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Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

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Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#21

Post by karaterobot »

I think there's a distinction between the activity of reading a book with the activity of listening to a book. That's pretty obvious to me. If I was listening to an audiobook, I would never say "I'm reading right now", any more than if I was reading a book, I would never say "I'm listening to a book right now". Both of those cases seem so incorrect as to be confusing.

But if I am going through the list of books I "read" in the last year, I would include both printed and audio books in that list. In that sense, reading is used more like "consumed" or "studied" or "spent time with". It's not confusing to me in that context.

I think it's safe to say that some of this comes down to people's sense of shame or fear of being judged. There should be no judgment attached to reading books or listening to them, they're just two different activities. It still counts if you listen to it.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#22

Post by Finnucane »

ghaff wrote: post #16
tejohnso wrote: post #8

> In terms of dollars, ebooks represent less than 7 percent of the entire U.S. book trade. This is surprising to me given the quality of e-readers out there now. The experience is quite nice, and you don't end up taking up a bunch of space or making a mess with physical books lying around.

Ebooks aren't good for everything--especially on a smaller format eink reader. But I still find it a bit surprising, and I'm sure this is true of others as well, that ebooks didn't become more dominant--especially for fiction.

I oversee ebook production for a university press, and getting anything remotely complex to work right can still be challenging.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#23

Post by tjoff »

Spotify etc. helped curb piracy because it was convenient. Ebooks should be convenient, but are not. The experience is much worse than physical books and barely any cheaper. It pains me everytime I try to buy one.

Then came the ipad, and while the ipad is terrible for long reading it isn't obvious why an ebook would be better so most dismiss it right away.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#24

Post by agumonkey »

browningstreet wrote: post #20
agumonkey wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried podcasts and the majority of them are not different from tv shows or news cast, maybe not raw entertainment but it's in that bag. Sometimes you end up with someone presenting a new idea just right, but it's not common.

I find that the podcasts I listen to reveal a strikingly different thing when people can talk for 1-3 hours about something. It’s between what we were used to on television and a book. But as a dialogue. Less true for Joe Rogan but more true for Rich Roll.

Fair point, but there a many long podcasts where the host and the guest can't connect enough and it's more of a technical-ish chat versus a learning moment.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#25

Post by BooneJS »

I like listening to The Great Courses on Audible. They’re long and interesting, but they’re nothing I’d take notes on, they’re not anything that would change my life. I have used credits on a few nonfiction books, gotten 1/4 in, and bought the physical book because I wanted a better understanding of the material.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#27

Post by otikik »

karaterobot wrote: post #21

I think there's a distinction between the activity of reading a book with the activity of listening to a book. That's pretty obvious to me. If I was listening to an audiobook, I would never say "I'm reading right now", any more than if I was reading a book, I would never say "I'm listening to a book right now". Both of those cases seem so incorrect as to be confusing. But if I am going through the list of books I "re…

There’s a word, which I really dislike, which can be used for both.

“Consume”

“I have consumed a book”

Eugh.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#28

Post by throwup238 »

otikik wrote: post #27
karaterobot wrote: post #21

I think there's a distinction between the activity of reading a book with the activity of listening to a book. That's pretty obvious to me. If I was listening to an audiobook, I would never say "I'm reading right now", any more than if I was reading a book, I would never say "I'm listening to a book right now". Both of those cases seem so incorrect as to be confusing. But if I am going through the list of books I "re…

There’s a word, which I really dislike, which can be used for both. “Consume” “I have consumed a book” Eugh.

That brings to mind a Krampus-like demon eating books whole while everyone runs away from a burning library.

Re: Bookish Diversions: Do Audiobooks Count?

#30

Post by nytesky »

otikik wrote: post #27
karaterobot wrote: post #21

I think there's a distinction between the activity of reading a book with the activity of listening to a book. That's pretty obvious to me. If I was listening to an audiobook, I would never say "I'm reading right now", any more than if I was reading a book, I would never say "I'm listening to a book right now". Both of those cases seem so incorrect as to be confusing. But if I am going through the list of books I "re…

There’s a word, which I really dislike, which can be used for both. “Consume” “I have consumed a book” Eugh.

“I consumed content”

Captures the modern age…

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