September 10, 2010

BlogFest 2010: Audiobooks vs. Hard Copies

Welcome to Musings of an All Purpose Monkey! Chances are if you’re here on September 10-12 you’re a book lover who got here via the BlogFest event.

BlogFest is a massive carnival of giveaways with a great collection of participating blogs. Each blog has a giveaway and the idea is to hop from blog to blog, entering all the giveaways your little heart desires. Hopefully you might even come across a few blogs you might want to bookmark and continue visiting.

I’m proud to be one of the over 250 bloggers participating in this celebration of books and book blogs. And while you’re here, I’d love to get your thoughts on something…

Audiobooks. I don’t like them, and I desperately want to. My TBR stack is so massive that I may catch up somewhere around the time I retire, and yet it seems like I have “wasted” time where I could be listening to books while I do other things (in the car, washing dishes, doing laundry, etc.). However, the few times I tried to listen to a book were less than satisfying experiences.

Maybe I’m just very particular about the way I read. I often find myself going back and rereading passages in a book, and it’s much easier to do that with a hard copy than an audiobook. I also want to go at my pace which, depending on my mood, may be faster or slower than what the reader has chosen.

And let’s talk about the reader. I know there are some fabulous audiobook readers out there, but what if I just don’t like the reader’s delivery? What if their voice is like nails on a chalk board to me? I wouldn’t want that to be such a distraction that I was turned off from what otherwise may be a book I’d enjoy reading in print. And so I’m stuck between the “rock” of my never-ending TBR stack and the “hard place” of not liking audiobooks, the one avenue that could actually help me get a leg up on things.

How do you feel about audiobooks? Love ’em, hate ’em or indifferent? Leave a comment with your thoughts and you’ll be entered to win the following prize pack:

An ivory/black striped canvas tote bag
Precious Blood by Jonathan Hayes (paperback)
Machete, third and most recent book in the Jake and Jouma series by Nick Brownlee (trade paperback)
The Godfather of Kathmandu, fourth and most recent book in the Sonchai Jitpleecheep series by John Burdett (hardcover)

Please be sure to include your email address or website link with your comment so I have a way to contact the winner. Contest is open to US/Canada and ends at midnight on September 12, 2010.

*** The contest is now closed.***

Thanks for stopping by. Please have a look around Musings of an All Purpose Monkey, and then be sure to go check out what’s going on over at The Nerd’s Wife for BlogFest!

153 Comments

dakota
September 12, 2010 - 5:09 AM

im not a big fan of audiobooks because im more visual vs. audio.
dakotasky55 at gmail dot com
SiNn
September 12, 2010 - 4:25 AM

honestly i like audio books just some of the people who read them suck and are really bad and put me to sleep so ive had soemabd experiances with them but i do love to be read to

mortalsinn@yahoo.com
Pam S
September 12, 2010 - 4:19 AM

i;ve only listened to one audiobook and it was pporly done so I am indifferent to them.

Pam S
pams00 @ aol.com
Deborah
September 12, 2010 - 3:46 AM

There is just something about holding the printed word in your hand that brings me closer to what I’m reading. Though I do listen to audio at times. I prefer print.

Thanks so much.

djsloan1953(at)yahoo(dot)com
Kailia Sage
September 12, 2010 - 2:56 AM

I don’t mind audiobooks but I prefer a printed copy!

twilightforever.edward at gmail dot com
Elizabeth Hoskins
September 12, 2010 - 2:02 AM

i like them for really long drives in the car, but i definitely prefer the actual book. I tend to get distracted from the story and daydream more listening to the audio books rather than reading the book.

elizabethjhoskins@gmail.com
Kim
September 12, 2010 - 1:56 AM

never tried them but I think it might be nice!
klove1432@YAHOO.COM
Norma
September 12, 2010 - 1:03 AM

I’m listening to my first audio book right now. I have mixed feelings about it – it’s nice to listen while working around the house or while having a snack, but I think I prefer a book in my hands.
LAMusing
September 12, 2010 - 1:01 AM

I’m starting my 3rd audiobook – liked the first one, hated the 2nd one (phony sounding acting out of the characters made me nuts!), and am loving the current one. So it REALLY depends on the reader. If I can hear an excerpt first, it will give a clear idea on if I’ll like it or not.
I do appreciate being able to listen while on long drives!
Lisa
September 12, 2010 - 12:51 AM

