Why audio books are also as good as reading?

I have heard from many people that listening to book is not the same experience as reading a book and hence it can’t be counting as reading. Here I both agree and disagree. Agreed that the experience is not the same. The joy of reading a physical book/a ebook is quite different. But disagree on the part that it is not counted as reading. It is as good as reading a book. To understand this point we have to touch base on why do we love reading and what’s the point of reading. So, I captured this ideas into below points as why audio books is as good as reading

1. Something is always better than nothing

To elaborate on this point I hope that we are on the same page that reading is an important habit and I won’t be discussing that here on why you should read. But there are people who always face it difficult in pick up a book and it feels like more of a task to them, so they keep procrastinating it do later which never happens. For reading you have to take out time from your schedule because it’s an engaging act while listening is something that happens to you more naturally. You need not put that much effort in it. You can keep doing other routine work and still listen to some amazing books. So, as said something is always better than nothing

2. Immersive experience

There are some books which we all agree are difficult to read, classics being one of them. Not everyone generally are able to develop interest in that and if do many of them struggle in finishing it. With audio book narration sometimes with a full cast or sometimes with single case with various voice modulation, it becomes more immersive and engaging to read difficult books. For some books, I listen to them and follow along them to in physical copy. And it makes my reading experience so enjoyable that I don’t think would have been the case if I would be only reading.

3. Ease of use/Connectivity

How many times when you are travelling in a car for a long commute and you try to read but dropped the idea because you started feeling dizzy. It happens to me a lot. And it is so irritating when you are spending so much time in commute everyday and wasting so much of time when you can be productive in some or the other way. So, here comes audio books to the rescue. So, this is the time I can catch up on my reading. I am sure many of you faces similar situations where you can do something productive but can’t do because of so many factors. Give audio books a try and I am sure you will be feeling happy about the productive time at the end of the day

4. Affordability

If you consider buying a physical copy of the book and you are buying a new one they are mostly spending average of 300 bucks per book. However there are so many good subscription plans available where it costs as less as 199 per month which I feel is quite affordable. I am active user of Audible(which cost 199/month) and it has a very good collection of books. You can check it out for one month free. There is also Storytel for which I have heard very good reviews. You can definitely check that out.

I thinks these many points are good enough to give audio books a try and then decide for yourself whether you like it or not. I believe you shouldn’t listen to people who come with a prejudice. It is not same as reading a physical copy but believe it is as good as reading a physical copy.