Listening to Audio books

[thereadingsloth]

I've attempted an audio book one time and I honestly didn't like it. I didn't get the same feeling of pleasure from listening to a person read me the book as I get from reading it myself.

I used to love when my mom read books to me when I was younger. So I thought giving an audio book a try would be cool. Personally, I couldn't create the right visuals for the book in my head while listening to another person read it to me. Maybe it just depends on the voice that is reading it.

[rodidas]

There are some titles that must be experienced by reading them. However, I enjoy listening to audio books as well, especially during a long commute or while completing other tasks in my home.

[BarryEM]

I read on my Kindle mostly but I used to listen to a lot of audiobooks. The other day I saw some information on "The Untold Story of Talking Books" by Matthew Rubbery. It's only available as a fairly expensive hardback or a not too expensive audiobook so I bought the audiobook. I've listened to the first few chapters so far. It's really interesting stuff. Much in there that I didn't know.

The narrator is so-so. He's not bad. He's doing the job but he could be better. I did listen to a sample for a while before I bought it so I knew what I was getting.

I'm enjoying it so far. Others who are interested in audiobooks might want to look at that.

I bought it on Amazon although it's an Audible book. I have an Audible account but it was actually a few dollars less buying it through Amazon.

Barry

[katmiddlebrook]

I don't think that listening to an audiobook can truly compare to the personal emotions of reading the words yourself; this being said, I still find tremendous value in audiobooks. I like to consider audiobooks as having a different purpose as traditional books. For instance, I love listening to audiobooks while sitting in traffic, working on monotonous tasks at work, or going on a long run. Listening to books helps me from getting bored and results in higher motivation or productivity in my days.

[jenayathewriter]

Audio books are helpful when you need to multitask, but it all depends on the speaker. Some make me feel like I'm stuck in a boring lecture, others make the book feel like reality. I have noticed that if I'm reading a series on my own and in the middle of it I decide to start listening to the audio book it's a terrible experience. The voice never matches up with what I have in my head.

[ColetteVC7]

I used to really hate the idea of audiobooks. I really thought they were the lazy way of reading and when I listened to one out of necessity it seemed really boring and I hate the way that the narrators read in general. However, I've gotten into the habit of listening to them when I'm driving home for the holidays and I've changed my mind about them in general. At first, I would only listen to the Harry Potter audiobooks but then I started branching out to other books I've read and I found out in general that I notice more things in the audiobooks than in the actual books. I've always been a fast reader and in the past, I always felt like audiobooks were way too long (why listen to a 12 hour audiobook that I can read in less than half the time?) and unnecessary but now, I feel like the slowness is good. It helps me digest what I'm reading and really absorb everything. Also, I find myself skipping a sentence or two every now and then while reading without thinking about it (usually just descriptive stuff) that really add to the story. Also, you can do other things while listening to an audiobook which really helps you multitask. So I would say that you should try to give them a chance even though in general, book lovers are skeptical and judge a bit too quickly; I know I did.

[BarryEM]

I'm listening to the first audiobook I've listened to since I got my Kindle in 2009. I've only listened to a few short stories since then. Prior to that I listened to them a lot.

The audiobok is "The Untold Story of Talking Books" by Matthew Rubery. Here's a link if anyone is interested:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer ... =202083830

It seems that when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, but before they were in production, the New York Times published a lengthy piece about it saying that it was almost certainly going to replace books. And they weren't complaining. They assumed that with someone who was an expert at elocution reading the book to us it would be far more useful and meaningful than the less expert voice we read in our heads.

The reaction to this article was a lengthy discussion in newspapers and magazines and among English professors and teachers and literary critics and celebrities who liked to read, mostly agreeing with the Times article. For a time America thought a huge leap in literary quality was at hand.

Edison, who saw the phonograph initially as a kind of dictating machine, was delighted with this idea and set up a new company with the goal of publishing talking books. And the books everyone was talking about initially were the books of Dickens, who was probably the most popular writer in history at that time, and was still actively writing new books. Since America didn't have to honor British copyrights at that time Edison's plan was to publish Dickens' books, which would be hugely popular and there'd be no royalties. Did Edison also invent piracy?

This all came to nothing when it was realized that there was no way to make recordings long enough to be useful as books. It had been assumed that there would be ways to do that. None were found and the topic was dropped. But, according to Rubery, that discussion was a lengthy and active one.

So some of you might think audiobooks are inferior to printed books but Thomas Edison and many of the leading intellectuals of his day disagreed. They saw this as the the biggest advancement since the printing press and many of them said just that.

