Audiobooks - what do you think?

What do you think of audiobooks?

  • I live for them! I don't even read proper books anymore.

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Love them! I tend to mix and match them with 'proper' book.

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • I like an audiobook every once in a while.

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • I'm not sure. But willing to give it a go

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • I'm not convinced really. Tried it and it wasn't for me.

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • An audiobook is not a book!

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • If a TOME doesn't smell like PROPER paper then it's not a book! *clutching pearls*

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Total voters
    14
Cerro de Casa

Cerro de Casa

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Feb 3, 2004
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YES THIS IS A POLL (the return)


I got into this discussion earlier today with one of my colleagues - 'that's not reading! That's cheating!!" she said. I've recently really gotten into audiobooks particularly during work commutes, to the point where I now often have a 'proper' book and a different 'audiobook' on the go. Sometimes they work really well! For example the recent Moopy (flop) book club selection Daisy Jones & The Six had multiple narrators, so it really suited the 'rockumentary' style.

Currently 'reading' My Year of Rest & Relaxation and the narrator's 'zonked out' style perfectly suits the heavily medicated protagonist.

What do you think?
 
Never tried them. Not against the concept but not bothered either. See also: podcasts.
 
I have my book a month with my Audible subscription. I prefer to read fiction on a page but have loved Audible for autobiographies and for reengaging with books I've read a while ago through a different format.

They're great for driving.
 
Essentially what ron says. And I can't GIVE myself to an audiobook like I do to a physical one - it's too passive. Holding a book and reading the written word is more active and I'll lose myself. With an audiobook I'll be listening for about 5 minutes and then find myself checking my phone or thinking about what I'm cooking for dinner.
 
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I like the odd one here and there but it needs to be something comedic and read by the author too. Spike Milligan's war diaries are an absolute blast as audiobooks, expect the very last one because he was audibly slow by the time they recorded it. But absolute highest recommendation otherwise.
 
As someone who has far less time for personal reading than I'd like I do appreciate them for their convenience. It's lovely to experience a book whilst gardening, cooking, or cleaning - any mundane task that allows you to clear your mind. Beyond those instances my mind wanders too much. It's so maddening when you suddenly realise you haven't been listening and aren't sure if it's been twenty seconds or ten minutes.

I also find myself giving a go to certain genres and titles I would never bother with if had to read them traditionally which is a nice change of pace inbetween serious reading. I actually listened to The Time Traveler's Wife last year and loved it as a performance, although it was easily the stupidest story I've read I'm my life. See also the Sandman Slim fantasy series.

That said, I'd rather have a physical book in most instances as too many factors are necessary to make something a compatible audio book for enjoyment.
 
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northernlad said:
As someone who has far less time for personal reading than I'd like I do appreciate them for their convenience. It's lovely to experience a book whilst gardening, cooking, or cleaning - any mundane task that allows you to clear your mind. Beyond those instances my mind wanders too much. It's so maddening when you suddenly realise you haven't been listening and aren't sure if it's been twenty seconds or ten minutes.

I also find myself giving a go to certain genres and titles I would never bother with if had to read them traditionally which is a nice change of pace inbetween serious reading. I actually listened to The Time Traveler's Wife last year and loved it as a performance, although it was easily the stupidest story I've read I'm my life. See also the Sandman Slim fantasy series.

That said, I'd rather have a physical book in most instances as too many factors are necessary to make something a compatible audio book for enjoyment.
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This nails it for me. I've got a ton of audiobooks and digital books on my phone but there is just no joy for me to get into them.
 
I always wondered if having had to read four novels a week at university might have killed the joy of it off for me. It's given me a lovely bookshelf though :D
 
I like books a lot, but I think I fell into the trap that at least some of you must have also fallen into, where you have a load of books you’ll probably never read, but it’s nice to display them and be all “aren’t I GOOD?”

See also CDs

I used to like wandering around book shops and finding something to read, but it’s harder in Japan, even though it’s reasonably easy to find a big shop with a large English section.

Also the practicalities of all that dead weight if I ever moved. So I’ve largely switched to ebooks. I’m fine not touching paper, it’s all the same to me. I guess I read less now because I don’t have the guilt of seeing the unread item every day :D

And I could live without the book shop browsing, I can have fun in karaoke or having sex with Japanese guys instead.

As for audiobooks, it’s weird, I have no interest in them, but I’m listening to so many podcasts these days. I think it’s the length, I like those Immaculate Podcasts but I find myself not choosing them because I know I can’t get through one in a sitting.

Reading is reading, I don’t care if it’s on paper or not, but listening is a different experience for me
 
The option I chose “and audiobook is not a book” sounds a bit too rigid, but I guess I mean that listening is not reading. For me it’s not that much different to watching the movie instead of reading the book
 
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