How 21 Benefits of Audiobooks Can Change Your Life?

21 Professionals Share Their Opinions On The Benefits of Listening to Audiobooks. These Insightful Stories May Inspire You To Start Listening.

Personally, I love Audiobooks; they allow me to escape some of the mundane tasks in life and absorb knowledge and experiences whilst being active.

Our 21 experts are authors, filmmakers, and business professionals who share their experience of using Audiobooks to benefit their lives.

The Benefits of Audiobooks According to Our Study

  • Listening to storytelling – 26%
  • Accessibility / Time Saving – 26%
  • Mental Fitness / Building Concentration – 16%
  • Consumption of Knowledge – 13%
  • Save space – 3%
  • Fall in love with books again – 3%
  • Shared Experiences with Children & Family – 3%
  • Relaxation & Sleep, Longevity & Learning English – 10 %

Source: https://www.greatworklife.com/how-to-listen-to-audiobooks-statistics/

21 Advantages of Audiobooks According to Our Poll

1. Audiobooks Help Me Sleep

Aileen Clark – Blogger & Cookbook Author aileencooks.com

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Audiobooks have allowed me to ingest so many more books! As a mom of three young kids, I don’t have a lot of time to read. However, I can listen to an audiobook while cleaning, exercising, driving, and going to sleep. Discovering audiobooks has been such a great experience for me. I love to read and have really missed it. Listening to audiobooks offers a way back to reading without waiting until my kids are grown.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

One of the benefits of audiobooks is that you can listen to them while doing something else. One of the drawbacks is you are not fully immersed in the story as you are when reading. Audiobooks offer the opportunity to multitask while listening, which is not always a good thing.

Audiobooks have also helped me sleep. I regularly wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake. Now, instead of scrolling Facebook (which never helps me fall asleep), I listen to my audiobook and set a 15-minute sleep timer. By the time my audiobook shuts off, I am asleep. It has been so helpful!

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to about four audiobooks per month.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Scribd as my provider and have been really happy with them. Although they don’t have every single book I am looking for, they have many and are very affordable.

2. Audiobooks are True Intellectual Pleasure

Akshay Bansal – Founder Heuro (Social Media platform of Intellectuals)

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Audiobooks are Like true intellectual pleasure; I use them for my evening walk as walking listening and thinking; I can’t think of negative experience except one that sometimes some books are a bit frustrating and out of the way,

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

Benefits: Your knowledge will keep on updating, proven mental fitness, and they literally help you to be more focused.

The drawback is that some books might make you distracted.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to 4-8 books a month because of 2x speed.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

My service provider is iBooks; they are literally evolving their services.

3. Audiobooks Transformed my Mental Stability

Craig from Appliance Analysts.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Audiobooks transformed my exercise routines, as well as my mental stability. While going through a hard time in my life, my solution was to go on long runs while plugged into an audiobook. The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday, in particular, was revolutionary. The pairing of positive movement and motivational, reassuring words helped me face the challenges at that time.

Similarly, listening to You Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins in the gym has leveled up my workouts. It’s hard to slack off when you’re listening to a guy describing going through SEAL boot camp three times! And all the hardships he’s been through. I’ve found that much better for a long session than any high-tempo music playlist. (Though I do still switch to music when doing something intensive).

Overall, audiobooks made me look forward to exercising more – and helped incorporate ‘reading’ many more books. I fully believe books are one of the best ways to grow and develop in so many ways.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

Audiobooks let you read more books and also read them differently.

Books are a priceless way to learn and grow from others’ experiences and enjoy fantastic storytelling. All of this can turn a boring commute into a productive reading session.

Listening to a book can also be a gateway to books for anyone who doesn’t actually like reading.

There are some drawbacks, though. I’m someone who likes to take notes as I read and refer back to them later. It’s incredibly fiddly to do this in an audiobook – you need to pause it, clip your highlight, and awkwardly type out a note. I’ve yet to make use of these.

It’s also much easier to lose track of an audiobook. If you lose track while reading a book, you can just continue where you left off. But if you zone out of an audiobook? Well, good luck getting it back to where you last listened from!

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

This varies a lot. I currently only listen to around one audiobook a month, but at one point, it was up to 3 – between a long commute, long runs, and general use.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I’ve only ever used Audible for audiobooks. They provide fantastic accessibility to what can otherwise be quite a complicated genre.

Pro tip: if you start an Audible membership, then try to cancel it; they often present you with a bunch of “please don’t leave” offers. I’m currently enjoying three months at half-price membership using this trick!

