Audiobooks

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

I listened to an audiobook a while ago. It was new because of two things: it was in English and the first one I've listened to when I'm healthy and not a sick child lying in bed.

I realised there were only so many things I could do while listening, because something like doing the dishes causes so much noise that I would keep missing words which is very irritating, and while with a regular book it's easy to reread the sentence, rewinding an audio book isn't as quick and easy.

Audiobooks aren't really my thing, and they're really expensive, so I wouldn't buy them. Getting them from library and ripping them on my computer, however, might be a good idea. I probably wouldn't bother with books in Finnish, though, but at least with English audiobooks there would be an additional plus of improved listening comprehension.


You don't learn how to spell words, true, but you can still pick up some words or phrases and check the spelling later, if necessary, don't you think?

I don't quite understand how someone reading the text aloud explains all the complexities. They're just reading it, not commenting on it, after all :)

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Yes you are right but I think you are more likely to go to a dictionary when you can actually stop reading rather than listening and stopping the audiobook each time a new word is spoken. Also, with a book you can underline the words in pencil and check the dictionary later. Many words can be roughly deduced from the context of the sentence but it is always better to make certain of their exact meaning with a dictionary . I agree that the complexities will not be explained by using an audiobook, I had just finished a bottle of Cote du Rhone when I wrote that and was feeling rather tired.

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

I listened to an audiobook a while ago. It was new because of two things: it was in English and the first one I've listened to when I'm healthy and not a sick child lying in bed.

I realised there were only so many things I could do while listening, because something like doing the dishes causes so much noise that I would keep missing words which is very irritating, and while with a regular book it's easy to reread the sentence, rewinding an audio book isn't as quick and easy.

Audiobooks aren't really my thing, and they're really expensive, so I wouldn't buy them. Getting them from library and ripping them on my computer, however, might be a good idea. I probably wouldn't bother with books in Finnish, though, but at least with English audiobooks there would be an additional plus of improved listening comprehension.

You don't learn how to spell words, true, but you can still pick up some words or phrases and check the spelling later, if necessary, don't you think?

I don't quite understand how someone reading the text aloud explains all the complexities. They're just reading it, not commenting on it, after all :)

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Annamariah, I do agree with you here on most points; and I also get mine free from the library most times - too expensive to buy. I don't agree with you, Brian, in this point - I don't find it decreases one's perception of the vocabulary; If anything, for me, it increases it or enhances it. I do think it wise if someone wished to re-read a book and then instead listened to it being read. I did this with several books - "Frankenstein" and "Women in Love"...oddly enough, I actually picked up on things in the books, I had not noticed or noted in the text. This was especially true of the second book, which by the way, I had already read it twice...strange, isn't it? I mustn't be as attentive a reader, as I thought I was.

I do find I can't do much other than listen to the book or story being read or acted out. I loose concentration. If I listen in bed at night, I tend to drift off and fall asleep; the it's hard to find the place I left off. I only listen on headphones; otherwise, I am totally distracted. Best was when our electric went out one night and I bundled up and listened to my player on headphones - all of the 3 disks of the set of Chekhov short stories, I bought. I had listened before with half concentration, but this time I took in every work and really enjoyed them by candlelight. I didn't lay down, so I managed to stay awake. I would think maybe driving would be good; but then again, one would lose some concentration playing attention to the road. The reason

Brian,I think nothing is truly lost in vocabulary is because, I have more trouble pronouncing words and so this helps to increase my vocabulary because I stop avoiding those words in my own verbal speech. Now spelling is always a different story. I admit to not being a good speller at all.

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Originally Posted by Janine

Annamariah,

Brian,I think nothing is truly lost in vocabulary is because, I have more trouble pronouncing words and so this helps to increase my vocabulary because I stop avoiding those words in my own verbal speech. Now spelling is always a different story. I admit to not being a good speller at all.

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Well Janine I was referring to the fact that Annamariah ( pretty name) is from Finland and was speaking of reading in English; in which case, a book is certainly better than an audiobook for vocabulary but not so useful for pronunciation.

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Originally Posted by WICKES

What are your views on them? Is it just cheating, or a great way to bring literature alive?

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I've tried several times to listen to audio books, but I tend to find that my mind wanders when listening. There is a certain level of engagement that I have with a book, and I just can't find it with audio books. I have the same aversion to the little e-readers. I don't know how to describe it, but neither can bring me the same feeling or sensory experience as a real book.

I love them for my children, but I can't not find any way to listen to them myself. I've thought to try again since I find so little time to read, but it always feels as a stand in. Maybe I'm just picking the wrong ones...

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Originally Posted by mkhockenberry

I've tried several times to listen to audio books, but I tend to find that my mind wanders when listening. There is a certain level of engagement that I have with a book, and I just can't find it with audio books. I have the same aversion to the little e-readers. I don't know how to describe it, but neither can bring me the same feeling or sensory experience as a real book.

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Exactly what I was thinking, except the e-book part I find I can get lost in an e-book just as easily as with a print book.

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Originally Posted by papayahed

Exactly what I was thinking, except the e-book part I find I can get lost in an e-book just as easily as with a print book.

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I miss the smell and the feel of the pages when I am reading whenever I try to use an e-reader. I tend to prefer paperback books, and the e-reader just doesn't "feel" right in my hands. I've thought to try some of the newer ones, because it would be convenient, especially when I'm at work or on vacation. The new ones seem to be a bit nicer, but they still just aren't the same:)