Audiobooks or print: which is better for you?
People argue about this as if there is one answer. There is not. Here is how each one works, and who they suit.
The QuillBees team
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·3 min read
Some readers insist that only print counts. Others listen to dozens of audiobooks a year. Both are right about their own experience. The more useful question is what you need.
What print does well
- You can skim, flip back and forth, and see the shape of the book.
- It is easy to underline, take notes and find a passage later.
- There is no screen to distract you.
- Many people find they remember details better when they read on paper.
- It is the way to enjoy a book as an object: the cover, the paper, the smell.
What audiobooks do well
- You can read while doing something else: cooking, driving, walking, cleaning.
- A good narrator adds performance. Dialogue, accents and humour can come alive.
- They help people who find reading text tiring, or who have eyesight problems.
- They make it possible to read during busy days, when there is no time to sit down.
- They are good for language learning, since you hear how words are pronounced.
Weaknesses
Print needs your eyes and your hands, and your attention. That can be hard on a crowded commute.
Audiobooks can drift. It is easy to stop listening for a minute and lose the thread. Going back is awkward. Complicated non-fiction, with arguments and lists, can be harder to follow by ear. And a bad narrator can spoil a good book.
Does listening count as reading?
It is a common question. Research on comprehension suggests that for many kinds of books, listening and reading lead to similar understanding. What matters is how much attention you give. In any case, the point of a book is the story or the ideas, and you can receive those in either way.
Combining the two
Many people use both. For example:
- Listen on the commute, and read the same book at home. Some services let you switch between the two.
- Listen to fiction and read non-fiction, or the reverse.
- Use audiobooks to try a book, and buy the print copy if you love it.
In Hindi
Hindi audiobooks have grown in the last few years, with classics and new works available. If you have found Hindi text slow, listening while following along on paper can rebuild your speed.
How to decide
- Think about when you actually have free time. If it is in motion, audio helps.
- Try one of each, with a book you already want to read.
- Notice which one you finish.
The best format is the one that gets you to the end of the book. If that is audio, good. If it is paper, equally good. If it is a bit of both, even better.
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