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From the desk of Just One More Page...Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about audio books…
What is your preferred method of listening to audio books? Where and when do you listen to them?
Audio books…hmmmmm.
Sadly, audio books and I have a checkered history.
In theory, I love the idea of audio books. Multitasking at its best. You can be doing something like cooking or cleaning, gardening or washing the car or taking a walk or driving….and ‘reading’ a book at the same time. Wonderful! There is always an issue of not having enough time for reading, so this would be great, to be able to ‘read’ while getting done those needed daily tasks of life.
In reality, I really have never found it do-able.
I think I have mentioned in the past that my mind tends to wander a bit. I am easily distracted by bright, shiny objects. With reading a book, it is always an issue unless I find it a very, very good book that totally holds my attention. But I think having to actually use other parts of my body besides my mind, like my hands and eyes, helps keep me focused.
But with audio books, I have found my concentration a huge issue. If I am doing something else as I listen, I become distracted by the task at hand and realize I have totally lost ‘my place’ in the book.
“Oh, look! A pretty birdie. Darn, wait, what did he say to her…where are they going…huh?”
Rewind, listen again, by which time I am probably standing still and not doing the other thing I was doing while I listened to the audio book to start with. So much for multitasking!
So I tried listening to an audio book while not doing something else. Sitting, before going to bed, on a plane.
I fell asleep.
I have often though it would be great on a road trip, in the car.
But since my previous experience with audio books is either becoming very distracted or falling asleep, neither of which seemed like a good idea while driving, I have not actually tried that out.
Yet. ;-)
Lol! It makes me sleepy too. Here is mine
ReplyDeleteI am a huge audio fan, but will totally agree with your comments. Yes, you can wander at times, but I have found that it never really matters. When my mind decides to jump back in, I'm right there in the thick of things! Yes, it is a very bad idea to listen to audio on a plane or before bed. I have waked up with my audio clear at the end of the disc, and I have no memory of anything whatsoever. Still, this allows me, with my crazy life, to be a very productive "reader". I'm always on the move, and this fits snugly into my schedule. It doesn't matter what I am doing...cleaning, yard work, cooking, driving...my audios go with me!
ReplyDeleteI would end up cutting off a finger with the hedge trimmer or setting something on fire in the kitchen if I listened to an audio book while in the garden or kitchen...I just know it.
ReplyDeleteI fall asleep listening to audiobooks before bed too, although that's by design. I find them too distracting for driving, and while I sometimes listen while cooking, my favorite time is while working out. Jogging can be pretty boring so I find it keeps mind and body occupied about the right amount each.
ReplyDeleteI can listen to audio books before bed or while I'm driving. I tend to listen to things that are funny, like David Sedaris.
ReplyDeletemaybe laughing would keep me awake....
ReplyDeleteI don't do audiobooks very well, either. Not that I've tried many, but, for me, books are about reading, not listening.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do want to try a couple, which are supposed to be fantastic. Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, and, Obama's Dreams Of My Father fit the bill. The latter is recited by Obama himself, which might make it more tempting.
It took me a little while to get used to audio books, but now I love them! Having said that, there are certain books I would never want to listen to - books that take concentration or books that you need to know every fine detail.
ReplyDeleteLOL LOL ; I've been an audio book fan for years (way back to the books on cassette days) LOL
ReplyDeletejust the opposite for me, listening to books keep me awake. my musings
ReplyDeleteLOL! I love audio books, but there have been times when my mind would start wandering.
ReplyDeleteI listen to them ALL the time, i.e, I always have at least one audio book "in progress" at the same time i have a hard copy going. i listen as I drive to and from the pool almost every day, while I cook, and dust (the vacuum is too loud) and I listen at night as I fall asleep. I have my MP3 set to turn off after 30 minutes, so the next morning, if I fell asleep before that bookmark, I know how far back I have to go.
ReplyDeleteYes..they're not great if there is a lot detail or lots of foreign names/places that fit in my mind better if i can see the words (I"ve been known to skim the paper book to gel those words), but I couldn't live without them. I almost died on this past cruise last week, when the charger for my MP3 wasn't working and I had 12 books 'trapped' on there. Hubby came thru with his charger (I'd told him not to bother I was packing mine, but Mr. Backup saved the day.)
I hate to admit it, but I am starting to think I should give them another try.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is turning nicer (as in less hot) I should drop a couple in the iPod and start walking.
I should, but wil I..lol
hmmmm...good excuse to get a new iPod, since mine has been acting up...hmmmm... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you 100% on this .... unless I am driving and listening, I can't do audio books ( and even then, my son would have to be quiet in the car ... and that just doesn't happen yet.)
ReplyDelete