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4. You Can Become a Well-Read Person

Barry D. Moore – Founder Greatworklife.com & LiberatedStockTrader.com

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

You know how it is as a modern-day knowledge worker; you sit in meetings and in front of a computer for most of your working day.  You read a lot, emails, PowerPoint presentations, excel spreadsheets.  When you finish work and eventually get home, you feel mentally and physically tired.

Audiobooks.com - A Cost Effective & Superior Audiobook Service
Audiobooks.com – A Cost Effective & Superior Audiobook Service

Have you lost your love of reading books, perhaps you simply do not have time anymore, there is the housework, exercise, perhaps even the children?  Who has time to read?  But without reading, how do you continue to build your knowledge, learn new skills, or wade into a novel.

Audiobooks available online and on-demand are the single best way to continue learning when you do not have the time or the inclination to sit down and read.

I have personally listened to over 350 books over the last eight years averaging one book every nine days.  I am actually the most “well-read” person I know (apart from my wife, who listens to them also). 🙂

Audible - The Biggest Collection of Audiobooks In the World
Audible – The Biggest Collection of Audiobooks In the World

I listen to books when:

  • Doing the laundry
  • Cleaning the kitchen
  • Going running
  • Driving
  • Golfing
  • Gardening

Be the most “well-read” person you know and increase your learning productivity by signing up for an Audiobook service. I use Audible and Audiobooks.com.

Great Audiobook Services

  1. Audiobooks.com – Great prices and a highly rated App, plus two free Audiobooks.
  2. Audible.com, an Amazon Company – The largest collection of Audiobooks and Audible original productions, includes one free book trial.
  3. SCRIBD – For a flat fee of $9.99, you get access to the entire library of Audiobooks, but consumption is restricted

Consume Knowledge Quickly With Blinkist

Now, if you want to supercharge your learning, you could sign up for a service called Blinkist.  I have a yearly membership with Blinkist because it allows me to read or listen to an entire book in summary format in 15 mins.  Not only that, but you also have unlimited access to over 3,000 summarized books.

Save Time - Listen to Audiobook Summaries in 15 Minutes
Save Time – Listen to Audiobook Summaries in 15 Minutes

Book summarization services only work well with non-fiction books such as self-improvement, biographies, or concepts.  A fiction thriller story cannot be summarized because the whole point is the story, not the idea.

Try Blinkist for Free, and you get one free Blinkist book delivered to you every day.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

You can become a constant learning machine by listening to non-fiction educational books or self-improvement books. You can even have a wonderful experience of a story with a crime thriller or novel.

Occasionally you may run into a bad narrator, and for me, that ruins the book. Luckily services like Audible let you listen to 5 minutes of the book as a preview before buying.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to 4 books per month, and over the last eight years, I have digested over 350 audiobooks.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Audible and Audiobook.com as they have the very best selection.  I also use Blinkist for summarized books that I can digest in 15 minutes; they also have a 15 minute written summary of the books.

5. I Can Read With My Eyes Closed

Kalina Stoyanova – Kalina is a Digital PR and Outreach Specialist for My Speech Class

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks?

I am young, and I have started listening to audiobooks recently, and I love it so far.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

  • The greatest benefit for me is that I can “read” with my eyes closed. When I had a long day in the office, I want to take my glasses off and let my eyes rest. With audiobooks, I can lay down on the sofa or do some tasks around the house that do not require much attention.
  • I can “read” a lot more. I save hours because I listen to audiobooks while doing other things.
  • I improved my memory. When I listen to someone telling me the story, I can remember things much easier now.
  • I improved my English. Listening to audiobooks in English helps me with speech and pronunciation.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I used to read 3-4 books per month. I now listen to 8-10 books per month.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I’ve been delighted with the books from Storytel.

6. Audiobooks are Great Entertainment

Kristine Thorndyke – Teacher and the founder of Test Prep Nerds

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I have found audiobooks to be a great entertainment option while driving long routes that I am already familiar with and going on long, leisurely walks. That said, I find it extremely difficult to pair an audiobook with activities that may require a bit more mental stimulation, as I cannot focus well enough on the book to keep up with the details. Listening to podcasts and listening to audiobooks are also completely different activities because podcasts are shorter, more to-the-point, and don’t require as much deep thought.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The benefits of listening to audiobooks over reading a book are that you can do this during long, monotonous activities such as driving, walking, and riding a bike, to name a few. It is impossible to enjoy reading a book during these activities.  The drawback to listening to audiobooks is that it’s harder to realize when you are not paying attention or half-listening. While reading a typical book, for example, you can quickly catch yourself zoning out in the story and go back a few pages. However, during an audiobook, it’s a little bit more insidious, as you think you’re paying more attention than you probably really are, and it can be difficult to track back when you spaced out.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to about one audiobook per month.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Audible whenever they have specials or deals. Right now, I am using them for their 3-month $7/month promotion. I also use the Libby app that connects you to your local library. The drawback to using this as your sole source for free audiobooks, however, is that there is an extremely long waitlist for any popular in-demand books (I’ve experienced up to 6 months).

