The latest divide among book lovers is not about what they are reading but if they are reading at all! The perennial disagreement in book groups has been over authors. But the latest schism in the living room lit-fests is not over whom they read, but if they read.
Is it acceptable to listen to that month’s book rather than read it? Or is that cheating, like watching the movie instead of reading the book?
on “reading” an Audio book
Does it matter who does the reading? Does a parent reading to a child discount the experience of reading? Does a reading buddy, spouse, teacher, or librarian reading to an individual or group not count for them as reading the book? I think not.
I feel that “reading” an unabridged audio book counts as reading the book, just as much as if your eyes had looked at every word. Do the individuals using the services of the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) not “read” their material? It seems that the people running the program believe they do, after all they use the tag line “That All May Read . . .”
So, in my opinion it is necessary to experience the message of an author via his/her words to qualify as “reading.” This is what happens when you hear a full, complete version of a book. Taking the words of the author and melding them with your history is what makes the experience real for you. You like, or dislike, the book because of the way the message is made meaningful to you… not because of the way the message was delivered. To argue audio v. print, in my opinion is an odd a concept. Do you debate the merit of content in making the decision of paperback v. hardcover, no, you expect the same complete set of author words in each format. An audio book is just another format for delivery of the author message.
A condensed version, movie, or abridged version of the words of the author merely convey the message of the person doing the condensation, movie, or abridgment. To this I say “it does not count” as reading. It is just sampling.
By the way, I prefer the format of hardcover, to paperback, over audio book. My favorite experience is having a loved one read to me!