Audiobooks discussion

It's basically training your brain to process the audio and takes time - maybe start by listening to some books you've already read and do short segments and just lengthen time as you go

I now a few ppl that do - I never really had an issue though - its just about how your brain processes data - some ppl are visual (reading), some aural (listening) and some a combo

Maxine wrote: "so it is not just me? this has happened to others?
my son listens to audio all the time and quite often will listen and read the book at the same time. he loves them and it was because of this i d..."

I'm more of a visual person than aural, and it took me a while to get the trick of concentrating on an audiobook; so have others. It just takes practice.

I agree with Dee's suggestion to try a book or two that you have already read, so that you are familiar with it. That will help you get the knack of it. And sometimes you may find, in the future, that a particular book just isn't clicking for you, that you can't follow the story, or keep losing your focus. It could be the book, the narrator, or what other things are going on for you at the time, distracting you. Most people say they just put that book aside and try a different book or read something instead of listening.

The first time I tried listening to an audiobook a few years ago, I was like you, I kept tuning it out and had no idea what was said.
However the next time I tried a few months ago - I had no problems at all. Since then I have listened to about 10 books and I love it.
I do think you need to be in the right frame of mind.
I don't know exactly was what different between the two times I tried it, just that one time it didn't work for me, but the next time I had no problems.

The only time I listen to an audiobook without doing something else at the same time is when I'm not feeling well, or am awake in the middle of the night. The clue is that I close my eyes then, which helps me to concentrate. Of course, that also has a tendency to make me feel sleepy, which is partly why I listen to a book I know and love when I'm insomniac.

I can't concentrate on an audiobook with my eyes open if I'm doing nothing else but listen. However, if I'm doing something else like food prep and cooking, or knitting something straightforward, or driving a route I know, I concentrate very well on the book. The bonus is that I'm happier doing the mundane tasks which would otherwise irritate me because they're not sufficiently interesting.

I agree with the recommendation that you listen first to a book you know well. But I would suggest also that you do it while you're doing something which doesn't take your whole attention, the sort of task which you might do while listening to talk radio: folding laundry, chopping vegetables, tidying, or - my favourite - driving a familiar route.

Maxine, I am much more visual than aural, but I began to have poor vision. I was very skeptical at first. For those of us who are more visually oriented you have to learn how to do it. Here are some of the thing that have helped me: If my mind wanders, I repeat the words spoken in my head until I am on track again. If you fall asleep it is just to rewind again. Everybody does sometimes. It all depends on how tired you are. I could never listen in bed. I usually listen at a desk with a pad of paper before me AND I take notes. Just the process of writing the words helps me keep on track. In the car it is great, but my husband drives. I could not do both, but he can. He can even look at stuff on the computer and listen too. We are all different! If I have succeeded then you can too. I absolutely love audiobooks now and am very grateful for those friends here at GR that pushed me.

My first audiobook was one I had already read, and that bored me. I found the book much worse the second time around. But I didn't give up. I wouldn't start with a difficult non-fiction book, wait with them a bit. You have to read something that will interest you. Try Burial Rites. It is an excellent book and has excellent narration. Good luck. Don't give up.

I also agree that starting out with familiar books works well. When I started listening to audiobooks about three years ago, it was quite some time before I listened to something that I hadn't already read. For example, I worked my way through Jane Austen's novels, which I love. Once I branched out into unfamiliar territory, I had developed the knack of listening.

Like Hj, I always listen while I'm doing something else. In my case, the something else is usually commuting to and from work, mostly by bus (reading on the bus gives me motion sickness). I also listen while driving on my own and going for a walk or doing a session at the gym. I also listen with the sound turned down very low if I wake up during the night. To make sure that I don't lose my place when I finally go back to sleep, I always mark where I'm up to before I turn out the light at night.

Sleep timers like the one on the Audible app work well. If I think I'm going to fall asleep or zone out, I set the timer. This reduces the amount of time I lose, and I can recall where I was and go back.

What I like most about audiobooks:

1. I've become a more engaged reader. I focus on the writing style, not just the story;

2. By rewinding, I can catch portions that didn't make sense (or seemed excessively wordy) the first time around;

3. I can complete more books in a year than I did before.

My eyes have always been a challenge.
Audible has made large (more than 500 pages)books a joy. I also read so many more genre and non fiction has become a choice not an avoidance.

I listen for about 4 hours in the morning. I do all of my computer "stuff" while listening.

I started with more entertaining audiobooks, like David Sedaris, Jon Stewart, etc. Another strategy for easing into audio. Good luck!