I think it depends on the book. If the book is heavy on the detail and light in dialogue then an audio book is easy to listen to. But if the book has a lot of characters and more dialogue I find it more difficult to enjoy an audio book. I guess because the characters usually aren’t being conveyed in the tone and manner that I would expect when I read it. But that could just be me! Regardless, I have very few audio books and prefer the black and white text! 😀

lisa(at)onceuponachapter(dot)com
Once Upon A Chapter
jennifer mathis
September 12, 2010 - 12:39 AM

I like audio books cause i can listen to them in the car

meandi09@yahoo.com
Koren C
September 12, 2010 - 12:38 AM

I only listen to audio books at night to help me sleep and find I have to listen to books I have already read or I will never sleep. For the following reason I like audio books. Where I run into a problem sometimes is with the vocal talent used.
Velvet Hubler
September 12, 2010 - 12:30 AM

I have never listened to an audiobook so I guess I would be indifferent until I have the chance to.
SusanB
September 11, 2010 - 11:53 PM

I prefer books but at times audiobooks fill the need where books can’t, i.e. walking on campus, etc.
Ashley
September 11, 2010 - 11:41 PM

Can’t follow audio books. If I’m not looking at the pages, I get distracted and space out…
mrsshukra
September 11, 2010 - 11:17 PM

Prefer hard copy books, old fashioned!
Jennelle S
September 11, 2010 - 10:59 PM

I’ve never listened to an audiobook. i might be willing to give them a chance, but I think I prefer having an actual book in my nad.

jlynettes@hotmail.com
Alexa Nernberg
September 11, 2010 - 10:53 PM

Hello, thanks so much for sponsoring a Blogfest giveaway and giving me an opportunity to participate.

I still prefer to have a physical book in my hands reading versus listening to an audiobook.

Thank you.
kisah jackson
September 11, 2010 - 10:51 PM

i’m hit or miss with audiobooks – the problem is that i get so absorbed into the listening (when it’s a good one) that i don’t do other things; i just sit there and listen….when the point with audiobooks is so you can do other things while listening! ah, well….

k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com
Amanda
September 11, 2010 - 9:07 PM

Audiobooks – in general I prefer an actual book in my hand, with the exception of Agatha Christie’s novels. I love listening to her’s through audiobook! 🙂
DarcyO
September 11, 2010 - 8:55 PM

I like audiobooks for long car rides, but the narrator does need to be good. When I’m reading a book I can imagine what the people in it will sound like, but with an audio, a lot of that is lost.
heather@actingbalanced.com
September 11, 2010 - 8:04 PM

I’m indifferent to them, but my hubby loves to download and listen to them on his i-pod… and I have friends who listen to them on car trips all the time… I’m more of a read the words and interpret them myself kind of girl
Day
September 11, 2010 - 7:45 PM

I like both, and it reallt depends on the audiobook. I LOVE Hunger Games audio book, but I’m not so crazy about Wicked Lovely. It just depends on the reader.

paperbackdolls@gmail.com
Patti
September 11, 2010 - 7:44 PM

Not sure how I feel about audiobooks – never listened to one – would love to like them though since I to have a very long TBR list.

Please enter me in your give away.

budletsmom at yahoo dot com
J L Jackson
September 11, 2010 - 7:20 PM

I have only listened to a few audiobooks and I have a hard time buying more. I like to have a book in my hands, but I did just purchase an ereader and they aren’t so bad.

DreamyCowgirl@hotmail.com
http://www.yourjen.blogspot.com/

Thank you for the contest!
Wendy
September 11, 2010 - 6:48 PM

I enjoy audio’s on my way to and from work, but at home, I like to curl up with a book 🙂
Amber young
September 11, 2010 - 6:30 PM

I’m in the same boat as you. I WANT to like them, but i just can’t seem to get into them. Maybe someday….but probably not lol.

ayoung3360@hotmail.com
Becky
September 11, 2010 - 6:27 PM

I’ll use audiobooks, but I don’t really like them because I can’t hold them in my hands and I can’t go back and read a part that I didn’t understand or liked a lot.

jpn_cowgirl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Shellie
September 11, 2010 - 6:18 PM