I began listening to audiobooks years ago when I had cataracts and doctors refused to operate due to an eye injury I'd had as a child. So, always an avid reader, I listened and saved what reading I could do for work related stuff. Then when my sight got so bad that they had to operate they did. I was able to read again but audiobooks became a habit that stayed with me till I got a Kindle. I've been reading ever since. I bought this audiobook about audiobooks because on the day I found out about it only the hardback and the audiobook was available and I've never liked reading hardback books. Also on that day the audiobook was a lot cheaper. This is a pretty expensive book. Now there's also a Kindle version.

All this stuff about one format being better than the other is, to me, simply personal preference treated like knowledge. I think we can all agree that media does effect our perception of content but no-one has the slightest idea how much or in what way. That's all speculation and guesswork with no real basis. We like what we like and that's that. I prefer visual reading. So what!

Barry

[dosenron877]

I listen to audiobooks only occasionally. I believe it requires your full attention to appreciate the book. If you can multi-task and listen to an audiobook, you are either very talented or the book is not worthwhile. I cannot listen to books on history; I find I frequently want to go back and compare or check on something. With audiobooks, that can be annoying.

Having said that, there is a series called the Dr. Siri Paiboun Series written by Colin Cotterill and narrated by Clive Chafer. The books are available in print but I heard the first one Thirty-Three Teeth and would never try to read the other books in the series. So far, I have listened to five and I will download the others. It is the narrator, Clive Chafer, that makes the books come alive. He IS Dr. Siri Paiboun and I can't get that voice out of my mind. He does other voices as well, but the inflections and humor he expresses as the doctor make the book.

Briefly, it is about an aged (70+) doctor in Laos who has been pressed into service as the national coroner of Laos by the post-war government. He wants to retire but the government won't allow it. His has become disaffected with the communist government for years and he expresses his dissatisfaction with wry wit and humor. He also solves murder mysteries.

Great stuff.

[Aohanlon86]

I like audio books when the person who is reading can excitement and emotion to their voice. over monotones that can put you to sleep

[rainbow08]

I love audio books because I am a busy mom. While I am doing some household chores, I listen to audio books. I feel productive and fulfilled. Having an audio book in the midst of heavy traffic on the street makes the ride worthwhile. While most people are complaining, I enjoy listening. Reading is another thing. When I read books, I get to digest the details better than listening.

[Bad Macaw]

I love audiobooks! They are a great way to keep reading even if you are doing the dishes or some chore. Just make sure you listen carefully to the sample, because some narrators are terrible.

You can try to find narrators you like, for instance: I love Agatha Christie's books, read all of them, and seen the Poirot series. Because I've watched the series, the actors David Suchet and Hugh Fraser will forever be in my mind Poirot and Hastings. So I've looked for all the audiobooks they narrate, and they just make the stories absolutely spectacular!! It's just really comforting to listen to familiar voices, I particularly like Hugh Fraser's.

I will often listen to the books I've read before simply because I love the narrators so much. Like Stephen Fry reading the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy, or Hugh Laurie reading 3 men in a boat (this was HILARIOUS).

Or Jane Austen books narrated by Juliet Stevenson, she just perfectly captures the atmosphere of the stories!

Sometimes, you get the author of the book narrating it, like Neil Gaiman, for example.

Unfortunately, some narrators just completely kill the stories. Make sure to choose a voice and an accent you like!

For me, it's just a wonderful way to keep reading when you would otherwise not be able to. I also like feeling accompanied by the narrators, and much prefer this to listening to music. Thanks to audiobooks, I actually enjoy doing chores now!

Hope this helps!

[Lnm042191]

I, personally, do not care for audio books. I feel as if though it takes away from your perception and imagery you would create from the words, because you have someone else reading it in (what could be) a very different style than what you read.

[Erik]

I quite like audiobooks... but I suppose I never outgrew liking to be read to.

For me, audiobooks are what I turn to when I am doing something else and want the company... like drawing or attempting to repair some fiddly electronic gadget. My hands are full with whatever I'm doing, I dislike television, and I need some sort of intellectual stimulation - audiobook time.

Also, they're grand company when driving.
They're also a way to pass the time when you're stuck in hospital.

[bigdaddysc]

I like them if I have the attention and time to devote to them. For instance, cleaning house can be a great time to do that but at the same time, I have two girls and a wife that love my attention at the same time so it is a juggle. Also, working in a call center doesnt allow much time for listening to audiobooks so most of mine are not audio. In the past though, yes, I have loved them and in multiple genres.

[whatthe dickens2]

it depends on the narrator.A fascinating story can be made mundane by a monotonous narrator.