I love audiobooks! I'd say they account for 90% of the books I read in a year. Depending on the year, that's somewhere between 50 and 60 books. I started doing audio in junior high when I became a member of Recording for the Blind. I have some vision and learning issues that made it very difficult for me to read all of my assignments in school. It's a long story, one I should probably write about someday. But the gist of it is that I used to get all my books in junior high and high school on audio. But unlike the audiobooks of today, those books came on 4-track cassettes and could only be played on a clunky recorder that was about the size and weight of four modern laptops stacked on top of each other. The narrators were dry. Really dry. I think the philosophy was to read, not perform. I stayed with those audiobooks in college and law school, but I used them only for pleasure reading. By that time, I was able to keep up with my school reading, but by the end of the day my eyes were done, even if I wanted to pick up a novel for fun. These days, most of my pleasure reading is on audiobooks because my eyes still kind of fail me after a long day of writing and looking at a screen. But what I love about modern audiobooks is that they're less like an afterthought or something that was done for a handful of people who needed to access material via audio. They're becoming an art in their right, which makes them A LOT more enjoyable to listen to than the audiobooks I used in school. Anyway, I'm a huge fan of what they've become, but I'm also indebted to the format because if I hadn't had audiobooks I don't think I would've made it through school, and honestly, I don't think I'd be writing either. If you want to ask about any of this, I'm happy to talk more about audio!
I’ve never tried audiobooks. I have wireless headphones and I listen to podcasts all the time while cleaning or cooking (music, almost never).
I know a lot of folks listen to audiobooks while driving or walking, but I drive as little as possible, never for longer than an hour, and half the time I’ve got kids in the back seat. I do my best thinking while walking, so I never wear headphones then. So I think it’s about the length of time/level of attention I can give during any given listen.
I selected 'all the time' but that is only a temporary preference. Hopefully. I have an eye condition that makes it difficult to move my eyes in the way reading physical books requires. I do miss curling up with a physical book. But audiobooks mean I can still read without using my eyes. I am so SO grateful to audiobooks for that.
I replied Never to your survey, but that doesn't mean I never listen to them. I like to listen to poets read their own work (I have several audiobooks out myself, but I only narrated my poetry book Desire Returns for a Visit). I used to listen to audiobooks when I was painting the walls of my house(s), but I no longer do that. I just love having the book in my hands for reading.
I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks over the years. There are certain books I prefer to listen to. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey is a good example because his voice is so iconic. Highly recommended. I listen to less these days since I don’t have a commute anymore. I’ll listen to lots of podcasts while on walks or when I’m driving around to various places around town, but I really should pop on an audiobook more often in those moments.
I’ve read Braiding Sweetgrass and I found parts beautiful, but overall it was sometimes boring, way too long, and tedious. Appreciated the vision and themes, but didn’t love the book.
I have shifted slowly to audiobooks more and more as my attention span has waned over the last 3 years. Lately, it's a way that allows me to fully be present with the story, as I have to pay attention and focus, and I can spend time walking, or knitting, or cleaning, and be present with the story while my body moves around. It's been so helpful for me!
I mostly listen to audio books when I'm on a long drive. Otherwise, not so much. I'm not one for listening to music or podcasts or audio books when I'm walking; I like to be present with where I am and what I'm experiencing in the world.
As for "Braiding Sweetgrass," I began reading it on a flight from Maui to San Diego, but I'm also not one for ebooks and knew this is one I had to have in my hands. I wrote down two quotes in my daybook. I know there were many more I captured on bits and pieces of paper as I read, but these two are in my daybook that I keep by my morning writing table. "Isn't this the purpose of education, to learn the nature of your own gifts and how to use them for good in the world." p. 239. And..."If there is meaning in the past and in the imagined future, it is captured in the moment." p. 296.
Hi Betsy, I got to attend a workshop with Ada Limone yesterday, and she said that sometimes we can’t write because we have too much to say, so we have to start by narrowing...start with something smaller. She also said that sometimes we are in receiving periods rather than giving periods in terms of writing which made me wonder what I will do when I’m receiving in terms of pocketfulofprose. So this helps me, pose some interesting questions and maybe some cool photos, better if they are of birds and remind folks we all need rest. I love Braiding Sweetgrass. I think everyone should read it, but her writing style appeals to me- making all these things that don’t seemingly connect, connect. I’m also just really into Indigenous wisdom and how if we listened more, we might have some solutions to some really big problems. I really love how she writes about motherhood and also reciprocity and what it means to share and receive gifts. That’s the relationship I want to have with Substack in a way, a sharing a receiving of gifts.
I listen to audio books when my hands and/or eyes are otherwise occupied, like when I am grooming my dog. I used to listen to them while walking in my San Diego neighborhood but I haven’t listened to anything but nature while walking in my new rural neighborhood in Vermont’s NE Kingdom.
I find audio books different from reading but neither better nor worse. I sometimes like to flip backwards in a book while reading, and it’s harder to do that in an audiobook. But it makes me pay more attention and sometimes I will read the book I have listened to if I enjoyed it.
I love books. Any books, but I particularly love holding a printed something in my hands. The thing about audiobooks is they fill the space that happens when I’m too tired to read, my eyes need a break, my brain is fried or I just need to hear different voices. They’re great for road trips. But... I find I don’t like audiobooks that aren’t narrated by author or a truly good actor.
