There is some controversy over audiobooks.  Certainly, those who are visually impaired can benefit from audiobooks.  But what of the rest of us?

A friend of mine actually became an avid reader because her mother got the idea that hearing the words as she read would improve her concentration, her comprehension, and her enjoyment.  Momma had been right.

Recently, I listened to an audiobook version as I read the same book, and I found my own comprehension improved.  It helped, also, that foreign words were pronounced for me and so I did not need to sound them out for myself.  Being a slow reader prone to going over the same passage repeatedly for no apparent reason, I got through the book in record time thanks to following along with the professional reader.

When I needed to find the meaning of a word, either in a dictionary or in the glossary of the book in question, I just stopped the CD player and looked it up.

And on another occasion, I simply sat and listened to a novel, relaxed in a cosy chair, and enjoyed the story.

Don’t get me wrong:  I still read print and digital books.  Not all titles are available in audio form and they are expensive.  Further, it is more convenient for me to carry a paperback or an e-reader when I’m not at home.  But I believe there is definitely a place for audiobooks in anyone’s library (or from the local public library).

Have you listened to an audiobook?