In defense of audiobooks.
Audiobooks are "Reading Lite"? There's a stigma against audiobooks? That's what I learned from The New York Times this morning.
This strikes me as snobbery for snobbery's sake. I don't quite understand the argument against audiobooks, which, unfortunately, the Times doesn't explain. I can't help but wonder: is there really a stigma? I suppose there is now, since The New York Times says there is. But really, if you're going to mock someone in your group for being lowbrow because they listened to He’s Just Not That Into You rather than read a paper copy, you might want to check your irony detector.
I suppose you can "tune out" while listening to audio, but then again, audiobooks work against skimming . (I gave up on the audio version of The Fellowship of the Ring because I decided I wanted the "songs about my sword" and similar sections to pass by a bit faster than the rest of the narrative.) I've benefited greatly from using audio Bibles devotionally, in large part because they focus my attention on the narrative. (Many times I've found myself sitting in the driveway engrossed by the audio version of The Message.)
Maybe the argument is against abridged audiobooks? I can certainly understand the argument there (it's like watching the film version of a book, only without pictures). But unabridged copies of book-group-friendly novels? Which often take much longer to listen to as they would to read? What's the problem?
If you're a CT reader who's eager to stick it to the man by listening to audiobooks, I heartily recommend ChristianAudio.com. There are other good Christian audio outlets, but Christian Audio focuses on thoughtful, intellectually stimulating volumes, many you won't find elsewhere. It also offers several free first chapters and classic titles. (Disclosure of sorts: I think our parent company might have some sort of partnership with this company; I'm recommending it because I actually use it.)
And speaking of ChristianAudio.com, cofounder Dave Bruno has an article on our site today about the Bible and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Posted by Ted Olsen on August 2, 2007 7:24AM
Comments
I love listening to audio books. I travel a lot, and listening to books is the only thing that makes the driving bearable. Sometimes when I reach my destination, I find it hard to get myself out of the car because I want to keep listening! But my brothers do make fun of me and consider it 'cheating'. I don't know why - I always liked being read to as a child, and I actually enjoy hearing the narrator give voice to different characters as an adult too...
Posted by: beth at August 4, 2007
Audio books are a great way to use time in a long commute. I've listened to classics of literature on my commute that I would have never sat down and read. I guess you could say that, depending on the reading style, reading a book communications inflection, which serves to interpret the book and move it a little closer to a movie.
Posted by: Joel at August 7, 2007
The New York Times is guilty of pure snobbery in this case. It is entirely immaterial how anyone comes into contact with great stories. Surely there is no difference in hearing Dickens from reading Dickens, apart from the freedom of your hands and eyes.
Not all literature was solely meant to be read(directly from a book), some of it was meant to be heard also.
Ibsens Peer Gynt springs to mind as Ibsen himself said "it is a play for voices" and how positively does The New York Times consider Richard Burton reading Dylan Thomas' "Under Milk Wood" or "The War of the Worlds" compared to audiobooks in general?
A great, well told story is surely the aim of great literature, arguing over the media is like saying medicine is "better" in pill rather than injection form.
Pure nonsense!
Posted by: Neil Simpson at August 9, 2007
My family has a long tradition of spending some of our travel time with a non-driver reading magazine articles or books out loud, pausing to discuss the material from time to time. We now will also use audio books in the car. (This works better in the dark, and spares vocal cords.) We found it made those highway miles and any traffic jams pleasanter. We do not have everyone isolated with separate sound systems the whole trip. Moreover, we found it a great solution to the 'are we there yet' syndrome.
When I was young my mother told me there was only so much interest in mopping the same floor yet again. She encouraged me to memorize poetry to have something to contemplate while doing chores. I have found that listening to audio books while I am cooking and doing the quieter parts of house work engages and expands the mind as well. I have even been known to listen while potting plants or doing crafts. (Simon Winchester's reading of his book 'Krakatoa' was so pleasurable that I got several of those unpleasant and oft-postponed jobs done just to keep listening.)
We have not stopped reading books on dead tree, it is one of our greatest pleasures. We use audio books to further enrich life.
Posted by: Christopher Anne Samson at August 13, 2007
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