Photo Credit: What Red Read
Many make the claim that the discussion is only about print vs. ebooks. And I’d tend to agree with that assessment, but audiobooks should at least be mentioned, right?
My experience with audiobooks is quite minimal. My art teacher in elementary school would play audiobooks while we worked. Did I enjoy these? Yes. Did I become fully immersed in the story like I do with print or ebooks? No. At my school we had three different outclasses (I think that’s what they were called). Art, Music, and PE. Which meant we had one every three days. So if I had art on a Wednesday, then I wouldn’t have it again until Monday. Not exactly ideal for getting lost in a story.
With that being said, I can still name a few of the audiobooks she played for us. Let’s see. Several books by Lemony Snicket. Holes by Louis Sachar. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And I’m certain that if I sat down and really thought about it that I could come up with more. One of the reasons that I remember this particular class so well is that there were some audiobooks that EVERYONE in the class would always want to hear over and over. The students didn’t care how often they’d already listened to something, they thoroughly enjoyed them.
Now I can sit back and think of other times in my life in which I could have taken advantage of the convenience of audiobooks and I realize I had the perfect opportunity just a few short years ago. In the fall of 2010 during my first semester in college I made the very stupid decision to take a 4:00-5:15 class. Why did I do this? Because a high school friend just happened to be in the class and we thought it would be in the same class. Well Jessica, it wasn’t (don’t worry, she doesn’t read this). My university was located in downtown Houston. So the normally 20-35 minute drive became almost two hours during rush hour traffic. I was getting home just before 7:00 every Tuesday and Thursday. Why am I telling you this? Because imagine the number of audiobooks I could have listened to throughout that semester. I had more than two hours in the car two of my four class days a week. Eh. Wasn’t meant to be.
So now that you know about when I did listen to audiobooks and when I missed out on the opportunity, tell me about you? Do you listen to them everyday or maybe a few times a month or not at all like me?
I didn’t use to listen to them either, but with a commute of over an hour every day I made the switch. I love it. You’re absolutely right about not paying attention 100% of the time. For this reason, I pick YA books or light reading. This way, if I zone out, I don’t seem to miss too much information. 🙂 I also wrote a blog about audiobooks too! (http://unkomminsense.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear-my-take-on-audiobooks/)
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Haha I like how you say you don’t miss much information from YA. So is this an everyday thing for you now? Or just sometimes?
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Pretty much every day. There are times when I need to take a break and listen to music for a few days in-between books though.
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Hm. Well I hardly drive at all. Like not even an hour a day. So I don’t know if I’d enjoy it as much as someone in the car more than just a few minutes.
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I have friends who listen to audio books all of the time. I’ve tried it and it wasn’t for me. I have done Teaching Company CDs and listened to lessons while driving to work – that’s easier for me than a book and it works well in the car because I could never just sit and listen, I would have to be doing something.
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I’ve never done so on my own, so we may or may not feel the same. Maybe I’ll give it a try sometime.
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I enjoy listening to certain genres of Audiobooks, like mystery, crime, and horror. A narrator can make it “spookier/edgier” better than I can.
That said, I did listen to Crime & Punishment and Moby Dick on audio — that was twice as boring.
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I think I’d rather just read my favorite books and then try the audiobook version of others. I’ve never read either of those.
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I used to listen to then a lot more. Lately, not so much. I like them for when I’m working on something mindless like weeding or painting or doing dishes. It’s an easy distraction and you gain more from an audiobook than you do listening to music or a tv in the background. But if given the choice, I would much rather read than listen to an audiobook.
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Hm. Agreed. Since I’ve never actually bought an audiobook. And also that you should be doing something else. I can sit there and listen to music. I don’t know if I can sit there and listen to an audiobook.
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I got a couple of podcasts that were audiobooks for free on iTunes. Classics like Dickens and Charlotte Brontë. There was more but that will keep me busy for a while.
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I’ve never read either of them. I don’t really read any old authors.
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I know. Jane Eyre was actually one of the best older books I’ve ever read. And that’s saying a lot because I don’t like many old books. Besides the Agatha Christie book I read. That one was good. But I think she is the most widely sold author of all time, so no wonder.
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I think the oldest novel I’ve read was Dracula. But 1897 isn’t THAT old. Or Huck Finn, actually. But I remember nothing from that. Old books and me don’t gel.
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Lol sad… Cause some old books are great if you give them a chance.
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But the writing is so different from today. Oh. I read Romeo and Juliet too. I actually loved that.
