I ♥ Audiobooks!

Denise Johnson's article Audiobooks: Ear-resistible!

• Multitasking with audiobooks (as well as podcasts)

I really think multitasking has become such a part of our culture today that many people, me included, cannot function to get things done unless they multitask. When doing any kind of work on the computer, I either have iTunes open with a podcast going, or I'm catching up on a tv episode online that I may have missed. When doing that, I have 2 windows open side by side and can see my video and still type away. With audiobooks, it's very much the same. I must say though, if I'm really working on something important, audiobooks aren't the way to go for me because I want to pay too much attention to the story as opposed to the task at hand that I am trying to finish. Audiobooks are GREAT though for when you are out and about at the grocery, in a line, at a coffee shop, or while you are doing housework at home. It's definitely a fun way to get some not-too-pertinent things accomplished.

• That's cheating

Some bibliophiles and bookworms out there are under the assumption that listening to audiobooks isn't really "reading" and that audiobooks are a form of "cheating." I must disagree! What exactly is the definition of reading? Is it comprehension? Does one have to "read" the words on a page in order to be in the act of reading? Obviously there will be different opinions, but let's look at a couple of sinarios:
-Take the busy on-the-go business man/woman who doesn't even have time to eat, much less read a book. This business man/woman may have a lengthy commute to work ... via car, bus, train, etc ... What if said person needs to get just a little more work done on this commute, but would still like to read a book every now and then? Enter the audiobook! It's multitasking and entertainment at its fullest!
-Now we have a housewife with small children at home who require her undivided attention. Said housewife would love to relax every now and then with some coffee and a good book ... and maybe have a few minutes all to herself (because we all know how books can take us miles and miles away!). With everything she must accomplish in a day, there's no time for any leisure. Enter the audiobook! She is able to put the kids down to play while she works in the kitchen or folding laundry, or whatever the task may be, and low and behold...she pops an audiobook in the cd player and voila! She has transformed her day-to-day tasks to make them more bearable (isn't housework SO redundant!). Besides, being read to is a treat in and of itself.
-Finally, what about that student, be it elementary, jr. high, or high school student, who may need an added push to help them get more into reading. What if reading is hard for them? Enter the audiobook! Audiobooks house an atmosphere of creativity and pull the "reader" in for more. Because audiobooks are spoken, the speakers' inflection and character differentiation is great to help students relate to the book. This could be just the ticket to instilling a love for "reading!"

• Audiobooks as educational tools

Some audiobooks include insight into the lives of the author and provide foundational material for how the book was created. This can be huge in terms of educational value. I can also see using this part of an audiobook in library programming. Not every library will have funding to bring in an author, but programming around the audio material could provide the same effect.

Audio File Magazine: Audiobooks or Aural Art?

This particular article looks to the future of audiobooks. Will we see an increase or a decrease in the demand for audiobooks? Personally, I think we are looking to expect an increase, especially with today's downloadable options (think audible.com). The author includes a hypothesis of seeing audiobooks turn to original material, as opposed to the redundant re-telling of a book in print. This is an interesting concept and one that could work. With podcasting being such a hot topic, I could see podcasts being turned into a form of "audiobook." Already some podcasts are taking the form and structure of the old radio shows where sound effects were handmade and parts of the show were dedicated to story-telling. It really makes one think of the posibilities and creativity to be had.

So, are audiobooks truly reading? You decide!

The following taken from dictionary.com

read⋅ing

1.	the action or practice of a person who reads.

2.	Speech. the oral interpretation of written language.