I love audiobooks! I'd say they account for 90% of the books I read in a year. Depending on the year, that's somewhere between 50 and 60 books. I started doing audio in junior high when I became a member of Recording for the Blind. I have some vision and learning issues that made it very difficult for me to read all of my assignments in school. It's a long story, one I should probably write about someday. But the gist of it is that I used to get all my books in junior high and high school on audio. But unlike the audiobooks of today, those books came on 4-track cassettes and could only be played on a clunky recorder that was about the size and weight of four modern laptops stacked on top of each other. The narrators were dry. Really dry. I think the philosophy was to read, not perform. I stayed with those audiobooks in college and law school, but I used them only for pleasure reading. By that time, I was able to keep up with my school reading, but by the end of the day my eyes were done, even if I wanted to pick up a novel for fun. These days, most of my pleasure reading is on audiobooks because my eyes still kind of fail me after a long day of writing and looking at a screen. But what I love about modern audiobooks is that they're less like an afterthought or something that was done for a handful of people who needed to access material via audio. They're becoming an art in their right, which makes them A LOT more enjoyable to listen to than the audiobooks I used in school. Anyway, I'm a huge fan of what they've become, but I'm also indebted to the format because if I hadn't had audiobooks I don't think I would've made it through school, and honestly, I don't think I'd be writing either. If you want to ask about any of this, I'm happy to talk more about audio!
I’ve never tried audiobooks. I have wireless headphones and I listen to podcasts all the time while cleaning or cooking (music, almost never).
I know a lot of folks listen to audiobooks while driving or walking, but I drive as little as possible, never for longer than an hour, and half the time I’ve got kids in the back seat. I do my best thinking while walking, so I never wear headphones then. So I think it’s about the length of time/level of attention I can give during any given listen.
I selected 'all the time' but that is only a temporary preference. Hopefully. I have an eye condition that makes it difficult to move my eyes in the way reading physical books requires. I do miss curling up with a physical book. But audiobooks mean I can still read without using my eyes. I am so SO grateful to audiobooks for that.
I replied Never to your survey, but that doesn't mean I never listen to them. I like to listen to poets read their own work (I have several audiobooks out myself, but I only narrated my poetry book Desire Returns for a Visit). I used to listen to audiobooks when I was painting the walls of my house(s), but I no longer do that. I just love having the book in my hands for reading.
I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks over the years. There are certain books I prefer to listen to. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey is a good example because his voice is so iconic. Highly recommended. I listen to less these days since I don’t have a commute anymore. I’ll listen to lots of podcasts while on walks or when I’m driving around to various places around town, but I really should pop on an audiobook more often in those moments.
I’ve read Braiding Sweetgrass and I found parts beautiful, but overall it was sometimes boring, way too long, and tedious. Appreciated the vision and themes, but didn’t love the book.
I have shifted slowly to audiobooks more and more as my attention span has waned over the last 3 years. Lately, it's a way that allows me to fully be present with the story, as I have to pay attention and focus, and I can spend time walking, or knitting, or cleaning, and be present with the story while my body moves around. It's been so helpful for me!
I mostly listen to audio books when I'm on a long drive. Otherwise, not so much. I'm not one for listening to music or podcasts or audio books when I'm walking; I like to be present with where I am and what I'm experiencing in the world.
As for "Braiding Sweetgrass," I began reading it on a flight from Maui to San Diego, but I'm also not one for ebooks and knew this is one I had to have in my hands. I wrote down two quotes in my daybook. I know there were many more I captured on bits and pieces of paper as I read, but these two are in my daybook that I keep by my morning writing table. "Isn't this the purpose of education, to learn the nature of your own gifts and how to use them for good in the world." p. 239. And..."If there is meaning in the past and in the imagined future, it is captured in the moment." p. 296.
Hi Betsy, I got to attend a workshop with Ada Limone yesterday, and she said that sometimes we can’t write because we have too much to say, so we have to start by narrowing...start with something smaller. She also said that sometimes we are in receiving periods rather than giving periods in terms of writing which made me wonder what I will do when I’m receiving in terms of pocketfulofprose. So this helps me, pose some interesting questions and maybe some cool photos, better if they are of birds and remind folks we all need rest. I love Braiding Sweetgrass. I think everyone should read it, but her writing style appeals to me- making all these things that don’t seemingly connect, connect. I’m also just really into Indigenous wisdom and how if we listened more, we might have some solutions to some really big problems. I really love how she writes about motherhood and also reciprocity and what it means to share and receive gifts. That’s the relationship I want to have with Substack in a way, a sharing a receiving of gifts.
I listen to audio books when my hands and/or eyes are otherwise occupied, like when I am grooming my dog. I used to listen to them while walking in my San Diego neighborhood but I haven’t listened to anything but nature while walking in my new rural neighborhood in Vermont’s NE Kingdom.
I find audio books different from reading but neither better nor worse. I sometimes like to flip backwards in a book while reading, and it’s harder to do that in an audiobook. But it makes me pay more attention and sometimes I will read the book I have listened to if I enjoyed it.
I love books. Any books, but I particularly love holding a printed something in my hands. The thing about audiobooks is they fill the space that happens when I’m too tired to read, my eyes need a break, my brain is fried or I just need to hear different voices. They’re great for road trips. But... I find I don’t like audiobooks that aren’t narrated by author or a truly good actor.