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I won’t argue that. But a lot of those old books are beautifully written.
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Maybe. Since I’m not reading 50 Shades or Twilight, the books I read are pretty high quality. I mean, I don’t think I’ll ever read the next great American novel or anything, but they’re not bad.
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Lol ok.
Ps. I hate Twilight. My friend started reading it to me in goofy voices one time and then I randomly watched it on TV and I’m like ‘nope!’ Not my thing.
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I’ll never read the books. BUT I’ve seen four of the five movies. Don’t judge me! I even saw the third one at the movies. In my defense, this girl I was kinda talking to wanted to see it so I went. It wasn’t the worst movie ever.
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Yeah, I won’t read the books either. Lol guys will do anything for a girl 😉 haha
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Oh please! It was just a movie.
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I’m kidding!! Lol
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Nope. It’s fine. I’m just like every other guy ever. Good to know. Haha
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I wouldn’t know. I’ve never met you. But I really was kidding. I do that a lot.
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Exactly.
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I don’t think I ever have listened to a book via audio! The closest I came to listening to an audiobook was in my Spanish class… we had to listen to Spanish phrases and words being said from our language books…it was more like a lullaby that I had to fight to stay awake to.
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I think I also had to do that. But I was so bad in that class that I don’t even remember. Audiobooks are okay. Especially when the voice actor really gets into it.
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I never listened to them much, but I remember when I was in high school I went to a camp with one my friends that was all the way in Ohio (we live in IL). We were probably 14 so while her mom was driving us she put on the Harry Potter audio books. I’d only ever read the first one when I was a kid and after that trip I bought the whole series and went on a Harry Potter binge. Do I prefer actually reading? Yes, but it definitely made the 2 day trip fly by.
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Yep. I think a long drive would be the perfect time to listen to audiobooks. And you could listen to the whole thing almost all at once.
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I’m not a good listener unless I’m really deeply engaged. As easily distracted as I am, audio books don’t hold me very long. The voice of the audio book reader drifts into the recesses of my mind and other things take over my conscious thought. By the time I realize I’ve been elsewhere, it’s too late. Still I am tempted to order an audio book.
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You’re right. It can be easy to just forget you’re even listening if the voice is no good.
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I’m definitely not a fan of audiobooks. My sister uses them all the time, but I just can’t. I like to put my own voices to the characters as they’re formed in my imagination. Does that sound weird? If I listen to someone else’s voice, it changes the way I view the characters. So, no. I’m selfish with my reading. I want to use the voices in my own head, thank you very much. 🙂
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Well thank you very much for being a weirdo. Haha. I actually don’t think I read in any voices. Except my book I’ll read Andrew as me and Sydney as her. And Katniss as Jennifer Lawrence. That’s really about it. I just read. Lol
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Well we both already knew I’m a weirdo. Nothing groundbreaking there. 🙂
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You’re right. This is old news. Haha
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I’ve tried audiobooks, but couldn’t really get into them because I’m too easily distracted and miss things. The only ones I love are the Harry Potter ones narrated by Stephen Fry.
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My only experience is with kid’s books when I was a kid. So I’m not sure how interested I’d be today.
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I literally just scheduled a post about audio books and then saw you had posted this 🙂
I don’t listen to audiobooks. The narrators never read it the way the voice in my head does. And I’ve ever been a good listener. My mind wanders whether it’s an audio book, podcast or lecture. If my eyes don’t have anything to do, my mind finds a job for them.
I have considered them while driving, but at the moment I don’t drive more than 10 minutes at a time and I also really like listening/singing/dancing to music while I’m driving. If I ever had a long trip I’d consider it though.
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Someone gave me Anne Rice’s “Memnoch The Devil” in audiobook form as a gift once. I tried to listen to it, but it was narrated by Roger Rees (Kirstie Alley’s boyfriend on Cheers) and his accent, while quite eloquent, completely distracted me from the story, itself. Unless you have a different narrator for each character, I don’t see how it wouldn’t be distracting in a fictional novel. I also happen to retain information far better when I read it, rather than listen to it, but I do know a few who learn better via audio. Great post!
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As far as I can remember, I don’t know if I ever listened to an audiobook. To be honest, I think I would probably not focus on the story as much as I would if I was reading the story myself, so even though I’ve never listened to an audiobook, I probably will not–unless I find myself on a long road trip 🙂
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Well everyone finds themselves on long road trips at some point. Soooo you’re guaranteed to maybe almost listen to one.
