Once upon a time, I couldn't sit still for two seconds and listen to my mom read out loud to me and my siblings.
It's not like I couldn't follow the story, it's just that I preferred reading it myself. Then I could go at my own (much faster) pace and and have something visually and physically to hold onto to keep my squirming body still.
Fast forward a few years and you'd find me sneaking books to work to read on my lunch breaks and then lying on a couch when I got home to read. Life was simpler then. I had a job and a few things to keep me somewhat busy but I didn't have a never ending list of "THINGS, JENNY NEEDS TO DO TODAY AND THE NEXT DAY AND THIS WEEK AND AND AND." My reading slipped into oblivion. I was lucky to read 3 books a month, which, for me, is pretty pathetic.
And then...
Audio books! Honestly, I wasn't thrilled about getting into audio books. Like most people, I found them hard to concentrate on. We do, after all, live in a visual world that makes listening to something that doesn't offer something visual to look at difficult. I actually started listening to audio books because that's what was available to borrow for a book club book. I listened in agony. I hated how slow it felt. I hated that my mind wandered and I wouldn't know where I was in the story or what was going on.
But, as they say, practice makes perfect. And once I trained my brain to listen they weren't too bad. I would be working on the huge long list I mentioned and would remember I could listen to a book while I worked. Suddenly work became more bearable.
Just think of all the times you could be listening to an audio book.
- cleaning your house
- getting ready in the morning (showering etc)
- driving
- grocery shopping
- doing yard work
- swimming (turn your speaker on and you don't have to have dry hands to handle a book)
- remodeling yet another rental (what? is that only me?)
- exercising
- lying on the couch because the book's just to good to put down and you've accomplished your list for the day
This summer I began listening hardcore to audio books. Especially once I discovered the "Always Available" audio books on my online library on Overdrive. Guys, I was able to reach my Goodreads Challenge back in September. I still love real paper books and ebooks but now, I always have an audio book downloaded to listen to when life doesn't allow lying on the couch.
So huge shout out to audio books! I never thought I'd be an audio book fan but, well, here we are!
Do you listen to audio books? If not you really should give them a try. Especially now that they're available for free on online libraries. Seriously! Download the Overdrive app and see what's available.
I do enjoy audiobooks, but I have a need to underline and remember words, sentences, etc. That's hard to do with an audiobook. :( For example, I listened to Cheryl Strayed's Wild and loved it...but had to check out the book from the library so I could find those places that really spoke to me. I haven't figured this out yet.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't usually highlight quotes but I do like to go back and look at things and that isn't an option with audio books.
DeleteI can't do audiobooks. If I listen to them in the car, I fall asleep. If I try to listen while doing other things, I get distracted and lose my place. I should train myself to listen to them like you did, but honestly, I won't unless I have to!
ReplyDeleteAh, but think of how many more books you could be reading? ;)
DeleteI haven't really tried any audio books; I think having to go at someone else's pace in a book and not being able to flip ahead in the story or flip back to reread something I missed would drive me crazy. But maybe someday... :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, not being able to flip back and forth drives me nuts but I've gotten over it....mostly.
DeleteI'm glad you've gone over to the Dark Side since it works for you. I can listen to Audiobooks if I've read the book before AND I'm doing something mindless like crocheting, exercising, or cleaning. But, I just don't like them. For whatever reason, I just don't think it counts as reading, lol, but that's for me. I'm okay if other people count it because I understand there are people who only can read that way.
ReplyDeleteHa Ha! Come over to the dark side with me!
DeleteI tried it out once and while the experience wasn't bad, like Lark, I may want to re-read some pages at some point and it'd be difficult with an audio book.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's the downside. Overdrive lets you set the speed so I put my books on almost double time and that helps.
DeleteWait WHAT???? You're telling us to download an app here!!! I was just reading a comment where you are complaining about this!!! :) As for audio books, I'm still not sure how to fit it into my life. All the things you mention on your list (except exercising and I do kdramas then) is when I listen to music and I can't give up the music. There's no way, at this point, that's ever going to happen. SO... I have to figure out another crack where audio books fit. I'm not saying it will never happen, but I don't see that crack at the moment! Sigh...
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Yes, I downloaded an app. In my defense I downloaded it over a year ago. ;) Sometimes I need to just listen to music while I do all these things too. When the mood calls for music, I listen. Otherwise I do the audio books.
DeleteIt took me a long time to get in to audiobooks, I really needed to find the right narrator. I love listening to them now, but I am very narrator picky. I don't like to listen in the car, because that's my music time, but I listen while I clean, cook food or playing candy crush. It's a great way to get those books in!
ReplyDeleteIt is, isn't it? I love them. I've had a few crappy narrators but usually they're fine.
DeleteI enjoy audio books, but it depends on what I'm doing. Sometimes I can focus on it and sometimes I can't depending on the task. I got into audio books when I worked at a Civil Engineering firm. I realized I could work on plans and listen at the same time. I got through so many books!
ReplyDeleteThat's why I love them, I'm finally getting my numbers up!
DeleteRecently I've been thinking of trying audio books out. I keep hearing amazing things about them and how they're really useful for the situations you mentioned. I have quite a few mindless tasks that I do on the weekends that could be easily filled with an audio book. I'm just kind of hesitant because I've also heard that if the narrator casting isn't up to par, the book isn't as enjoyable as it would have been. Maybe I'll just start off with a small novella or something and see how it goes :)
ReplyDeleteLaura @BlueEyeBooks
There are some narrators that are awful but so far I've only had one. And I just recently listened to a book narrated by the author. That was really awesome. You should give them a try.
DeleteI have a few audiobooks I've read and a few more to listen to still, but it's not my favorite way to read a book. I can handle listening to it, but things like the characters voices needing to be different in my head versus what the narrator sounds like will keep me from being able to read them. I'm kinda nutty about the voice I hear in my head being "right" and if it doesn't sound close enough to the narrator I'm inclined to go get the physical edition of the book.
ReplyDeleteYES. I love audiobooks. I don't have one going at all times, but they definitely help when I'm driving or cleaning. If I'm doing work around the house, it's delightful to have a good story to distract from the pain of cleaning. (I hate cleaning!)
ReplyDelete