Joy of Reading 7

 I skipped day 6 of Bout of Books and am wrapping up this week with Joy #7 of my Read-A-Thon with audio books.

Joy of Reading by Listening to Books

 Yes, listening is definitely a form of reading. Most of you know I've been reviewing audio books since 1989. My first encounter with audio books, was Peter Ustinov reading "Peter and the Wolf" on LP. I must have listened to more but I cannot remember. My first audio book review was of Homer's "Iliad" on multiple cassette tapes for Library Journal. I went on to listen to thousands more since then, now exclusively for AudioFile Magazine http://www.audiofilemagazine.com.

It took a while for me to become comfortable with the idea that audio and paper books were equivalent experiences. In the beginning, I feared, like most librarians and educators, that listening would curb or curtail the physical reading I would do. But no, I actually found I read more books and listened also.

In reality, listening and reading aren't the same, yet I remember the audio just as clearly and precisely as the print. I see images from the audio performance just the way I do when I pick up a physical copy of a book. Sometimes listening is a more vibrant "read", sometimes the physical book is better. There's no rhyme or reason.

Listen or Read? Which Do I Choose?

How do I decide which books to consume? Well, some are audio books I'm reviewing so I don't have much choice. I've actually read the physical copy of some first, others afterwards, mostly when I want to see how the audio performance changes the reading experience. This is particularly true when the audio book is performed by multiple narrators.

I prefer non-fiction in print but I do listen frequently to history and biography. 

Some books are best suited to paper, like spinoffs from self-help lectures. On the other hand, I've reviewed tons of self-help and business audio books, most of which have stuck with me. 

Since I review (and judge) lots audio books a year for AudioFile Magazine and the Audie Awards through the Audio Publishers Association https://www.audiopub.org/, I rarely listen 'for fun.' 

No matter what, I love both the listening experience which allows me to "read" and drive or stitch or cook at the same time. I also crave time to curl up with a good book and just disappear into that world. 

No matter what, listening to books brings me just as much joy as reading print versions. Give audio books a serious try. You'll find they are perfect for your next road trip.