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Nope, not for me. It feels like there’s a narrator in my voice telling me what to do. Go tie your shoelaces now, Go eat a cucumber now, Go slap herself across your forehead now, and then it gets violent. Besides, Lulu doesn’t like it 😉
Okay, seriously, my mum used to put audiobooks on for me to sleep to at night. I always remember I used to beg for her to put Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs on but would be absolutely petrified when the Evil Queen got her way, so I’d be huddled under my bed covers. Mum didn’t get it, because I knew the end and listened to it every single night. I guess that’s when she realised I was one of those “special” children.
Poor Mum.
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STOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP! Your comment was fine and dandy until the very end. Ugh.
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Oh, I’m sorry. Sheesh, you can only please some people all the time and everyone some of the time. I guess you’re the last, presuming that I please you some of the time at least 😀
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No. You don’t. Ever.
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To which one, I think this is just another example of opposite day. You know it’s true, don’t fight it, you won’t win
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Nope. I don’t do that opposite day stuff. You never please me.
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Yes I do, it’s just that your subconscious hasn’t sent your conscious the memo yet, that’s all :p
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Ooooh. Right. Okay. Let’s see how long it takes.
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Is it there yet?
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Nuh uh.
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C’mon! You need to resend it then
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It’s never coming.
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Stop being so negative or it’s going to slap you across the forehead soon 😉
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Bahaha I thought you were going to say you’re going to slap me across the face. Then I would have said something about your violence. At least it’s not a person doing the slapping. Haha
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Nope, just your memo 🙂 I don’t condone violence in any form, so I’ll just go reprimand your memo, okay?
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Hmm. I know you don’t. You’ve told me and your video! Well I think you said hate in the video, but same thing. So go right ahead.
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Okay, did it, the memo’s all black and blue now, emotionally of course because I verbally reprimanded it, so we’re all good.
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If it was only verbal, then why I’d it black and blue? Hmmm. I won’t tell. Haha
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Emotionally remember. I’m being metaphorical, I promise 🙂
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Whoops. I skipped that part. Okay. Emotionally. Haha
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Phew 😉 At least we’re on the same page
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As always. Well, kinda.
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Oh and you’d melt because you said you were hot because your air con’s broken down, remember??? This will make more sense in your “Listen to Audiobooks” post but WordPress has obviously banned me 😦
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Hmmm. That’s what I thought you meant. What the heck did you do to them!? Seriously. Why would they stop you from commenting?
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I don’t know, just being me. Oh wait, I think I’ve found the problem 😉
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Haha oh stop it.
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“Go slap herself across your forehead now”??? WTF, see what happens when there are 2 people in my head??
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There’s only one you in your head. The audiobook narrator isn’t in there.
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Really? Are you sure?
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Positive.
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Lie once in a while dammit! LIE already
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Why would you want me to lie to you? that’s no good.
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Because I need to be appreciated once in a while 🙂
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I talk to you everyday. How does that not count?
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Because 99.99999% is made up of insults
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You don’t really think that. I hope. Cause then I’d feel bad. 😦
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Don’t mess with me. You DON’T feel bad at all 🙂
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I don’t feel bad as long as you don’t think I’m insulting you. Cause why would I do that? 🙂
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Hmm, I was trying to see if that smiley had a slight wink, I think I can see it there, lurking underneath the murky shadow of it’s left eye 😀
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Noooooope. 🙂
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You know I think WordPress is banning us from speaking with one another. I can actually not reply back to some of your comments now, what is that about?
I’ll just have to add it here – I could NEVER EVER call you stupid.
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Haha remember what I said about Skype!? See! It’s an alternative that we should use. Haha I can always reply to your stuff.
Okay. Then don’t make sarcastic remarks about how unintelligent you are. 🙂
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Hmm, there’s a fine line between sarcasm and honesty, just saying 🙂
Yeah, but that’s no fair. I want to be able to reply to your stuff too, one way conversations are no fun, trust me, I have had a lifetime of experience 😉
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No there’s not. You just like saying stiff that isn’t true.
Haha everyone talks to themselves. 🙂
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Audiobooks keep me awake while driving, because they engage my mind in a way that music doesn’t. If I ride a train in an urban area, audiobooks keep my mind off the fact that more and more people are crowding in.
If it wasn’t for audiobooks, I’d probably only read a couple of books a year. With them, I’m going through more than two books per month.
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[…] On this day in 2014 I published Listen to Audiobooks?. […]
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