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Some Reasons I Love Audiobooks
Yes, they really are books
My love of printed books is well known to anyone who has read my bookish articles, so, it may come as a surprise that I also love audiobooks. I know there are some hardcore bibliophiles out there who continue to argue that audiobooks aren’t really books, but that’s nonsense; of course they are. They’ve got the word “book” in their name, for crying out loud.
I find it hard to fathom that anyone would say that when their mom, dad, or grandparent read to them as a child the story was somehow diminished because the book was read to them rather than them reading it themselves. Hell, the whole reason they were reading the books to us was because we couldn’t read yet.
We’re all well beyond that now (unless some sadistic parent is reading my thoughts on audiobooks to their toddler instead of Goodnight Moon; if so, shame on you), but that doesn’t mean we don’t still enjoy having someone read to us. Besides the nostalgia attached to the activity, audiobooks have other benefits as well as some unique advantages over reading printed or e-books.
If you are a reader with a long commute to work, audiobooks are a must. Even after the pandemic-related changes that have allowed many to work from home, there are tens of millions who still have to sit in gridlocked traffic for hours five…
