Audio Books

**Thorum** · 11-08-2010, 12:15 AM

I have a question. Is listening to an audiobook the same as reading the book? In other words, do you get the same thing from it? I listen to a good bit of audiobooks and wonder if I am losing something intellectually by not actually holding and reading the book...

**~~Osweo~~** · 11-08-2010, 12:21 AM

Dunno. I only really did it with a few Chekhov short stories, and they were fairly 'play-like' anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as the reader read them in a very lively way.

**~~Eldritch~~** · 11-08-2010, 12:30 AM

I'd suggest reading the real thing.

The difference may not be great, but still, when you're actually reading, you read at your own pace, you can pause and reflect and if necessary go back. Listening to audio books is necessarily a more passive activity than actually reading a printed book. Plus, the voice of the person doing the reading inevitably has an effect on your impression of the book.

I think of it as somewhat analogous to reading the script of a radio play, instead of listening to it: you still get something out of it, but it's not exactly the way you're supposed to receive it.

Having said that, I have nothing against audio books per se. I know many people enjoy listening to them in their car or on headphones when commuting to and back from work, which seems much better than listening to the radio, and a good way to get something useful done during time that otherwise might be completely empty.

I myself don't drive, and I can read a book in the middle of a mosh pit at a Death Metal concert if necessary, so I always carry a printed book with me when commuting.

**Thorum** · 11-08-2010, 12:48 AM

Thanks Ozzie and Eldee,

I agree. Especially with the ability to stop and reflect. Even re-read a passage a few times and think. I must say though, I just finished listening to Christopher Hitchens reading his own book, God Is Not Great, and it was really good. I suppose a big part of an audiobook is in the narration. For example, I just listened to Winston Churchill's classic The Second World War (37 CDs!!) but the narration was so dry. It took a good bit away from the experience. Now if Churchill had read it.....