Poll: Are Audiobooks Shameful?

[Raikas]

I don't see why it would be shameful - people who don't have the time to both read and workout, or who have a long driving commute (or a long train/bus commute who get carsick) can multitask with audiobooks. Plus there are more audio versions of books than there are large print or braille versions, so it's good for people with visual impairments as well. And where's the shame in being busy, carsick or blind?

I do think it's a different experience than reading something on your own, because there's a level of performance to the reader's work (the emphasis they select, the way they read certain voices), so there's less creative work on the part of the reader in selecting their own emphasis/accent, but that hardly makes listening to them shame-worthy. It just makes it different.

Gotta admit it: I personally find audiobooks to be shameul.

Out of curiosity, why?

 

[axlryder]

Many people with a long ass commute can attest to the value of audio books. I consider myself a fast reader, but why waste the hour and a half in the car? Plus there's the sight impaired, etc.

 

[Something Amyss]

Maybe people just aren't listening to the right audiobooks, a good voice actor makes all the difference. I was dismissive of audiobooks until I started listen to Sue Grafton novels on audiobook, which are read by a tony-award winning actress who does an over-the-top amazing job while reading. You know, someone who actually acts out the books, makes it a performance rather than just reading.

The thing is, voice acting is often a crap shoot. While there are many books that have fantastic narrators, they may not coincide with your taste or even the specific desires you have at that time. To draw from my limited experience, I honestly felt the woman narrating the Hunger Games series for Audible dragged the book down, and almost everyone I know who has heard it agrees.

Like, I get that a good narrator can make the same difference, but maybe people aren't interested in the "right" audiobooks. There's a sea of crap out there that makes Anime dubs look like Shakespeare delivered by an all-star class of thespians, and a lot of it's the popular stuff.

 

[Vault101]

Many people with a long ass commute can attest to the value of audio books. I consider myself a fast reader, but why waste the hour and a half in the car? Plus there's the sight impaired, etc.

also some of us arent those lucky mutants who can somehow read in a car without wanting to vomit their guts out..lucky bastards...

 

[game-lover]

Another thing I wanna add with my penchant for libraries. Audiobooks can be totes convenient.

I've been using the newly discovered digital library ever since I had this pesky fine 'cause some books got wet. I still read solid books but it can be faster to get the audio forms. And since I prefer them over ebooks, it's wonderfuls.