Comments on: Audiobooks Are Not Cheating

By: Marianna O'Connor

Marianna O'Connor — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:31:24 +0000

So glad to hear that someone else loves audio books too…
I worked for Recorded Books for quite awhile and over the years have built up quite a collection. I always buy the Library Unabridged Editions which cost around $100.00 each. Recorded Books is the leader in the industry, and their products are top of the line.

I have collected so many I have started selling them in my store at Bonanzle.com.

For anyone who is interested, please look at my booth:
http://www/bonanzle.com/booths/momspenniesfromheaven

By: KJToo » Spice World: The Many Versions of Frank Herbert’s Dune

KJToo » Spice World: The Many Versions of Frank Herbert’s Dune — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:39:12 +0000

[...] to stick with the original this time. [back]NIV Study Version [back]That assertion is certainly up for debate, but I already know which way I’ll cast my vote should the issue ever appear on the ballot, [...]

By: Go Listen: Ben Bova and Orson Scott Card: The Audible Interview · All the Billion Other Moments (Jason Penney)

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:14:42 +0000

[...] available as a free download. The interview is conducted by Stefan Rudnicki, and touches on the recently mentioned audiobooks vs. print argument (both authors agree that listening to the audiobook does count as [...]

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:54:31 +0000

Thanks everyone for the comments.

Paul: You know, I swear there used to be a service that would run your blog through text-to-speech conversion for just that purpose, but I can’t find it now.

KJToo: Nice to hear other families are enjoying HP the same way. I think it’s great. I actually think LotR works better in audio. To me it reads like it was meant to be read aloud. Sounds like we’re pretty similar in our take on audiobooks.

Scott: There definitely is a sense of “how dare you” about people enjoying the same thing in different ways. The thing that bothered me most was that folk listening to audiobooks felt embarrassed by it. Reading isn’t meant to be a workout for the eyes! Keep up the good work.

By: Scott Sigler

Scott Sigler — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:23:19 +0000

This is like so many other knocks on podcasting, audiobooks, etc. The literati wants to preserve the status quo. They fear any change that threatens their position as taste-makers. I love how they had to get a “ognitive neuroscientist” to validate the fact that it’s okay to listen to books. Amazing.

We will sweep away the non-believers in a wave of mass enjoyment. Power to the customer to choose what they want, regardless of format and schedule.

-Scott-

By: KJToo

KJToo — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:41:18 +0000

My wife and I listened to all seven Harry Potter novels on CD. I've listened to dozens of unabridged novels on CD; everything from Orwell's 1984 to Tolkien's entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to William Gibson's Virtual Light, Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October and Carl Hiaasen's Nature Girl. I'm currently listening to Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (26 discs!). To me, audiobooks aren't cheating. In fact, I find the "painting by numbers" analogy is ridiculous. If anything, a good narrator allows me to get more out of the book than I would have by reading the ink and paper version. The words are all there and they're all making it to my brain; why should it make a difference whether I'm listening to them or reading them on the page? Actually, there is a difference: I frequently remember more detail from audiobooks than I do from similar print novels. Go figure. Finally, I'm sure authors like J.C. Hutchins and Scott Sigler are delighted to know that the thousands of fans who listened to novels like 7th Son and Infection (neither of which is currently available in print form) were "cheating".

By: Paul H

Paul H — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:48:34 +0000

Jay,
Your rant on audio books did not fall on deaf ears. So when can I expect your blog to come out on audio? ;-)
-paul