I was an ardent reader from early on and I have always been much more visual than auditory. I would never have tried audiobooks if my eyesight had not started to deteriorate. But it was love at first listen. Maybe I lucked out on the readers of the first rented cassette books. New books entertain me while getting the mundane work done and old favorites put me to sleep.

Maxine:
The books you select to listen to on audio will make a difference, especially in the beginning. Some books are not written in a style that is listened to as easily, some audio narrators don't provide as enjoyable an experience as others, and mood does play a part. Audiobooks are so very worth the effort!
My tips: To select an audio book, try reading the first few paragraphs of a sample book in print out loud and see how it sounds to you then; also a sample of the audio narrator reading the book can also give a clue. audible.com has those for the books they offer online.
I tend to gravitate to series books on audio, familiar characters can help you get into the rhythm of listening and are often the ones you can listen to more easily when multitasking. I love highly descriptive prose that sets the stage for what the characters are seeing, wearing, smelling or tasting. I can't say that I only listen to first person narratives, but generally prefer them. Try to steer away from books that have a lot of back and forth dialog "he said / she said / he said / she said" with the announcement of "Mike Said" "Sally said" over and over. The narrator is key to enjoying books with a lot of different voices.

A longer commute got me started on audio books in 1991 and I very happily drive my daily miles with an audio book in the car unless I have someone else in the car with me, even for five minute trips. Thousands of hours of audio books later I can attest to not losing my concentration in the car unless faced with traffic where I have to disengage the listening part of my brain to concentrate on what the other drivers will do unexpectedly next. Just stop for a bit or rewind and you are set to relisten.
For books with a lot of quotes I want to remember or take note of, I also enjoy having access to the print book to reinforce what I have heard or to help me make notes.
I started out listening to the Sue Grafton Kinsey Millhone books on audio, out of order due to the way they were available (on cassette!) at the library, and actually hated to have to read one in print instead as I wanted to hear the story. The Harry Potter books are stellar on audio too, you can really immerse into the world of Hogwarts and wizards.
Enjoy!

Maxine wrote: "i seem to lose my concentration, mind wanders or i fall asleep ( if i am in bed). are there any tips, tricks or advice on adjusting to 'listening'??"

For me it was just a matter of practice, especially while driving. The driving trick was to realize that there were three competing things to concentrate on:

1. The driving. Obviously I had to reserve concentration for that.

2. The Audiobook.

3. "Junk" thoughts - random interference from unrelated thoughts that barge in if something I see or hear reminds me of something else, or another driver inspires visions of him/her screaming in agony in the Lake of Fire.

I found that limiting or eliminating the "Junk" thoughts - and this is where practice is REALLY the key - solved the problem for the most part. Once I learned to suppress most of them, I had no problems concentrating on both the driving AND the Audiobook.

Not only does it take a great deal of practice - in the long run it's actually an improvement. Once the "Junk" thoughts were put on the back burner, I realized how much time, effort, and wasted emotions went into them. It's a perk I didn't expect.

Here's a key trick I learned about the process. If you see or hear something that triggers an unrelated "Junk" thought about something (for example, say you see a Wal-Mart and you start thinking about the outrageous photos of Wal-Mart shoppers that you get in your email) redirect the "Junk" thought to something that's in the Audiobook: a description, event that's already happened, or an event that you think might happen in the book. That'll re-focus you in a hurry.

If you can conquer Wal-Mart visions that way, you're home free.

Of course there are situations that demand total focus on what you're doing and you have to stop concentrating on the Audiobook too. This is when learning to use your "Rewind", "Pause", and "Fast-Forward" to resume listening to the audiobook is crucial. That takes practice too, and depends largely on the kind of player you're using.

The point is not to be afraid to bang on those controls whenever something interrupts your train of thought. You'll find yourself using the controls often while you learn to suppress those "Junk" thoughts. That's basically how the training works. Over time, you'll find yourself relying on the controls less often.

In fact, I've gotten to the point where shopping for players that have decent "Rewind", "Pause", "Fast-Forward", and other navigation controls is as important as looking for good prices, quality playback, and long battery life (for the portable players). I have to have players with easy-to-use navigation controls that can stand a lot of wear and tear.

Well, there's another glut of information after a long silence. Seems to be my operating mode.

Whatever devices you get and whatever audiobooks you listen to (and you'll get plenty of top-notch advice around here for titles).

Happy Listening!
Alan Mintaka

Maxine wrote: "hi everyone.
im new to audio books."

