. Each is its own experience! There are some books that are better listened to, and some that are better read (this not only depends on the writing, but also strongly upon how good the narrator is). Many of the books that I absolutely love on audiobook I have also read in print, because I want both of those experiences. There are books, like The Help, that are so amazing in their read form (loved reading it physically too) that I am SO glad I didn’t miss the experience! (If you haven’t listened to that on audiobook, definitely DO! Narrated by three amazing actresses – fantastic! Oh and anything read by Simon Vance!).

Audiobooks are definitely “read” because they are absorbed, remembered, experienced and felt!

Ali wrote: "Chérie wrote: "Audio books are great for times or situations when we can't read books. I got into audio books when I started running as I wanted something more than music to distract me from the t..."

Jennifer wrote: "lol I like that category - "what everybody reads". That is the perfect way to describe those books and I know exactly which ones that encompasses. :D"

Thing is, not to be shy of popular authors success - it is a great category

Chelsey wrote: "There are several things that I love about audiobooks

1. My husband is not the type to sit down with a book. He has been trying lately (since he won a Kindle Fire) and has made it through a few, ..."

Nicely put! Each is its own experience

I think anything that perpetuates a person to delve into the wonderful world of books whether they be digested electronically, via audiobook or hard copy, is a good thing. As long as you're taking in and comprehending the written word, that's reading. Sure audiobooks might not be for everyone, to each their own, but for those of us who do enjoy them I say they're fair game!

I mean, is it really fair to say that audiobooks are no substitution for hard-bound copies? What about those with disabilities that impair their ability to read? What do you say to that? Tough luck? Too bad, so sad? No. You provide a method to take in the written word in a way that they can actually grasp, understand and enjoy --- an audiobook.

My father is not a huge "reader," per say. He just didn't have the concentration or desire to pick up a book on his own and read. But then I introduced him to audiobooks and now he's a man obsessed! He's probably read as much, if not more, than I have. I feel like there aren't enough audiobooks in the world to satisfy the man! My point is, had it not been for audiobooks, I wouldn't be having hour-long conversations with my father about what authors we love most and which books really resonated with us.

That right there, folks, is the beauty of audiobooks (and reading in general).

I love audio books. I had a brain injury a few years ago and now read pretty slow. I had quit reading for fun because I just didn't have the time. Then I discovered audio books and it was great to enjoy books again and while cleaning, doing laundry, sewing or driving!

Nikki wrote: "I think anything that perpetuates a person to delve into the wonderful world of books whether they be digested electronically, via audiobook or hard copy, is a good thing. As long as you're taking ..."

Absolutely, I have a friend who is visually impaired, and increasingly so, she uses audiobooks as her only mens of reading. Whereas I see them as another layer of reading experience - such luxury!

Exactly, Simon. And that's the beauty of audibooks --- they can provide a different type of reading experience for everyone!

I prefer audio book because I can multitask. But I'll read a physical or eBook as well. I just have more time for audio and they really bring the story to life.

I think audiobooks are a medium that is somewhere between the printed page and the cinema. A printed book is a collaboration between the author and the reader. Each of them brings their own personalities to the experience. An audio book adds the narrator to the mix and that changes it somewhat. But back in the days before radio books were often read aloud to one another and were written to be read that way so I think it is almost 'reading'. In a movie there are many more collaborators, often including additional authors, the screenwriters and so I think it is a much more distant cousin to reading.

When my friend Deb suggested it because she enjoyed listening and she occasionally traveled distances to work. I did not think I really was a "listener". You know those people who say they like the feel of a "real" book...well, here is a former one of them.

But we went on a Road Trip, and let me tell you, my first experience was with a Stephanie Plum audio. We laughed and had to pause it sometimes because we would be laughing so hard we missed the next line. We would be hysterical and wonder what the people in the next car thought when they saw us laughing so hard. It has changed my mind about the audio version of a book. I can do so much and still read/listen.

Along with some books that make me laugh hysterically, there are many that had me in tears. "One Thousand White Women". My husband just hugs me until I am finished with that particular section. Sometimes the emotion of the story and the narrator just goes straight to the heart. Now that is a good book! Hands on or ears on, it's all good!

I'm a little late getting this posted, but "The Diane Rehm Show", heard on NPR, had a story back in January about audiobooks. The story was called "The Growing Popularity of Audio Books", and was aired on January 29th, 2013. Here's a link: thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-01-29....

Thanks Denise! I love Diane Rehm and her guests are always the best. I did listen to the short selections, and added more books to the pile!

Thanks for sharing that clip. It was great to hear the industry's viewpoint on the subject. Great listen.

Denise wrote: "I'm a little late getting this posted, but "The Diane Rehm Show", heard on NPR, had a story back in January about audiobooks. The story was called "The Growing Popularity of Audio Books", and was ..."

nice

I am a multi-tasker by nature and being able to now listen to books while I sew or walk or dust or do my nails! I no longer have to make time to read; I let someone read it to me :)
Plus, I can download them free from the library, never having to leave the house!

Josh wrote: "Audiobooks are also an excellent way to reread a book. Narrators, with their different inflections, emphasize words and phrases I wouldn't have given as much stress to, prompting me to consider sto..."

This entire post is worth re-reading.

I agree that listening 'counts' as reading, but I find that I miss passages due to skimming when listening, because I find it easier to immerse myself in and be saturated by the experience of reading paper books.

But both kinds of reading, as you all have noted, have their place, and different kinds of books are better suited to one or the other.

I plan to find some poetry to listen to, soon - I think that would be excellent because, after all, poetry is traditionally written to be heard.

I've been visually impaired since 6 days after birth (long story) and audiobooks and ebooks have DEFINITELY made me a better, more engaged reader. I choose more wisely now because I want the experience to be rewarding and meaningful.

I like your reasoning. 'Course, we're already simpatico on this question, pretty much by virtue of being in this group. ;)