Do you like having someone read to you? Audiobooks?
I have trouble concentrating when someone is reading aloud unless I have the text in front of me. I don't generally have problems listening, but the quality of the presentation changes when someone is reading aloud and it makes it hard for me to really grasp it. When we visit my mom and go to church with her, for example, the text of the readings isn't readily available (you have to remember to grab a missalette when you walk in and I never do), so I never have any idea what the readings were. But I can pay attention to the homily fairly easily, since it's delivered more like a speech would be.
I can only do audiobooks if it's something I've read before. We took a Harry Potter audiobook on a long car trip once, and that was fun, but I don't like them for books that are new to me.
Post by dorothyinAus on Feb 22, 2013 17:37:51 GMT -5
I enjoy audio books when I am not in a position to read a book. I have them in my iPod for when I do my weekly errands (walking about town). We always had books in the car on family vacations, whether audio books or I read aloud, so I love to have someone reading on long journeys, even if Im the one reading.
DH and I do Saturday Night Story-Time and we each read a book we want to share with the other, books that we might not ever pick up otherwise. DH has been reading through the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series while I have been sharing some of my favourties -- most recently Waiting for Gertude and The Westing Game.
Post by rootbeerfloat on Feb 22, 2013 19:59:01 GMT -5
I've never tried audiobooks, but they don't appeal to me. I'm not one of those people who learns/absorbs information better when it's heard; I'm visual and prefer to read.
I'm hearing impaired so I hate being read to. I have to ask people to repeat things. I've never listened to an audiobook as I believe I would be rewinding a bunch. I'm a very visual learner and like to have transcripts, agendas, or powerpoints when in a lecture or sermon. Having some kind of heading or bullet point to give me a general subject helps me focus on key words.
I always have an audiobook going. I had a hard time getting into them at first, but I love them now. I spend over an hour in the car every day getting to work and back, and I just couldn't bear the idea that it was a wasted hour a day that I could be working through books that I wanted to read.
Some audio recordings are better than others. I have some favorite narrators and production companies-- Scott Brick and Edward Hermann are great readers, as is Susie Breck. Most of the recordings I've listened to from Brilliance Audio are very well-done.
I tend to enjoy audiobooks that are heavy on dialogue; the one I'm listening to now has a lot of narration and my attention wanders. When there is a lot of conversation and the reader is able to give each character an individual voice and accent, it's much more fun. I rate audiobooks on my blog for "runability," and I find that ones with lots of conversation are better for that reason.