I love listening to audiobooks. Why? Mostly because I can still read while doing the dishes, folding laundry, or vacuuming. Serious, it is hard to hold a book while doing those things. I simply love chores when I am in the middle of a good story.
I also enjoy audiobooks when I am dealing with a book with lots of foreign words (see my review of The Girls With the Dragon Tattoo for details). I get the story without the pronunciation struggle.
I do still encounter people who think listening to an audiobook is "cheating," and that it is not the same as reading. I completely disagree with this opinion and, back in 2007, had this post which goes through my feelings on this. I cannot stress enough how strongly I believe that listening is the same as reading from the leisure reading perspective.
This week, I saw two audiobook related posts that reminded me it has been awhile since I mentioned audiobooks specifically here on the blog. So I thought I would point them out.
First, the 5th Annual Tournament of Audiobooks is going on now on Audible.com. It is a March Madness style bracket system pitting critic picks against fan favorites. This week they are down to the final four titles.
Second, the Audio Publishers Association just released their nominees for Audiobook of the year. Click here for the press release.
As a final thought, if you want to learn more about audiobooks AudioFile Magazine is the best overall resource.
In case you were wondering currently, I am listening to The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson. I just finished listening to Flashback by Dan Simmons.
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1 comment:
I'm with you. Audio books make those chores fly. Bonus is the weight loss and svelte figure you can gain if you walk and listen!
My favorite chores for listening; bathroom cleaning and ironing.
Your point that listening helps when you're reading a book that takes place in a foreign country with non-familiar words or places is well taken. One great listen is Alexander McCall Smith's First Ladies Detective Agency Series.
Really, most books lend them themselves to listening. And yes, I count them as read when I'm done. I'm not cheating, I'm just adding to my reading life by multi-tasking.
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