Better than reading or worse?
Pros -
Hands free
Good narrator
Cons -
Need a listening device
Can't as easily mark a favorite passage
Bad narrator
Hands free (Hey some of us like to hold the book and flip pages.)
Takes longer
Limited Selection
I always wonder if I would feel the same about the book if I had the ability to both read it and listen with fresh eyes. Does it make a difference to listen rather than read? For instance, I tried to listen to Captivate and just couldn't stand the main character. Was it the physical voice of the narrator or the story itself? I enjoyed Need so I don't think it was the story. Then again sometimes the second books aren't the best. Guess I will never know. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Wonderous Strange. I absolutely enjoyed listening to Wonderous Strange. It took my breath away and left me with a craving for more. Narrator or story? In this case I did read the sequels and loved them so who is to know if listening to the first made it better.
I like audiobooks when I cannot sit down to read. They are nice to listen to when on a car trip or doing boring chores. Sadly I have yet to find the right way to make the chore part work. I want a wireless headset so I can roam the house but not disturb its other occupants. I can't have wires because they get in the way and I also have a baby who loves to grab that sort of thing. The last set I had were flops.
I get all my audiobooks from the library. The sad fact of that is there is a limited time to my reading experience. It makes me feel rushed. Which then just stresses out my listening experience. I just can't seem to keep it up regularly with all the stress. If I have a big project that is all hands on and little mind involvement an audiobooks is perfect. Too bad it isn't as easy to get just the right audiobook when you need it.
I think for me audiobooks just don't tip the scales in a good direction. Maybe at some future point that will change but until then I am going to stick to reading a good old fashioned book.
How about you, do you like audiobooks?
