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EP 64 - Audiobooks Count!
20 Plays3 months ago
Does listening to audiobooks count as reading books?
For more info & to download a free PDF of today's episode notes, visit: www.chriskreuter.com/CDWI
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Transcript
Introduction and Personal Background
00:00:08
Speaker
On Chris deals with it, I talk about the frameworks and methods I use to clear personal, creative, and professional roadblocks. My goal is to help others bridge the gap between where they're at now and what they want to achieve. If you're new to the show, I'm an engineer, writer, parent, game designer, leader, and reader who leverages that experience to develop creative solutions to problems. An AI statement that all elements of this episode are products of the author, Chris Croyder, and made without the use of any AI tools.
Debate: Do Audiobooks Count as Reading?
00:00:39
Speaker
Welcome to episode 64 of Chris deals with it. Audiobooks count. Does listening to audiobooks count as reading books? This episode came about in response to a conversation with friends a few weeks ago. Someone was adamant that audiobooks didn't count as reading. But here are my arguments in defense of audiobooks.
00:00:57
Speaker
What is a book? A book is a collection of words that are packaged together. Preferably, this package of words is identified with a title and cover that relay what's inside, notes the author or authors who wrote it, is organized with a clear structure such as chapters or formatting, is well written with artistic and expertly crafted sentences, characters, plot, facts, etc. entertaining, or in the case of nonfiction, informing and fact checked.
00:01:25
Speaker
The book is not the packaging itself, since the collection of words can be delivered in multiple different formats. It can be in a physically printed book, an ebook, audiobook, serialized across multiple magazines or publications, spoken aloud.
The Value of Audiobooks
00:01:40
Speaker
But let's talk about the joys of audiobooks. I'll admit, it took me quite a while to adjust to audiobooks. What ultimately worked for me was starting with smaller novels and novellas, which are about 20,000 to 40,000 words, or about 100 pages.
00:01:53
Speaker
and I built up the capacity to process long-form, audible content. It is a skill that can be developed, and this skill was further developed through listening to podcasts. And I'll say my audiobook listening really took off when I had kids. Sleepless Nights Holding a Baby made it impossible to also hold a physical book, but I still got to read. And a good book is a good book.
Enhancing Storytelling with Narration
00:02:14
Speaker
It's going to keep you coming back to read consistently, and the content stays top of mind between reading sessions when it's good.
00:02:21
Speaker
Audio narration can also add a lot of dimensions to the telling of a story. Listening to other voices reading books is different than always reading the book in your own voice, in your own head. Professional voice actors can add emotion, pacing, dialect and pronunciation.
00:02:37
Speaker
And books written with a unique voice or structure can be enhanced in an audio format. I'll give you three examples. The first are the White Sky Saga books by Wabgishe Grice, which are narrated by Billy Morasti. These two books are post-apocalyptic thrillers about the fate of Anishinaabe tribe in northern Ontario. Their incredible books about resilience and the native words and phrases spoken by a native speaker added a lot to my experience of reading the book.
00:03:04
Speaker
And given that the books were written in a world without electricity or delivery trucks with new books, the audiobook reflected the tradition of oral storytelling which became central to the tribe's success in their post-apocalyptic setting. Second, romance novels. They'll typically have alternating chapters between the different protagonists falling in love. Having these two different sides read by different actors made them feel like more fully realized characters which deepen your connection to them and their romantic journey.
Audiobooks and Complex Languages
00:03:33
Speaker
And lastly, China Mieville's Embassy Town featured an alien race called the Arakai. They are famed for having a unique language in the universe that is incredibly challenging to speak and impossible for any human not physically altered to speak it. It involves speaking through tandem mouths, making different sounds at the same time.
00:03:52
Speaker
In the written book, they represented like fractions. But for the audiobook, they actually recorded both words, then layered the audio so it sounded like the aliens were actually speaking. This trick really stuck with me and inspired the Ranakana species I created in my Rainy River Bees trilogy. I've got a link to an article about the alien linguistics in the show notes.
Challenges of Nonfiction Audiobooks
00:04:13
Speaker
I found listening to nonfiction was more of a challenge. It's difficult to stop and replay sections to take notes. It can be really hard to follow the organizational structure of a book and content like charts, graphs, images, footnotes, they can't be translated effectively into audio. When I do listen to nonfiction, it's usually narrative based where there's fewer notes and things like that.
00:04:36
Speaker
Plus talk about counting the read. What constitutes the reading of a book? Is it the act of moving your eyes across sheets of paper or an ebook reader and turning them in order?
00:04:47
Speaker
Or is it the act of transferring the information within the book to your brain via whichever method or methods are available or preferable to you? I think the rise of reading apps like Goodreads and The Storygraph have made tracking and sharing news of what we're reading a thing, and therefore a debatable topic.
Social Aspects and Reading Habits
00:05:05
Speaker
It does seem pretty crazy that some even make the argument over what counts as reading. It's an argument I don't think exists if there isn't a social, performative aspect to these apps.
00:05:15
Speaker
I'll say that audiobooks have more than doubled my reading. ah This year audiobooks have been a whopping 75% of my reading. That's 16 books this year. I find that they're great for longer commutes and drives. It allows me to read without having lights on while trying to put babies and toddlers asleep. It allows reading while doing something active, yard work, taking a walk, chores around the house.
00:05:37
Speaker
audiobook and ebook products do come with the downside of not having a physical book to put on your shelf or to hand off to a friend.
Physical vs. Digital Reading Experiences
00:05:44
Speaker
One of my favorite things to do in visiting someone's home is to check out their bookshelf. And I've talked about this a lot of times on the show, you can learn a lot about a person's interests and help spur conversations when you're at someone's home.
Inspiration from Genius
00:05:56
Speaker
Today's episode quote, one I love by the author David Brooks. My worry is that you won't have put enough really excellent stuff into your brain. I'm talking about what you might call the theory of maximum taste. This theory is based on the idea that exposure to genius has the power to expand your consciousness.
00:06:14
Speaker
If you spend a lot of time with genius, your mind will end up bigger and broader than if you spend your time only with run-of-the-mill stuff. The theory of maximum taste says that each person's mind is defined by its upper limit, the best that is habitually consumed and is capable of consuming. And with that, have a great day.
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:06:42
Speaker
If you feel that Chris dealt with it, I'd appreciate your support of the show by sharing it with someone who might benefit. Ratings on your favorite podcast player are also helpful in growing the audience. Visit chriscroiter dot.com for free downloadable PDFs with notes and resources from today's episode, sign up for the CDWY mailing list, or to send in your problems or requests for future shows. That's C-H-R-I-S-K-R-E-U-T-E-R dot.com, or use the link in the show notes.