Read or Listen to a Book?

Reading books > Listening to books

This is not a judgement statement, because I do listen to some books. However, I have found that I get much more of the depth and breadth, especially with fiction, from physically reading the work as opposed to listening to an audiobook. Some of the nuance and richness of the language seems lost when listening to it. Also, I seem to retain more of the content when I actually read it.

I've noticed with non-fiction there isn't as much of a difference for me. For instance, I will often listen to a biography or personal growth type audiobook on my morning walks, but I save the fiction genre to read. Part of the reason I listen to some non-fiction on my walks is because it is an efficiency issue, IE, there isn't enough time in the day to read every book I want to read. (Just ask the Japanese. They actually have a word for buying books and not reading them: "tsundoku." :) )

Sometimes when I listen to an audiobook and I really like it, I'll go back and order the actual book. It probably defeats the purpose of having a deluxe Spotify subscription, where I can get the audio version of most books.

I realize in this world of neurodiversity, everyone is different. Some may find listening better than reading, as they may be audio learners. Others may find it difficult to sit and read due to attention deficient challenges. Perhaps my preference for reading over listening to a book is a generational issue.

What's your take on this?

Greg Graber is an internationally respected leadership and mental performance coach who helps teams, schools, organizations, and individuals thrive under pressure. With a foundation in mindfulness-based practices, Greg teaches people how to stay grounded, focused, and resilient in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.

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