7. Audiobooks are Better Than Print Books

Taylor Goodrich is the Communication and Media Specialist for American Trails, a national trails advocacy organization, and is based in Dallas, Texas.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I have an extremely positive experience listening to audiobooks. I work from home, and often if I am doing something that doesn’t require too much concentration, I can put on an audiobook, which allows me to “read” much more than I would otherwise be able to do. As someone who has always been an avid reader but doesn’t have a lot of free time to read traditional books, audiobooks have been a lifesaver for me in keeping up with reading.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

For a long time, I didn’t use audiobooks because I think, like many people, it just didn’t occur to me that it could be the same experience as reading a physical book. However, when I decided to try them, I realized, in many ways, it is even better because often you get to hear the voice of the author and understand even more from that voice their intended meaning from each passage. If a professional audiobook reader is reading instead of the author, it is still an experience where you almost feel as if you are connecting to another person reading along with you. I was surprised by how much I loved audiobooks.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I generally listen to 3 – 6 audiobooks per month.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

Audible, I buy credits and, therefore, can purchase audiobooks much more affordably than in the traditional way. However, I also highly encourage using library resources to listen to free audiobooks.

8. Listen to Whatever Your Heart Desires

Dillan Thompson – Marketing and Acquisitions Manager of EZHome Buyers and Easy-Man Buys Houses.  

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I have steadily been listening to audiobooks for the past two years. My audio library consists of more than 100 books, including an array of business, marketing, and non-fiction books for enjoyment, with close to 90% of them have been listened to. I was never an avid reader due to a lack of time and discipline. When I discovered a good audiobook service, it helped me digest content that I either thought was boring or didn’t want to make time for it. My favorite thing about audiobooks is the narrators. A book with a good narrator can make a boring topic compelling.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The greatest benefit of audiobooks is the ease of use. You can listen to whatever your heart desires while completing mindless/repetitive tasks at home or work. Why mindlessly do dishes while you can be engaged in some great content?

The greatest drawback to audiobooks is when a book you want to listen to has a bad narrator. If there is a bad narrator, you’re better off purchasing a hard copy and reading it. Otherwise, you will be put to sleep in minutes.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to roughly three new titles and relisten to one to two titles a month on Audible.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Audible

9. Audiobooks Can Be Shared Experiences

Bonnie Way blogs regularly about motherhood, family travel, books, and homeschool as the Koala Mom.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I love listening to audiobooks! I listen mostly with my daughters (ages 12 to 2), so we look for YA novels or family-friendly stories to listen to together. This has been a lot of fun, as we can discuss books while listening. It’s created shared experiences for our family around the books we’re reading and lets me keep up with my older daughters’ voracious reading habits!.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The benefits are that we can listen to the audiobooks while driving (so it helps keep everyone entertained in the vehicle) or doing other quiet activities, like baking, cooking, coloring, laundry, etc. My voice isn’t worn out, trying to read aloud to them. And many of the audiobooks we like are read by professional actors, so they create different voices for different characters, helping us picture those characters better. They learn the rhythm of language by listening to different people speaking this way.

Audiobooks let us listen to books that my daughters might not otherwise pick up themselves. For example, my daughters hadn’t read Mark Twain’s books before we listened to them as audiobooks. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting these books as an adult and appreciating Twain’s gift with language and storytelling, and my daughters discovered a new author.

I can’t think of any drawbacks to listening to audiobooks, except the need for some tech (we listen using an app on my phone and have been trying to find a good Bluetooth speaker to make the sound easier to hear over vehicle noise or chattering toddlers).

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

We probably listen to a couple of audiobooks per month.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

We borrow most of our audiobooks from our library using the Overdrive app. We also have quite a few audiobooks on CD.

10. The Opportunity to “Read” So Much More

Abir Syed – CPA & Accounting Consultant Founder Upcounting.com

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I’ve found it to be fantastic as it’s given me an opportunity to “read” so much more. I rarely have – or perhaps rarely take – the time to sit down and read a physical book as I always feel like in those instances, I could be doing something else, like working at my computer. My commute these days is via car, so a physical book isn’t an option, and even when I’d commute on public transport, you can use audiobooks much more efficiently, even when you’re standing or walking.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The benefit is that it allows you to benefit more during certain activities where you’d otherwise be mentally idle (not that that’s always a bad thing). Even when I’d commute using public transport, it’s not always easy to have an opportunity to sit down and pull out a book, and that’s something that also needs to be carried around.

