Reading a Book Vs. Listening to Audiobook: Which is Better?

A love of reading shouldn’t have parameters as to what type of reading actually counts. Reading a physical book and listening to the audiobooks are two different paths leading to same destination. However, the experiences from both differ, which is why there is a long-haul debate still surrounding which is better- reading a book or listening to audiobook.

Personally, I have found immensely rewarding common ground in my reading life with reading a book in traditional way as well as with the audiobooks. It is more fun to love both ways of reading. 

In this post, I’ll discuss the debate on which is better: reading a book versus listening to audiobooks. I really hope we can transit from the long debate and end up sitting in a comfy chair where your headphones sit along with books and everyone loves each other. 

Reading a Book Vs. Audiobook 

1) Comprehension 

As both the methods differ so they create different experiences and memories in readers and listeners. However, neither is better or worse than the other. This is because different people have different choices and perspectives which is why some enjoy listening to audiobooks while others may still prefer the same old way of reading a book. There has been a fair amount of research on the subject of comprehension in reading a book versus audiobooks. 

When you read something, you are looking at symbols on the page and your brain is busy filling in all the blanks such as the scene, the sounds of the voices, the plot, the deeper meaning, the inflection, etc. Whereas in case of audiobooks, you are much likely to do a better job of trying to extract the gist of what someone meant when you are hearing them than when you are reading. This is because we can’t go back and reread something while listening to audiobooks.  

Audiobooks can be great for kids. Why? Don’t you remember we all start out by listening to stories that are read to us by our parents, teachers, librarians, etc. So, there’s no need to judge those who prefer audiobooks over the traditional books because as with reading that enhances our word-recognition ability, listening alone can expand our vocabulary as well. 

2) Emotional Response 

I’ve already mentioned in my previous post about how doctors recommend physically reading a book because that can bring a more personal experience. This is because your inner voice is responsible to create everything which is not on the page from only the words on the page. Most of us who love reading the books physically can’t even envision the story without our inner voice creating the imaginary world inside our heads.  

Listening to audiobooks can sometimes elicit a more emotional response to the content especially in case of listening to comedy show with laughter. This is because it is more of a social experience as we hear the vocal nuances, sarcasm, etc. which comes from hearing another human speak. So, next time don’t fully dismiss the idea of listening to audiobooks before first trying it yourself. 

3) Sharing 

Sharing physical books is cool with a downside that your friend might not return the book burrowed from you. Yeah, I know that feeling! Sometimes, I note down the best lines from the book I read and share it with my friends.  

Now pretty much all sharing of things take place over the social media and texting apps.  You can share the short clips of audiobooks with apps like Audible to your friends and there’s no downside to it. Sharing is indeed caring. 

4) Pronunciation 

You know when you read a book and fall in love with the main character, you scour the internet for more content and find more about the author and go through their interviews. It’s then you realize that you’ve been saying the character’s name wrong in your head the whole time.  

The same thing happens with audiobooks if only you find the perfect book with the perfect narrator. Otherwise when you know and love this character’s beautiful sounding name and go to social media to see who else is gushing over it but when you see it in print for the first time, you are more likely to shrug off like who’s that? 

5) Public Versus Private 

Audiobooks allow you to be anonymous while you are reading in public. You can listen to sci-fi, romantic, self-help, non-fiction books and the only judgement that comes would be from the older generations lamenting the fall of society to see you with headphone on in public.  

Whereas in case of reading a physical book in public, you let the world know what you are reading. This public and prominent book display could be the ticket to find your newest book friend or maybe you’ll just feel the cold and clammy eyes of judgment sticking to the back of your head. If you are like me then simply ignore the judgmental gaze of people in public and get lost in the world of the books. 

6) Multitasking 

When it comes to multitasking, audiobooks are the clear-cut winner. We can totally operate machinery, do our household chores, and commute while listening to our books. They are best when the task we are doing doesn’t need much of our attention as in while staring out of the window on the train.  

On the other hand, I don’t want to dismiss the pleasure of having a physical book with me at all times for trains, planes, waiting rooms, etc. 

Conclusion: Which is Better? 

I can’t imagine my reading life without an abundant mixture of both audiobooks and reading. So, brush away this topic to find which of the two is better. It is a personal choice for everyone. You’ll know which is better for you, as you become more versed in both the reading worlds. 

I would love to know your thoughts about reading a book versus audiobooks. 

Reading a Paper Book Vs. an E-book: Which is Better?

With the advance of smartphones and tablets and they being quite affordable these days, e-books and e-readers have become quite a popular standard for reading. With dedicated e-reader, you can easily download and buy new titles. You can store thousands of books on a single SD card and read them in the dark without an external light. Still, there is something about the feelings you get while reading a book from the old-fashioned paper.

In this post, we’ll look at which is better- reading a paper book the old traditional way or an e-book. 

