Audiobooks

I wouldnt say you are less of an itellectual, but you are missing out. That goes for people who only read on kindle as well.

Nothing beats the magic of having a real book in hand. The smell of the pages, the cover art, eveything that makes a book a book and not just a story

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I'm sure the retention is less with audiobook

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This is the only drawback. But occasionally I zone out even with a book. I'll daydream while reading the words.

An interesting book with the right narrator can be even better than a book. I've listened to "The Tudors" about three times. It's a history of the period, and while the substance is great, the narrator really draws me in.

Same with Le morte d'arthur. I got this audiobook as a gift. It's like a Barnes and noble brand. Anyway, it's read by an English stage actor who perfectly nails the whimsical old English in a way I can't even duplicate in my mind.

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n interesting book with the right narrator can be even better than a book

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listening to a Song of Fire and Ice is what got my interest initially. The narrator of the first book used a different voice for each character, and the fight scenes made my palms sweat. It was impressive.

I used to get blitzed on kratom and listen to "The Silmarillion". It's probably the only way to try and get through that one.

I finally "listened" to "Animal Farm" the other day. That was entertaining and easy to listen to.

I'm not one to judge how people consume knowledge. You are learning and "reading" who cares how you do it? No reason to be a snob about it. Good for you!

I love audiobooks for the very same reason.

Honestly, when I set out to read the Bible cover to cover, the only way I could get through the major prophet books was via audiobook. I'd sometimes zone out but I got through them. I wouldn't have ever read them all.

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I buy audio lectures from the Great Courses company. College professors giving lectures on various subjects. I love some of the history ones, so much that I rarely even listen to music anymore.

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Any Rec? I just stumbled onto this on audible

I've become a huge fan of audiobooks as well. They are great for times when you can disconnect your mind (driving and tasks around the house). And I still read plenty of written books and books on Kindle (mostly for travel). And some audio books are narrated so well that I like them better than the printed version (large cast versions especially).

I love to read, I have more books to "read" than I have time, so I consume some of them in audio format. I don't feel lesser for this, but I can tell you for someone developing vocabulary, actually reading the words is important, or at least I feel that it was for me. I read a tremendous amount in my youth, and I think it was very influential with regards to my intellectual development. Though I think there is plenty of value in listening to books, one probably doesn't derive all the same advantages from actually reading a book. That being said, listeners to audiobooks shouldn't feel ashamed at all.

With regards to paper vs digital, I read almost all of my books in digital format now, don't have anything against paper, but for portability and convenience, you can't beat e-readers - and this is coming from a 48 year old who grew up checking out books from a library.

Yeah they can be pricey but they are fantastic. Era of the Crusades is not just the typical chronological listing of the Crusades. It is a wider and deeper look at that whole era, just as it's name implies. So you get the historical backdrop of Byzantium, Islam, the West. The personalities involved, the battles, the consequences.

For example, instead of starting with Pope Urban II or Manzikert, he starts with Basil II. How did Byzantium get to the point of even needing to ask for help from the West after the glory of Basil's reign only 80 years prior?

I recommend buying the audio downloads Bc they are cheaper and play flawlessly on the free app. So you can listen on your smartphone anywhere. I listen at the gym instead of music.