Forgot to mention that I didn't remember seeing a mention of preferred genre(s) in your posts - mea culpa if I missed it.

A good way to start the title AND reader recommendations is to post what authors and genres you like to read. As you get more experience listening to many titles, you'll soon expand your preferences listing to include favorite readers. A great book can be wrecked by a poor reading - but that's when you can come here to ask if it's been read by anyone else in a different edition.

At some point too you may find yourself visiting the Audible.com website more often. It's a another good resource to find out what's available by different authors and readers, whether or not you buy your audiobooks there. Plus there are a number of subforums here on Goodreads that deal specifically with Audible issues, and it's even monitored by Audible employees.

It's another great thing about the audiobook culture. In a forum like this one, there's a LOT of communication to keep you informed.

How Big John manages to find the time to stay on top of it all is beyond me, but he does a great job managing the different subforums. This is definitely one of the better forums on the Internet. You'll never see a vacuous flame war here, or at least not one that lasts very long.

Unless it's passive-aggressive, that is...

Happy Listening,
Alan Mintaka

For me, whether or not I can concentrate on an audiobook depends on two main factors: (1) how engaging the book is and (2) what level of concentration I need to give to the other task I'm doing.

(1) Not all audiobooks are created equal. Some books don't translate well to audio, some narrators are subpar, and some books couldn't be saved by the best narrator in the universe! I like the idea of picking an audio version of a book you love (maybe one you want to reread anyway). That can get you into an audiobook mood, and, if you miss anything, your brain will just fill it in from memory. Someone mentioned listening to audiobook samples on audible. GREAT idea. You can tell a lot in 3-5 minutes of listening to a book!

(2) Concentration can definitely be an issue! If I'm driving a familiar route, no problem. If I'm driving in really dense traffic or in a place I've never been before, I'll pause the book so I can concentrate on the driving (best to be safe than dead). If I'm chopping vegetables or washing dishes or doing laundry or other mindless cleaning tasks, I've got no problem concentrating, but if I'm cooking a dish I've never made before, I'll pause frequently to check the recipe instructions. Sometimes if I've got a lot on my mind, it's hard to focus, no matter how good a book is!

As for the bed issue... When I feel myself getting tired, I check what track I'm on... I can't tell you the number of times I've woken up and gone, "Oh crap! How much did I miss!" Haha! But knowing where I was when I was fading helps! :)

About listening to an audiobook for helping to fall asleep: I get too wound into the story.

Instead, I downloaded this album (https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/so...) from iTunes and found about 8 of them that work well for me, and made a playlist. This is on all my little Sansa players, and I set it to go off after 45min. There are some downloads that are probably better for quieting the mind and helping into sleep, but they seem to be only for SmartPhones and the like, which I don't have.

Harry Potter is a great start on audio. I 100% agree to start listening to books you have already read. I listen to mostly cozy mysteries and YA on audiobook because they are the easiest to follow for me. I do find myself tuning parts out here and there but normally find it doesn't matter. I quickly figure out what is going on. p.s. DO not try to listen while doing the following tasks until you are used to audiobooks - shopping or surfing the internet and/or any compute work. I have been listening to audiobooks for years and have still not mastered either of those yet.

Maxine - for as much as I love romance novels to read, I typically struggle wih them as audiobooks - mostly because its like never fear, i'll be going through a security gate at a particularly smutty bit ;)

Hahahahahaha! :) Yeah, listening to those in public can be a bit of an issue.....

You're very welcome :) i wish I had discovered audiobooks years ago.

I agree with Joy - it is all about the narrator for me. I have been listening to audiobooks for 15 years and when we started our own business I had a really hard time listening and working (filing, bookwork, etc). Now I pick and choose the books I "work" while listening to. I love legal thrillers and they are easy to work with. If I want to listen to historical or deep subjects and don't want to keep sliding back to listen again, I wait till our 10 hour trip back to our second home. I even made a playlist just for those books. It works out perfect. Good luck and enjoy! Audiobooks keep me sane!

I generally don't like romance novels, but I got the first book in Nora Roberts's Inn Boones Boro series free and ended up listenin to the next two in quick succession.

For audiobook newbies, I highly recommend looking for books told in first person. They seem to be the best suited for audio. If the book has multiple points of view, I think it's really helpful to have multiple narrators. Once you're used to listening to audiobooks, you'll get a better sense of what works and what doesn't.