I love audiobooks for long car trips. They keep me driving when it’s too dark to do anything else and the rest of the fam’s asleep in the backseat:)

neumeier(dot)shellie(at)gmail(dot)com
Asenath
September 11, 2010 - 6:14 PM

For the most part, I too hate audiobooks. Since I have a long commute to work though, I listen to them. If I don’t like the reader, I stop and switch to a different book. I really liked the readers for The Time Travelers Wife.
Ambur
September 11, 2010 - 6:14 PM

I’m indifferent to audiobooks, I don’t listen to them myself and never really have, but to be honest, if I did I probably wouldn’t even really comprehend what was going on. When I listen to music I tend to do it while reading, so if I was listening to an audiobook I feel like I would want to be doing something else too, maybe read along, which would kind of defeat the purpose….so I’ll just leave them to other people.

Thanks for chance to win free goodies 😀

Ambur (ambiepie_6@hotmail.com)
Mary (BookHounds)
September 11, 2010 - 6:00 PM

I just started using audio books. The biggest problem with them is that I can read faster than them. If there was only a way to speed up the words LOL. I do like them for walks and when I am gardening.
Sue R
September 11, 2010 - 5:48 PM

I dont like the audiobooks much. For some odd reason, I only listen to the Dresden Files audiobooks or the Nightside audiobooks.
Beth Willis
September 11, 2010 - 5:37 PM

I love listening to Audio Books in the car- and my husband really loves doing that because he commutes an hour each way to work each day. I however when at home would rather have a book to hold and read.
mindy
September 11, 2010 - 5:22 PM

i love them thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net
Jules@OneBookShy
September 11, 2010 - 4:33 PM

I’m not a big fan of audiobooks for myself. I think the biggest reason is that the reader’s voice sometimes interferes with my visual image of the characters, the scenery, or the situation. I can see how they’re very helpful for those who have vision problems or who are stuck in their car alot.

I’m still fighting the e-book battle 😉

Thanks for the giveaway,
Jules
onebookshy at yahoo dot com
samantha morrison
September 11, 2010 - 4:26 PM

great giveaway- I love audiobooks!

bmorrison12@cox.net
Karen Michelle Nutt
September 11, 2010 - 3:21 PM

I love audio books. I listen to them in my car and on my iPod!
Heather
September 11, 2010 - 3:19 PM

Hi!
I love audio books!
Nick
September 11, 2010 - 2:52 PM

I really don’t like Audiobooks for the same reasons you stated, and plus when reading I’m thinking about the book, with audiobooks my mind wonders!
Ashley H.
September 11, 2010 - 2:46 PM

I don’t care for audiobooks, I prefer to actually read them.
Maureen
September 11, 2010 - 2:30 PM

I never got in the habit of listening to them but I have always wanted to try listening to them while driving or exercising.
Mae
September 11, 2010 - 2:24 PM

I love audiobooks. When my family and I take road trips, we often listen to audiobooks. That way we can all enjoy the same book.
Thanks for the giveaway! =)

maegalsfashion(at)yahoo(dot)com
katklaw777
September 11, 2010 - 2:04 PM

I do not care for audio books…I like to reread parts of my books sometimes and I find it hard to concentrate to listen to a book. My hubby luvs to listen to them in the car tho.
Thanks for the groovy giveaway! katklaw777 at yahoo dot com
Dina
September 11, 2010 - 2:01 PM

I listen to audio books in the car. When the kids let me 😉
Teresa W.
September 11, 2010 - 1:16 PM

I have never listened to a audio book! tWarner419@aol.com
Kristina Barnes
September 11, 2010 - 12:51 PM

I’m indifferent, I suppose. But if I were given a choice between a book and an audio book, I’d choose the book. My mind wanders a lot, so I can’t listen to an audio book unless I’m in a classroom setting and I’m forced to listen.

angelmistress[at]hotmail[dot]com
connie black
September 11, 2010 - 11:31 AM

I only will listen to audiobooks when I am in the car going long distance.
Thanks for the chance!
Kelli
September 11, 2010 - 11:28 AM

I don’t like audiobooks!

Thanks!
Karla T
September 11, 2010 - 11:27 AM

I love audiobooks. I load them on my MP3 player and can listen on my hour drive to work and other times. I don’t think I’ve ever run across a horrible voice. I DO miss being able to flip back to reread a previous passage.