scijessreads

For the longest time, I was resistant to audiobooks as a form of reading. Not that I didn’t think it counted as reading, but mainly because I can read faster than I can listen, and I would get frustrated and want to speed ahead.

Over the last few months, I reactivated my Audible subscription and found the audiobook section in Libby (my library app). Now that I have a commute to work, and realized I can listen during my office hours when no one needs to talk to me, I have found that audiobooks are a great way to get in more reading while doing other things. I even started listening when doing housework, instead of having the TV on in the background.

What also helped me embrace the audiobook is that I can listen at 1.5x to 1.75x speed (depending on the narrators). So they feel less slow and I don’t lose interest. I can’t go much fast than that yet, or else it starts sounding a little like a chipmunk in my headphones, but one of these days I’ll get to 2x speed. This way, I can get through an audiobook in a few days to a week (depending on driving time and if I can listen in other spaces) rather than multiple weeks.

It’s also been fun to revisit books I’ve read before in audio form. Sometimes, a good narrator can make an OK book really fun to listen to. Most recently, that goes for the audiobooks for Soul Eater by Lily Mayne (narrated by Michael Lesley) and Unhinged by Onley James (Narrated by Liam Dicosimo).

Do you listen to audiobooks? Do you prefer single narrators, dual narration, or duet narration?