I have a few books that I save for times when I can not sleep. I have also been known to get so involved in a long book that I stay up all night listening to a good book. LOL

Since I mostly listen to audiobooks at work I listen over and over again especially for difficult books. For example I listened to same Kafka passage/track over and over for 3 hours. Yes it's mad and obsessive but that's my "technique".

The only time I don't lose my concentration is if I listen while I am exercise walking.

I find that it helps me to keep walking longer then music used to do.

How long has it been since you cleaned out the refrigerator, microwave, and oven? Just saying... ;)

Yay! Another convert! :)

It opens up a whole new way of life, doesn't it Maxine? While I always knew how to knit I didn't find it interesting enough to actually settle down and do it. I'd try to do it while watching TV, but my eyes had to be in two places at once, and radio is touch and go for me - a good programme might be followed by something I don't like.

But knitting is perfect to do while listening to an audiobook - or vice versa! I know someone who loves painting and does her college reading at the same time by listening to her books. You'll discover new hobbies once you've sorted out the house.

Hj wrote: "It opens up a whole new way of life, doesn't it Maxine? While I always knew how to knit I didn't find it interesting enough to actually settle down and do it. I'd try to do it while watching TV, ..."

Ha ha! I just started a knitting project after years of not doing any for the very reasons you mentioned!

Maxine wrote: "i am now looking for chores to do so i can read (listen) to my book. i love this new found freedom!"

I'm planning to do the ironing today (a chore I loathe) so I can continue with Code Name Verity :)

Hi Maxine,

You could try some audio drama. Listening to different voices might help your focus. Lots of free excellent radio drama on the 'net, from old time stuff to new book releases.

Cheers,

Nicola

I get most of mine (95%) from the library.

Maxine wrote: "i have no idea on where to look for audio books. they are far and few between."

Many libraries have an audio CD collection, as well as books that can be downloaded as computer files.

Maxine wrote: "joined my local library and am amazed at the amount of audio books!
thanks for the tip"

Another option is to check your area for "Co-op Bookstores" that give trade-in discounts on used books. Here in NH there's a chain called Annie's Book Stop in various locations. I use them to hunt for older, harder to find audiobooks on cassette, audio CD, and MP3 CD. I transcribe whatever I buy there to MP3. If I like a title, I'll keep both the original recording and the MP3. If not, I'll sell the original back to the store and dump the MP3.

It's also a good way to unload old books in any format and get a 50% credit towards a new purchase. Some of the outlets confine your options to whatever genre you sold them - that is, if you sell them an audiobook, you can only get the credits towards another audiobook. The exact rules vary by locality.

If your local library doesn't have a book you want, and/or the prices of Audible.com purchases or other places are too high, a Co-op bookstore is a good alternative.

Plus the Co-op stores are fun to browse, like any other used bookstore. Annie's Bookstop is good for rare Science Fiction paperbacks, some of which are first editions and never published hardbound.

It's the old "Thrill of the hunt" adrenaline rush when you find something really neat.

I only wish they carried old comics. You have to go to the antique shops in NH to find them in outlet stores.

Happy Listening,
Alan Mintaka

I am so jealous reading about all the options you have in America! lol My library does not really have any audiobooks and the ones they do have are old! And I have never seen an audio book in a secondhand bookshop. I think I should move(just for the audiobooks)! :)

I am a horrible reader, and because of that I read very few books over the last 28 years. back in November of 2011 I started American Gods as an audiobook and since then my life has changed! I've read almost 200 books in that time, and many of those books I never would have finished if I had tried READING them, and many of THOSE books are some of my all time favorites!
I was prepared for audiobooks because I began listening to podcasts and NPR back in 2006, mostly while driving.
as soon as the desire to read hit me, I was ready to listen to people talk for hours at a time. I soon discovered that I had better retention of details if I was doing something else while reading (driving, walking, drawing, playing video-games, chores, shopping, my job [as an Audio Visual technician means I get a lot of quiet time while getting sets up])

the only thing I CAN'T do while listening to a book is sit idly, my hands, at the very least, need to be doing something. I can't claim to have 100% reading comprehension while listening and doing other stuff, but I can follow the stories, catch the subtle stuff, find stuff between the lines...etc.

Ions wrote: "I am a horrible reader, and because of that I read very few books over the last 28 years. back in November of 2011 I started American Gods as an audiobook and since then my life has changed! I've ..."

So glad to know audiobooks have worked so well for you, and that you can listen while you're doing your job. I agree that it's difficult to just sit and listen; like you, I have to have something for my hands to be doing.

Maxine wrote: "i have no idea on where to look for audio books. they are far and few between."

