Audiobooks vs. Reading

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

I usually don't listen to audiobooks. Sometimes I'll look one up to see what the narrators take on the voices are but in general I just read them. My eyes read faster than the narrators voice so if i'm really in to a good book I don't want to wait.

I prefer ones written by comedians because often they read it themselves. Stephen Colbert and Craig Ferguson's books in particular are quite funny.

I liked listening to George Carlin audiobooks because it meant I was able to hear his jokes in the way he intended.

[Shlup]

I've tried to listen to an audiobook a couple of times but I just can't attend to it. I space right out.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I can see having an audio book by a comedian be as/more enjoyable than just reading. I'm currently reading a collection of essays by Dave Hill, and I think I would enjoy it more if I could hear him. David Sardaris' stuff is fantastic too. I forgot that I had listened to a few of his essays.

I doubt I'll ever find myself enjoying an audiobook more than the actual book in terms of fiction, though. That being said, I haven't ever heard one with a fantastic narrator. Maybe I'll look into some of the suggestions here and see if they will change my mind.

[Psychotic]

I used to listen them a hell of a lot on my lunchbreak before I moved closer to work. I had Dune last year and that lasted me the entire winter, it was brilliant. It takes a lot longer than reading a book but I think I can immerse myself more sometimes.

[Forsaken Lover]

My eyesight pretty much demands I use audiobooks if i want to get through anything longer than a hundred pages in a week. I have been listening to them all my life and there are many great narators out there.

Nathaniel Parker, who did the Artemis Fowl series.
Jim Daly, who did Harry Potter.
Tim Curry, who did A Series of Unfortunate Events.

And this fellow really made Les Mis for me.
Les Miserables - A Heart Under A Stone - YouTube

It's about 60 hours long so the narrator was very important.

Fingolfin vs. Morgoth - YouTube

And speaking of long, Martin Shaw really made The Silmarillion come alive. Even if he can't pronounce the names right.

[Jinx]

Tim Curry did A Series of Unfortunate Events? Oh, that is beautiful.

[Shorty]

There are a a good few I've seen narrated by Stephen Fry.

[Cuchulainn]

Audiobooks are pretty good but Shlup's right you pretty much need to discipline yourself not to drift off and think about other trout.

Actually I find myself doing that when reading sometimes too...and watching TV. Maybe it's somethin that happens more than we know.

It's no different than readingf once you train yourself to accept the information aurally as opposed to optically. Your brain still needs to do the same work with the info.

I've grown to really like them though. It helps when there;s an interesting reader ofc. Some authors are excellent writers but smurfing dull narrators so it can sometimes be a smurfing disaster but if I hear John Sessions or Stephen Fry or similar i'm hooked.