Controversial opinion: audio books aren't "reading"

[PussyMalanga]

Am I alone in thinking so? When people say "I read fifty books this year" then reveal that half were ones they'd listened to. No!

The medium you are consuming is a book*

Used to work at a charity for blind people. Many if the staff had sight loss. Listening to an audio book was definitely thought of as the same as reading there.

To be honest, it takes me more concentration to listen to an audiobook than to read. I can read much, much faster than I can listen. I find reading much easier and definitely take in information more easily that way. I think listening is definitely a distinct skill, one which is harder for some than others.

As it happens, some of my colleagues at the charity used to use special programs to sped up audio books or to read online text or pdf documents at a hyper fast speed that just whizzed by my ears like a blur.

So I don’t really think there is an essential difference, and I really don’t think one is somehow inherently superior to the other.

I wouldn't insult the disabled people I know who consume a lot of audiobooks, and don't do other things while listening, by saying that's not really reading. Is letting your attention wander while listening to an audiobook any different to skimming the boring bits?
But I wouldn't consider allowing a child to listen to an audiobook the same as getting them to read when they are learning to read. Nor will audiobooks do much to improve spelling and grammar. Then again an audiobook might help with pronunciation and intonation.
I guess it depends what you need to get out of the experience as to whether you'd consider them interchangeable.

I don't have time to sit down and read. With an audiobook I can work, run, cycle, do housework, gardening etc. That's the advantage. I may not have read the book but everything has gone into my brain and fir me it's a more efficient use of time. I hate sitting down.

It’s nice you have the luxury of time to sit down and read.

It just seems some weird form of snobbery to diminish reading via audiobook.

Yes actually the more I think on it the more judgemental and pedantic it seems to me. Dare I say - snobbery?

I agree with @Skylucy and came on to say the same. My time for reading has diminished over the last few years, so I listen to Audible on my commute, or whilst running. I still get lost in the stories, and appreciate the narrative.

I also think of my grandmother, who was an avid reader until macular degeneration robbed her of the ability, she was still able to enjoy novels by listening.

We are richer for having consumed the story, whether read or read to.

I love reading. I also love listening to audiobooks. I might mention a book I've listened to and say I "read" it, but I do know the difference. I would prefer to actually read a book, but I like to listen to a story on my commute (can't read and drive, that's dangerous), when I'm out for a walk (I tried with an actual book, but I bumped into things), when doing housework, etc. All times I'd like to be entertained by a good story, but can't just sit and read.

For children, being read to (preferably by an actual person, but audiobooks aren't bad) is just as good as reading for themselves in terms of improving their vocabulary. They can generally cope with more complex books when listening rather than decoding for themselves. The same probably goes for adults.

We are richer for having consumed the story, whether read or read to
⬆️ That’s pretty much nailed it

Well I certainly wouldn’t tell a visually impaired person that they hadn’t “read” the book simply because it was read to them via the medium of audiobook. If you have consumed a book in anyway, surely you can say you have read it? Surely it’s fantastic that books are freely available in accessible means and to judge those who listened to it as not really reading it, is as others have said, snobbery. And actually quite ableist.

They allow my dyslexic family members to access books which they otherwise couldn't. Likewise for visially impaired people, so yes it counts as reading for me.

@Jackabobbo

That is really interesting. Thank you for your post.

I am the opposite.

I read and visualise, often really different to the film versions which sometimes ruins it.

It would seem weird to say that David Blunkett for example “has never read a novel.”

I listened to a full unabridged reading of Smiley’s People recently while commuting and it gave me an entirely fresh appreciation of the brilliance of Le Carre’s prose, which I hadn’t previously had time to capture while skimming for the plot. If someone said “have you read Smiley’s People?” I’d definitely reply in the affirmative.

Trollope OTOH I mostly know from Book at Bedtime abridgements and radio drama adaptations, so if someone asked me if I’ve read the Palliser novels I’d specifically say “I know them from radio adaptations”.

@Jackabobbo

Can I ask also what are your dreams like? Are they feelings or do you see things that you remember?

For some it is the only way to access a book. How would you prefer them to say it. If someone says 'Have you read Jane Eyre?' should they say no because they have listened to it? Surely that is even more pedantic, you are trying to establish whether they have been exposed to the storyline and have a knowledge of the content. It is great that you are able to access books visually but not everyone is that lucky.

We are richer for having consumed the story, whether read or read to

This, 100%. The more snobbery there is around consuming books (audio books, being read to, reading on a kindle, a phone) the less accessible we make them. I used to think I’d failed if I’d read fewer than 100 books in a year, now I’m lucky if I can get through a quarter of that, and even that is only made possibly because I listen - on the train (well, not recently), in the supermarket, doing the dishes. It is perhaps not literally “reading” but certainly contributes to being “well read” just as if I’d read the words on a page.

As long as the audiobook is unabridged, then I think it counts. I love reading but I don't get nearly enough time to sit down and focus entirely on a book. So being able to listen to one while I'm travelling/doing housework/cooking makes a massive difference to me. I've probably listened to 20 books this year that otherwise I'd never have had time for. Please don't be snooty about them.

Here’s an article about aphantasia (no mind’s eye).

I don’t visualise internally, but I do have kinaesthetic imagination so I feel what’s going on.

It's not reading a book, it's listening to it.

With an audiobook the narrator is choosing the intonation and pace for you. You don't need the same focus if someone is reading it to you. It's for this reason I can read books to my children that are aimed at older children, as it's much easier to follow and digest a story of someone else is reading it to you.

It's definitely not the same and I do inwardly when poeple say they've read a certain book and then it turns out they've listened to it.

If it makes you feel better OP, crack on.

But if people enjoy audiobooks or learn something from them isn’t it rather silly to care?

I read books and listen to audiobooks too. Usually the audiobooks are for when I’m walking the dog or on a long drive (though haven’t done one of those this year, so...) and occasionally for housework, but I find it harder to concentrate. I wouldn’t class them as “reading” but get that for some folk they’re time saving godsends!

I don't understand why it matters.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves I'm a big fan of reading to children, but it doesn't count for their school reading logs.

In the olden days (I'm vague about when, let's say Georgian) being able to read in your head was basically a party trick, most people couldn't do it. So maybe there's a pie chart of reading - reading aloud, reading in head, being read to. Slightly different experiences but all mean you have the content of the book.

I used to read loads, but when I became ill with depression I lost the ability to concentrate on a book, which in turn made me even more depressed.

Discovering audio books was really life changing for me, and has massively helped with depression. I don't see it as less than reading- sometimes I read and listen to books via kindle/audible.