Reading a Paper Book 

1. Traditional Books or Paper Books are More Tactile 

Clearly, the traditional books or paper books are more tactile in nature. They have a heft in the hand that feels entirely different compared to holding an e-reader. There’s a certain feeling that comes with smelling the paper in the books, turning pages, and seeing permanent words emblazoned on pages. Basically, the paper books feel good for those readers who enjoy physically collecting things or prefer a more sensory experience.  

Paper books aren’t just tools that help you to access information, but they are also decorative objects. Who hasn’t been warmed by a home full of booklined shelves? If you are still curious about my blog, check out What is Nyasa's Book Shelf. 

Being around your favorite volumes invite you to go grab them and browse through the pages. It is so easy to get lose in the world of book if they are all around you. 

2. You Learn More Easily with the Printed Books 

Retaining information can be quite easier with paper books. As per a Norwegian study that tested a group of readers on Amazon Kindle and another group that read the traditional paper-bound book, when both were quizzed post reading those who read the paper book fared better. 

This is because there is a sort of feeling that comes while reading paper books which actually fire a different set of synapses in our brains. Moreover, we are so accustomed to skim-reading the digital media that it’s hard to read with the same focus while we read from the paper books. 

3. Reading a Paper Back Wins Over E-Book When It Comes to Lighting 

Another possible negative experience from reading from tablets or smartphones is linked to their lighting strength and power. Though they boast of strong backlights, this high level of screen luminosity sometimes convinces your eyes that it’s daylight outside which may keep you awake all through the night for unnecessary amounts of time. The artificial light exposure causes a lot of sleep scientists and doctors to recommend reading from regular paper books over digital books. 

4. Some Readers Prefer the Feel and Utility of Paper Books 

When it comes to reading experience, I personally think the weight and feel of a paper book is hard to beat most of the time. Most people are still used to read the traditional books are they are a total paper book lover. It’s so satisfying to curl up with a book, the smell of the pages and the heft of the book. Also, it allows us to see immediately how far we are really in a book. Whereas, in case of e-book it may still show that we have read 84% of the book when the book ended as the remaining 16% are excerpts from the author’s other books, his/her interview and a discussion guide. 

5. Some Readers are Just Nostalgic Reading from Paper Books 

I may be one of those weirdos that likes the smell of a paper in a traditional book. But not everyone thinks the same way. The feel of the book is an advantage for some readers as we have been used to read the paper books. 

Reading an E-book 

1) E-books are Great for Reading on The Go 

A significant benefit of reading e-books is their small form factor along with their ability to store them without needing bookshelves. Whether you are a minimalist or a traveler, e-books are the ultimate portable way to enjoy reading. It needs not be filled in your suitcase as with a dozen heavy hardcovers. Simply slip your Kindle in your bag and you can have thousands of books on tap. 

2) Search and Navigation is Simplified with E-books 

With e-books search is super-simple, you can scroll the text with your finger to navigate easily through the texts. Eminently, e-books shareable; you can email an e-book to yourself or a friend easily. Not to mention storing e-book is a breeze.  

With e-books you can perform a text search within every single book in your e-library. Try doing that with traditional books! You’d have to first have every page scanned and put into a database before being interpreted. The chances of that happening is quite slim unless you are at a high-end research facility or a University library. 

3) E-books Have Visual Benefits 

E-books can be awesome for people with poor eyesight and who are dyslexic. This is because of all the e-readers or tablets have the ability to change the size of the text that makes it easier to read. You also have the option to change the brightness levels which not only alleviates the problems of screens being too bright at nighttime but also allows for easy reading in bright environments.  

4) E-books Have Audio Options 

E-books can be easily synced to the audiobooks which allows you to enjoy your favorite stories and volumes in the care or while you walk back and forth to your work. I must say listening to audiobooks is an all-together different experience but can be quite valuable, especially when you are listening to them as a way to make use of the time spent commuting to work. In my next post, I’m going to discuss about Reading a Book Vs. Listening to an Audiobook: Which is Better?  So, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog. 

5) Easy to Publish E-books and are More Affordable Than Paper Book 

Another important factor in the debate of e-book versus paper books concerns publishing. It is rudimentary and sometimes free to publish your book in the digital formats. This means you don’t need to find an agent to secure a book deal with a publisher.  

Whereas, if you want to self-publish a traditional book it may not be particularly as cheap as publishing an e-book. This limits the release of information in traditional media to people with money and resources for such an undertaking. 

Conclusion: Which is Better? 

To wrap it up, there’s not really any need to choose which is better between reading a paper book and e-book these days. As we have already discussed about both the pros and cons with reading a paperbacks and digital form of books such as Kindle, deciding which is better will differ as per the reader’s choice. Not many people start reading e-books and turn their back completely on their beloved, dog-eared paper books. 

It is better to consider both forms of reading have their own advantages and drawbacks, which is why can’t we just enjoy both of these forms.  

So, read on and enjoy! 

What do you prefer? Reading from a paperback or an e-book. Leave in your comments.