Audio Books - Do I Love Them, or Do I Just Love Letting Someone Else Do the Work?!

As part of my belated acceptance of technologically aided reading (AKA, exiting the stone age and reading something other than a paper book), I recently decided to give audio books a try. Honestly, I never thought I ever would make this leap. But I guess that is what I said about the Kindle too, and look where that got me.

The first book I have tried is One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd. From the start, it seems I was unable to comprehend the length of an audio book, because I realized, with about 3/4 of the book remaining, that I only had 6 days left on the library loan and 7 hours of "reading" left. Apparently that nice voice coming out of the iPod will not in fact read faster if I need her to. Strike one for audio.

I am also trying to wrap my head around not being able to SEE the story in front of me. I never realized before how much this mattered to me, but apparently it drives me bat poo crazy. I have picked up the iPod countless times, thinking I will be able to read the words that are being read to me. Apparently that does not work either, because I guess then it would be a regular book and not audio. But can't I have both? Where am I supposed to highlight and scribble?! Strike two for audio.

 That said, I can fortunately say that so far there is no strike three. Actually, quite the opposite. Despite these quibbles, I have to admit that there is something amorous and wonderful about letting that nice voice do all of the work for you. You mean I don't have to actually hold up the book?! Yes, this may sound silly, but don't your hands get cold in the winter when they are sticking out of the blankets? Outside those glorious blankets ONLY because you want to keep reading but have to hold the dang book?! I know I am not alone in the joy of laying snuggled up in bed and letting that nice recorded lady do all the work. Brownie point one for audio.

Even though the strikes are officially winning, I'm going to say the jury is still out on whether audio and I have a long happy relationship in our future...there is definitely a lot to be said for not being cold.