In defense of audio books

Several years ago I learned the joy of audio books on road trips. This was back in the day of CD players in cars. Any Harry Potter book is a win – as is anything by a comedian, that is also read by them.

I’ve recently given them another go – after years of resisting them simply because putting a book on iPhone seemed like too much storage lost. The amazing ability to multitask, like listening to a book while cooking. Yep – you can listen while cleaning, doing laundry, or even working out, if that’s your thing. I have also found it great while commuting. (Be careful not to get too wrapped up though – and keep track of what’s happening around you.)

The interesting thing is, apparently your brain takes in more when listening than when reading print. Go figure, right?

According to PsychCentral,  “Listening also requires you to hear every single word, unlike reading, in which some of us are likely to take in whole sentences at a time, swallowing books in big gulps. That must also have an effect on our experience of a book, and for the better. I may be a more thorough listener than I am reader.”

Want more proof you may have been wrong about audio books? Check out BookRiot’s 7 myths about audiobooks.

Here’s an easy way to try one out: borrow one from your library! This is an especially helpful option if you have a book on hold – you may get the audio version faster.

Here’s what I’ve recently tried out:

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

Did I mention how great Harry Potter is in audio form? Because seriously. If you found the books just okay, or you want to revisit – this is a good place to try out audio books.

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