Audiobooks are books to many people, however there are some who refuse to see them as another format of reading. They have increased in popularity recently, yet still it has a stigma. A lot of book communities are debating over this, here’s my input as really it shouldn’t even be a debate. Audiobooks may not be the same as books, but as a reader I truly believe they give you a very near similar experience.

Your Mind Isn’t Engaged

Listening to a book could mean you aren’t as focused as reading it. But as a child, our minds were pretty engaged when it comes to bedtime stories. Plus, over time, you become an active listener which helps improve your understanding of audiobooks. Personally, I can admit to tuning off after an hour or so. But previously that used to be half an hour.

Some People Are Unable To Read “Proper Books”

There are people out there who are visually impaired but absolutely adore reading. Audiobooks are generally a life saver for them and provides a rich experience just like any other reader. Some people might just be aural learners, whereas some like me or commuters and audiobooks are great to occupy their time. So to put people down about something they can’t control just because you think it’s not valid, isn’t fair. Agree to disagree at least but be considerate of others!

Books Might Be Better Off As Audiobooks

This could be a little bit of a harsh reality, but there are some audiobooks that I have listened to where I just can’t imagine it being as good as a normal paperback or ebook. I’m sure I’ll have a blog post about this where I will offer a ton more recommendations. But for a few to mention, Sadie is a brilliant audiobook as is Daisy Jones although I loved the paperback of that! I’ll be sure to have a review of them too, but here is my last review on Ninth House!

Scientific Studies

A lot of scientific studies will prove that humans have a short attention span. However some studies have shown that people who read in silence do not retain information as well as those listening to books. In fact, those who read aloud retain information better. So as a heads up, the next time you see someone read aloud on public transport, don’t judge as they just want to have a better memory of the book! To find out more on this study, the Frontiers in Psychology provides more information!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic! And if you are an audiobook fan, I can never have enough recommendations, so I’d appreciate if you have any! I hope this post was enjoyable to read and that you maybe learned a thing or two! If you have any other interesting facts about audiobooks or reading in general, I would love to hear them as they are always pretty fun! Plus I could use them for future reference. My last blog post is one to help beat a reading slump, so be sure to check that out if your 2020 reading goals aren’t going to plan! And as always, I love having a good bookish debate and discussion on my Instagram, join in the fun to see what others think!