If you like classics Librivox has oodles of audible and the price is right... free.

http://librivox.org/search

Chrizette wrote: "I am so jealous reading about all the options you have in America! lol My library does not really have any audiobooks and the ones they do have are old! And I have never seen an audio book in a ..."

Hi Chrizette,

There are a lot of online options to which you may listen live or record or download podcasts later.

I am addicted to BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra. Fabulous radio dramas, excellent readings of the latest best sellers and short stories. Most kept available for seven days and some become podcasts.

Enjoy!

Thank you, Nicola. I have just googled BBC Radio 4 and see there are pages of podcasts. Will definately take a look.

Are there any such things as free audiobooks? For real?

Well,for many of us there is the public library, paid for by your/our taxes. I'm lucky to reside in a city with a great one with a lot of audiobooks on call through the library's internet site and my computer. They send the books to my local branch for pickup.
And I've heard good things about Librovox which is free.

And I've heard that inter-library loans work well for many people who have less available locally.

Nancy wrote: "Are there any such things as free audiobooks? For real?"

Definitely check your local library system, Nancy. Also, check the Librivox forum of this Goodreads group for good recommendations on free Librivox books.

My local library carries Playaway audiobooks, which have been perfect for me. Can just pop the little player into my pocket and go.

There are plenty of free audiobooks. They probably won't be bestsellers, but they're available. This is a good site for free, mostly independent works: http://podiobooks.com/

Nancy wrote: "Are there any such things as free audiobooks? For real?"

Your profile says you're in Portland, so I'd think you're local library (and the whole Portland library system) would have a fantastic selection!

*checks*

Looks like the Multnomah County system has Overdrive (for downloadable audiobooks... you don't even have to leave your house!) and I'm sure they'd have audiobooks on CD as well! Go check it out! :)

Nancy wrote: "Are there any such things as free audiobooks? For real?"

And in the U.S. at least, there are classics and YA audiobooks available free through SYNC in the summer. The 26 titles for 2014 can be seen here…

Nancy: I love free audio books! Downloading them from the library is the easiest, CD 's from the library are great and the SYNC program is fabulous. I look forward to those every summer.
Leslie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Are there any such things as free audiobooks? For real?"
And in the U.S. at least, there are classics and YA audiobooks available free through SYNC in the summer. The 26 titles for ..."

yes, there are free audiobooks through Librivox and maybe other projects. I'm sure some of the group members here can give info on that. Plus all libraries have various options of downloading or "Playaway" mini-units you can check out. You do not have to spend a penny, although you may have less choice in quality or selection than a paid plan.

I was interested in the discussion on focus. As someone tending to distraction, audio helps me when driving or doing other tasks by supplanting those "junk thoughts" mentioned above. Those thoughts are almost never positive or helpful anyway!. I've always been a good oral processor, I could go to college lectures and retain a lot of info. But I thought I wouldn't like audiobooks because I rarely liked being read to. However, I now see that was because most people don't do it well, it's a specialized skill.

I agree that first-person narration lends itself well to audio, and I think fantasy and a lot of mysteries are the same. I get bored with most non-fiction on audio, so I read those in print. But many people find audio very helpful for non-fiction.

And for those complaining about falling asleep while listening, I recently discovered that for me that is a great benefit. I often have trouble falling asleep, and that's a great time for unhelpful "junk thoughts" and worries to fill my brain. I'm very sensitive to noise at night, so that I often use ear plugs, take batteries out of clocks to stop the ticking,etc. I thought the last thing I should do is listen to an audiobook. But I find if I have it on with the sound fairly low, I have to pay enough attention to follow it and therefore cannot also think about my work, house, taxes, or the fact that I am not yet asleep. At a certain point I will realize I have been dozing and turn off the player, but continue to think about the story and I usually fall asleep immediately. Of course the next day I have to go back and figure out where I was!

Robin wrote: "But I find if I have it on with the sound fairly low, I have to pay enough attention to follow it and therefore cannot also think about my work, house, taxes, or the fact that I am not yet asleep. At a certain point I will realize I have been dozing and turn off the player, but continue to think about the story and I usually fall asleep immediately. Of course the next day I have to go back and figure out where I was!"

I do the same thing. I find that my mind wanders around a lot as I'm trying to fall asleep, so listening to an audiobook is really helpful. When I start getting really drowsy, I set the sleep timer on my mp3 player (Sansa) to 10 or 20 minutes. Then when I wake up, I won't have to rewind as far! That's really helpful, especially on books that are only 1 or 2 SUPER long files... trying to find your place in those is a pain!