Dear Sophie,
Hey, guess what? I'm totally into audiobooks these days, especially celebrity biographies! It feels like having a friend chatting in your ear while you do all those boring tasks, like driving, getting ready, and cooking dinner. But then there are those bookworms trying to spoil my fun by saying audiobooks don't count as "proper" reading. So, I gotta ask... What's your take on this?
Sincerely,
An Avid Listener
It's the debate of the book snobs, the classic question, do audiobooks count as reading?
My first thought when I hear this question, is that when someone tells me that they prefer to listen to audiobooks, why would I judge? We can still discuss our favourite books and talk about issues that non-fiction books bring up.
I'm just glad they read, whether it's through listening or through sight.
This, along with the physical vs e-book debate, is just a matter of people wanting to be pretentious. Ah, you listen to an e-book while you put on your makeup? I dust off my armchair in my private library and sit down with a thick heavy book that I can barely hold up. So distinguished.
According to headway.com: "Audiobooks and physical books may have their differences, but they share a common denominator: absorbing information from a book. As such, audiobooks can technically count as reading, as both outcomes are relatively the same. "
Not to mention, you're still getting the benefits from reading, such as:
Strengthening your vocabulary
Expanding your knowledge
Reducing your overall stress
Enhancing your creativity and imagination
Improving your memory
Improving concentration and focus
Improving communication skills
Why gatekeep reading? Everyone should be able to enjoy it, not just people that have time to sit down and open up a physical book. Having spare time to read is a luxury.
We need to celebrate and encourage people to read in whatever form works for them.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below!
Comments