Confession: Monday was my first time ever listening to an
audiobook.
In the past, I have had some qualms about using
audiobooks, summed up in two points:
1. Is reading an audiobook really reading? Or it is more
like watching a movie and then pretending to have read the book? Fact: Hunger Games the movie is NOT the same
as Hunger Games the book. Even Harry Potter, which is
a very well done film series,does not stand on equal footing as the delightfully
long books by J.K. Rowling. So, if I don’t have a book physically in front of
me, and my ears are reading instead of my eyes, does this really count?
2.
Will I be able to pay attention? I often reread
passages or look back at previous chapters to make sure I understand the
characters and plot correctly, especially when it’s complex. Will I be able to
follow everything that’s going on? Sometimes I zone out when I listen to music
in the car- will I miss important parts because I tune out the story?
Enter peer pressure. Recently, I have heard so many
testimonies of audiobook junkies (you know who you are!) They kept saying to me
“wow, I read so many more books this way” and “it’s so great for a long
commute” and “you don’t know what you’re missing!” and “sometimes I just sit in
the car for ten minutes before going inside because I just want to keep
listening.” And so this week, I began listening to my very first audiobook.
While researching a little bit about audiobooks, I
learned that it’s super easy to download them (and ebooks too!) from this awesome site
if you have a library card and live in Wisconsin, like I do. I can only imagine
that other states have a similar program. The books will download right to your
iPod, iPhone, or tablet instantly.
However, with the iPod connector in my Jeep on
the fritz, I decided to go old school and check out a book comprised of seven
CDs from the library at work. Perusing the books, I talked to our high school
librarian, who recommended the science fiction story Amped by Daniel H. Wilson, published in 2012. “It’s a book I
normally wouldn’t read,” she told me. “But I enjoyed the narrator and it was
fun to listen to something different than what I was currently reading.”
Michelle has never let me down before, so I checked it out.
Second Confession: This is not exactly the first time I have checked out an audiobook from the library.
It shames me to admit this, but previously, I checked out I am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak. Never opened it. However, on
this Monday morning, I sat down in the driver’s seat, popped open the little
case, nervously inserted Disc 1 of 7 into my CD player, and began my
twenty-five minute commute to work.
So with two days and one hundred minutes of listening
under my belt, here are my observations about the world of audiobooks:
- It’s true what they say: A good narrator makes a huge difference. The narrator of Amped has a very calm and easy to listen to voice. He also has slightly different pitches/cadences for different characters, but it doesn’t sound weird or fake. So kudos to you, narrator!
- Contrary to my fears, it’s really not that hard to pay attention. And yes, it is very relaxing. Not so relaxing that I’m running red lights or anything though, so that’s a plus.
- It works best for me to stop listening at the end of a track. Just as I like to read to the end of a chapter before closing a book for the night, I also like some closure in my listening. If I’m close to arriving at work and the chapter ends, I will simply turn in off so that I can feel more at peace about where I am leaving off. Weird, I know, but it helps.
- Any one in my family will tell you that I’m a bit of a binge reader. Over Christmas, I received a book on the morning of the 25th and finished the 300 pager by the 27th- 54 hours. So having to “read” this book in smaller chunks has been my biggest challenge. I almost envy my friends who have such a long commute that they can finish a book in a week. Okay, I don’t really envy the hour long commute, but I am impatient about finishing it. Patience is a virtue though, right? Hopefully I am being virtuous by “reading” slowly.
On a final note, so far Amped is really great. Not exactly light-hearted, but very
different than books I usually read, and I think a lot of my students would
love it. I will write a book review when I’m done- which will be in approximately
343 minutes of commuting. :)
Is audiobooking still reading? I’m not convinced, but I
will admit that I’m enjoying the experience. If you are a big book listener, what
books would you recommend in this format? Suggestions are always appreciated!
As an avid audio book listener (product of many hours spent in the car) and once avid book reader (victim of too many hours in a car), I would say there is a stark difference, but still value in the audio book.
ReplyDeleteMy main concern with audio books is the most obvious: that one does not gain the same written language experience via audio book. The practice of reading and learning from the authors writing style is critical to the development of the reader/writer for tasks down the road. That being said, because you read does not always mean a strong critical reader and writer. For example, my ferocious reading habit when I was younger didn't help my spelling and sometimes I am very uncertain in my writing. (So please excuse my run-on sentences.)
In audio-books defense, I do think they add to one's overall linguistic experience and personal knowledge. I often find that at the end of my book, I start to think in the way the narrator spoke. It adds to my vocabulary and ways of expression. There is also so much information and human experience to discover via audio book.
I have found that it is much easier for me to get through non-fiction books. Some of my favorite non fiction have been: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer, The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, and I shouldn't be telling you this by Kate White. Some of these books have changed the way I look at policy, think about my career path and taught me tricks to remember good trivia answers-( 7th president of the US on a playing card in front of the mirror in my parent house- happens to be a jack... ah yes! Andrew Jackson).
The fiction and historical fiction I have listened to have taken me to worlds outside of my own- to the streets and world of a young criminal in A Clockwork Orange, to the changes in a Nigerian village at the turn of the 19th century in Things Fall Apart, to the royal court of 16th century Iran in Equal of the Sun, to the scenes of WWI's Armenian genocide in Sandcastle Girls... the list goes on. Some I've loved (Sandcastle Girls), some I would recommend reading the book if you do read it (A Clockwork Orange)
Conclusion: Still read real books but if you drive a lot, need something to listen to as you make dinner or to fall asleep to: check an audiobook out from your library today.
Sorry this comment is so long. :)
Kirsten, you are wonderful. I'm almost done with my first book, and can't wait to check out your options. I think the science fiction book I chose has been harder to finish than I thought it would be, so can't wait to try some non-fiction and get back in my comfort zone :) Also, can't wait for you to guest post for me because your writing is terrific <3
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