fthrll

Found this article on listening versus reading, which might be of interest?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...steners-travel

Being a huge fan of everything audio, like many people here, I'm afraid I don't agree with the viewpoint expressed in this article. I think the writer's missing out a whole history of deep-rooted oral story-telling tradition. Still, interesting to 'hear' another perspective...

Rich Frohlich

I have to say to him - 'to each his own'.

That's just his opinion, and I don't think it is a crutch - or diminishes the comprehension of the material.

There are advantages to both. And I don't subscribe to his opinion, that listening to a book is lazy.

I do agree with his point about abridged audio books. THAT is lazy, and unless I need to cram the story because of research - I don't grab the abridged version.

Personally - when I was younger I seldom read for pleasure. I tried to read a novel or 2 for fun, but I would just get bored with it... put it down and never pick it up again. All through school I only read to get information, research or for an assignment - it wasn't until I listened to audio drama - and then audiobooks that I was able to appreciate the the whole idea of "reading for pleasure".

Imagination is the key.

As far as exercising the imagination - I think both books and books on tape are equal in their abilities. Movies and television spoon feed the whole thing to you - story - images - setting - wardrobe. Bah...

Theatre does a little of that - but the process still asks you to bring something with you to the performance. Books and audio are all about imagination, and if we can keep that part of us alive, then we're all the better for it, no matter how we take it in.

And that's my humble opinion.

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Texas Radio Theatre Company
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UltraRob

I agree with Rich 100%! Especially about avoiding abridged versions of audiobooks. I dislike abridged versions of works in general and consider them a waste of time if the original full text version is available.

Something I think he's also missing is that we know different kinds of people are different types of learners. There are some people who just can't get much off the printed page, but if they hear it they remember it nearly perfectly. For these people audiobooks are a godsend, and they'll get more from them than they would if they read them.

Besides, I find a good reader can make a book sometimes come alive in ways my own imagination wouldn't. Not that my imagination is faulty or limited, but they put their own spin on the story in the way they read it that can add an extra level to the story. I really enjoy that.

Of course, in the end I'm a commuter who has time to fill and looking for a quality way to do it. (In addition to audio drama, of course! )

Rob

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HPunster

I know you are, but what am I?

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Salixj

I use to think as he did, but then I had a child who, despite being quite intelligent, was a late reader. I bought her tons of audio books and stories, not to help her learn (I did not have her read along sort of thing) BUT to have her have the knowledge of the books themselves, and to give her some independence, so she wouldn't have to rely on me to read.

She did eventually learn to read on her own, but I also learned how fun and interesting audio books and stories were.

Both have benefits and drawbacks, and both require different parts of the brain. Listening requires a different sort of attention than reading, and a different type of thinking.

Reading also requires me to remain fairly inactive; I can walk and read, but even an exercise cycle makes reading difficult; too jumpy. But I can do the dishes, laundry, cook, and walk to around with an audio book. I can also sit here and type this reply :-) (Wormwood. I have heard it part of the series before, but I am going back and listening again and catching up on what I missed.)

finalrune

Yuck, what snobbery.

I like to read books. I like to listen to books, too. I tend to listen to more audio because it fits into my life better.

I've got 1.5 hrs to burn in the car each day, dinner to cook, dishes to clean, etc. Meanwhile if I can grab 1/2 hr to 1hr to read before bed each night it's a good day. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate or grasp what's happening the text as good when listening to it -- au contraire! Narrators can add a lot (though I admit it is an art, it took several good narrators and some time to "get the taste" for audiobooks vs. wham-bam audio drama)

This is actually quite timely as I posted an interview this week w/ Roger Gregg who commented on the cultural bias of printed word over audio works -- predominantly because print had some sort of permanence, where until very recently audio did not.

About 15 mins into it, give a listen!

Interview with Roger Gregg, Radio Wizard

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HPunster

I use audio dramas as a classroom aid because I think listening is an important skill that our kids need to learn. Also, new vocabulary and good grammar can be learned from listening, almost as well as reading.

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encaf1

Feh..

The article reads basically like this: "I'm in a creative drought for the moment, so I'll pick up some of my vague doubts about my own insecurities about how listening to books might not be as good an experience as me actually visually reading them and inflate that concern to cast artificial aspersions that totally miss any valid point I might want to make, especially if I can infantilize any those who might actually like listening to audiobooks."

Feh.

All that is written is not necessarily worth reading; all that is heard is not necessarily worth hearing. I challenge him to listen to the unabridged version of "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and consider it not something slightly above a child being read his beddie-bye stories.

If his argument held, then we should also eliminate all speech, because it would "obviously" be better to have everyone write down all communication and have other read it. Audio communication is so "obviously" inferior to all written communication, if his argument is to be believed at all..

Personally, while I can read at quite an elevated level, I have always found that I work better with aural input rather than visual input. I am a very slow reader, and my eyesight wanders a bit more than I'd prefer.

But while I do listen to segments of 1-2 audiobooks every day, I still read at least one newspaper, a few dozen articles online and snippits of at least 1 and often as many as 3 books in a day...

... and the audio parts are by no means inferior to any other experience I have..

Shonokin

What world does this guy live in??

I can't even imagine that there are really that many people who fit in the demographic of just sitting on their ass listening to an audiobook. Modern aural input is all about multitasking.

I listen to audiobooks/dramas almost constantly and it's always while doing other stuff. Always.

If I'm going to sit and do nothing then I'm going to read. Even then, one of my favorite past times is going to cafes and reading. That way I'm still multitasking. I have a coffee, people watch and read all in the same sitting.

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Bill Hollweg

I am like that too Shonkin.

LOVE to read! Love to listen to AD, but I do it while driving to and from work or doing chores and the like.