For a long time, I was given the impression that Audiobooks were “Cheating.” I was given the impression that listening could not build the comprehension skills you could get from reading text on a page.

It is a very evident reality; however, one cannot always read a physical book. Case and point: A Commute to work (in a car).

As a self-proclaimed “voracious reader,” I enjoy reading in many situations. I recall one day in Highschool when I eschewed my assigned homework and channeled my impeccable procrastination skills into reading a 300-page novel in a single evening. It did help that the novel in question was Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs. (I am unabashedly a HUGE Indiana Jones fan, especially the series of Novels featuring Indy’s adventures Post- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and before Raiders.)

Further, I recall a trip with my Grandmother, to her Lake House in Wisconsin. On the 6ish hour ride, she played the Audiobook of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code prequel, Angels and Demons. I was rapt with attention, picturing the story as it unfolded. The description of the Anti-matter, the discarded eyeball was viscerally described. For the first time, I was really enjoying an audiobook. I ended up reading a physical copy, as I didn’t exactly know how to go about renting the audiobooks at that time, but years later I became an Audible member.

Now, some 15+ years later I have listened to countless audiobooks, from the rest of Dan Brown’s works to Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Novels to Neal Stephenson’s Coffee-Table sized times, and even now some amazing “Audio Drama” styled stories from Michael Moorcock.

In recent years there have been several studies about the efficacy of listening to audiobooks in addition to or supplanting the reading of physical books. Many of these studies seem to be proof-positive that audiobooks can provide benefits.

As an Educator, particularly one that teaches a language, it is heartening to see that there is some benefit in using Audiobooks with students in other languages as well. A link to one such study is here.

Anyway, today’s topic is all about my thoughts on Audiobooks.

By: Drew Swenson

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedOne's words in another voice

Life given, life breathed

one with ink, the other with air

In either case, pictures in the mind

Adventure, Romance, Mystery, or History

Just a sample of what you may find

Textual Medium, Taken to the air

Hands-on, or hands-free?

Truly your brain does not care.

Both spark imagination, fulfill some hidden wishes

One takes the cake though, you can read it doing dishes.