Are audio books better than actually reading?

[fact]

Audio books are 90% of my entertainment. I have almost completely cut out TV in favor of listening to my books. It's been a fukking wrap on TV/radio/podcasts sing July of last year when I started listening to The Wheel of Time. I have now finished like 8 other huge high fantasy series. Took me 40 years to find out how much of a fukking nerd I am, lololol, if y'all knew me irl, you would never fukking guess I spend so much of my time listening to nerd ass fantasy series.

 

[fact]

to retain knowledge best i usually need to re-read the key parts and highlight them. and load them into Anki if it's an academic text.

i'll still passively listen to audiobooks too though if im just washing dishes or something and it's not a very hard to understand book

The other reason I like audiobooks is because I have never really been able to comprehend shyt I read. I'm sure it is some kind of learning disability, but reading for me is like a chore that I'm just trying to get through, so I generally don't retain much I'm reading.

 

[Nobu]

The other reason I like audiobooks is because I have never really been able to comprehend shyt I read. I'm sure it is some kind of learning disability, but reading for me is like a chore that I'm just trying to get through, so I generally don't retain much I'm reading.

i feel that. i think everyone has that cuz we're so used to reading short form content, flipping through tabs.

something that may help is to NOT force yourself to read the book linearly. feel free to jump sections and skim the interesting parts, mostly for non-fiction.

 

[ViShawn]

I do both but it depends on whether it is fiction or non fiction. Non fiction more fact based books I can do audiobook and actively listen. Reading fiction for me and more dense books I like a book.

 

[richaveli83]

Reading

 

[saturn7]

Audio books are 90% of my entertainment. I have almost completely cut out TV in favor of listening to my books. It's been a fukking wrap on TV/radio/podcasts sing July of last year when I started listening to The Wheel of Time. I have now finished like 8 other huge high fantasy series. Took me 40 years to find out how much of a fukking nerd I am, lololol, if y'all knew me irl, you would never fukking guess I spend so much of my time listening to nerd ass fantasy series.

Lol. I would've never finished any of those ASOIAF books without the audio version.

 

[⠀X ⠀]

I used to read a lot of books, but I don’t have the attention span anymore. I now mostly listen to Audiobooks and other educational videos. It’s just super convenient to have them playing in the car. And yeah, I think I retain more information from audio.

 

[BasketCase]

Reading for learning and audiobooks for entertainment.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Spinoff thread from the podcast thread

which One do you feel helps retain more knowledge and why.

i have a bunch of books but no time to read them, thinking about buying the audio versions but I feel like i won’t retain and digest the information as much

reading by far

reading is not a PASSIVE activity.

plus if you are a capable reader you will always read far faster internally than audio books are read out loud..

 

[T-K-G]

Makes sense, didn’t think it would be worth going after them. Guess I’ll just make time to read them

you working in a hospital or something breh?


You should have all the free time right now


And books>>>audio books and it isn't even close

The more present your brain is in an activity, the more of that information will be retained

 

[Konnan]

audiobook all day

i lose interest and get distracted reading

 

[General Mills]

I get through books alot faster via audio. I'm not always able to be stationary and read. Great for long walks and car drives.

Thus. I’m a big reader. Always have been. I resisted audio books for a long time cause it seemed like cheating. I drove home to Pittsburgh from Jax and while there my dad was telling me to check out Octavia Butlers book Kindred. Said it was real good. I was like cool I will order it and he said naw. I got it on audiobook. Listen to it on your drive back home. I was Ok yeah sure thing dad.


But.. I started listening while I was driving and I was it was like watching a movie without watching a movie. Made my 11 hour drive fly by. As I was pulling into my driveway the audio book ended


Since then I have been obsessed with audiobooks. There are a bunch of free ones on YouTube. Also your public library. I also have a Audible subscription. I listen to them while I’m at work, in the shower, and driving.


If you have a good audiobook with a good narrator it’s a great experience

 

[fact]

Thus. I’m a big reader. Always have been. I resisted audio books for a long time cause it seemed like cheating. I drove home to Pittsburgh from Jax and while there my dad was telling me to check out Octavia Butlers book Kindred. Said it was real good. I was like cool I will order it and he said naw. I got it on audiobook. Listen to it on your drive back home. I was Ok yeah sure thing dad.


But.. I started listening while I was driving and I was it was like watching a movie without watching a movie. Made my 11 hour drive fly by. As I was pulling into my driveway the audio book ended


Since then I have been obsessed with audiobooks. There are a bunch of free ones on YouTube. Also your public library. I also have a Audible subscription. I listen to them while I’m at work, in the shower, and driving.


If you have a good audiobook with a good narrator it’s a great experience

Yes, the voice actor makes or breaks it for me. It is like watching a movie, I always wonder, with the technology we have now, why can’t a super computer like Watson create visuals to go along with audiobooks. That would be the greatest fukking thing. That would be like one of the greatest technological achievements outside of medicine and industry in my lifetime to me.

 

[Jasonmask]

Can’t respect the audiobook. Seems lazy to me

 

[GrindtooFilthy]

you working in a hospital or something breh?


You should have all the free time right now


And books>>>audio books and it isn't even close

The more present your brain is in an activity, the more of that information will be retained

I’m a test engineer and run a home studio, really haven’t had no time since I graduated college. Just try and read here and there when my schedule slows down