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This Week's Question:
Do you believe audio books are the future and why do [you] believe [that]?
Uh, no. I mean, audio books are fine, but I see little sign they're replacing books. For some people, I'm sure they're great. However, I need to see the words on the page first. If I've read a book once, I can listen to it on audiobook, because then if my attention gets pulled away, I know what I've missed. If I'm reading a book for the first time on audio, my attention will wander, and then I've missed out.
Plus, it takes me far longer to listen to an audiobook than it does to read a print one. I love the audiobook versions of Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London (Peter Grant) series to death, but the first book runs eleven hours. When I read it, it took me maybe three. Maybe.
So I use audiobooks to listen to old favourites, but it'll never come close to replacing the printed word for me.
This Week's Question:
Do you believe audio books are the future and why do [you] believe [that]?
Uh, no. I mean, audio books are fine, but I see little sign they're replacing books. For some people, I'm sure they're great. However, I need to see the words on the page first. If I've read a book once, I can listen to it on audiobook, because then if my attention gets pulled away, I know what I've missed. If I'm reading a book for the first time on audio, my attention will wander, and then I've missed out.
Plus, it takes me far longer to listen to an audiobook than it does to read a print one. I love the audiobook versions of Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London (Peter Grant) series to death, but the first book runs eleven hours. When I read it, it took me maybe three. Maybe.
So I use audiobooks to listen to old favourites, but it'll never come close to replacing the printed word for me.
Good point listening takes longer than reading. I listen to audio books as I work but the wrong narrator ruins a book.
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Sportochick’s Musings Answer
Yeah, absolutely, and that's a pity.
DeleteI never thought of listening to a book after reading the print. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteI like to listen when I am cooking or cleaning, but I normally do not have an audio available.
Happy Hopping!!
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Blog Hop Answer
It's really the only way I can do it - which means I don't really listen to that many audiobooks. Although I can download them from my library right to my iPod.
DeleteYou've pointed out something others haven't: that audio books do take much longer to get through than printed books, or even ebooks. I do the same thing you do: listen to the audio version of a favorite book. Still, I don't have many audio books.
ReplyDeleteI think that the three book formats we have now -- printed books, ebooks, and audio books -- will simply co-exist from now on. But I do think that an overwhelming majority of readers will always prefer printed books, with perhaps ebooks being in second place. After all, what do you do if you're at the beach and run out of batteries? Lol.
Happy Reading! Have a great weekend!! :)
I agree with that assessment! Physical books are a perfected technology. They're not going anywhere, although ebooks and audiobooks will sticka round.
DeleteMy attention is so easily pulled away when I listen to audiobooks too. And it takes me much longer to get through an audiobook than a print book--but that's partly because I don't have as much time to listen to audiobooks.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm rarely doing things mindless enough that I can devote my attention to it. I used to try on my walk to work, but realized I was missing the silence for thinking.
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