With an audiobook, you can stand on the subway, walk between locations, carry things in your arms, and still be “reading.” And of course, there are other instances like being in the car, or grocery shopping, or at the gym, where reading can be far more beneficial than just listening to music.

The drawback is that some people may not absorb information as well when listening, and for certain types of books that are information-heavy, that can reduce its usefulness. While they can simply not use audiobooks in those cases, some people may still be compelled because of its convenience but then not recognize the value they’re losing out on that they may have retained better had they read the book. As a side note, the ability to speed up the playback is absolutely critical, as some readers go way too slowly for how I absorb information.

On the flip side, some people just end up listening on 2-3x, which may be too fast for certain books to get any value. And I know of some people who have gotten to the point where they take more pride in having “gone through” several books in a given time period because of the speed they listen to it, rather than actually valuing the retention of the information.

While they may get the “broad strokes,” a lot of well-written books have details for a reason, and going through something at a blinding speed where you keep listening even if you’re not concentrating can amount to someone just fooling themselves that they’re learning when they’re not.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I tend to listen to longer business books, so I’d usually go through about 1 or 2 per month. But I also mix in podcasts, so I don’t only listen to books.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Audible

11. Great Narrators Make Audiobooks More Meaningful

Vasundhra Gupta is a spiritual writer and book fanatic who runs her own blog, My Spiritual Shenanigans.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Positive! I first started listening to audiobooks in the summer of 2019. My first book was Michelle Obama’s Becoming. I also had a hardcover of the book at the time, and I tried reading along with Michelle’s voice trailing along. Eventually, I kept the book aside and stuck to enjoying the audio as is.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

As a book hoarder, the two benefits right of the bat were not having to manage more physical space for keeping the books, and second, it makes books a lot more affordable. I now only buy a book if I loved the audio version enough to know I’ll like to reread the physical one again.

When a book is read to you by the author or a powerful narrator, their voice can make the experience twice as meaningful.

It’s also convenient to be able to choose the pace at which you’d be like l. That way, I’m able to complete an audiobook faster than a physical book.

I also find audiobooks perfect for listening to, for when I’m traveling and don’t have the time to read.

The drawback is probably the nostalgia for bookworms like me that have always stuck to physical copies and enjoy placing colorful bookmarks along the way and flipping to certain pages to reread their favorite parts.

And second, not every book qualifies for a good audiobook experience. For instance, I wouldn’t want someone to read me many numbers, and I like poetry at my own pace, one page at a time, which feels more like a hassle over an audiobook. I don’t think workbooks qualify either; I like underlying Atomic Habits and The Artist’s Way whenever I am working on self-help.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

When I travel alone, I usually manage one book within a flight. Some months, I’ve read as many as 5 or 6, but in the last couple of months, I’ve crawled through one!

Who is your audiobook service provider?

StoryTel

12. Audiobooks Allow Me to Multitask

John Frigo – Digital Marketing Lead MySupplementStore.Com

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Audiobooks are great, but they definitely are not the same experience as actually reading. However, there are benefits like listening to audiobooks on a road trip or your morning commute or while at the gym or running. I like audiobooks because they allow me to multitask and consume a lot more information at times I otherwise wouldn’t be able to read.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The negative, however, is I don’t comprehend as much as when I actually read, and it’s easy sometimes to zone out and miss important parts of the book. Also, because you are not turning pages and seeing your progress through the book and chapters, they always seem to come to an abrupt end, and you don’t really know where you are in the story or book.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to probably 6-10 audiobooks per month, mainly while running, at the gym, and/or driving. I read some stuff for entertainment, but a lot of my reading is business books, personal development books, etc. If there’s a book I really want to take in or a book I want to take notes on, I’ll read it instead of listening to audiobooks.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I use Audible or just find random books that have been uploaded to Youtube.

13. Helping You Reach Your Reading Goals

Erika Rykun blogs about books on Instagram

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

My experience with audiobooks is mostly positive. I’ve started listening to audiobooks six months ago or so, and it helped me familiarize myself with lots of new authors and move closer to hitting my reading goals.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

However, listening to audiobooks has both benefits and drawbacks.

The main benefit is that I can listen to more books, and when I clean my apartment, go to the gym, or go for a walk. This is a perfect solution for people who want to read more. The main drawback is that you can’t listen to any audiobooks because you might miss something important.

For example, I can’t listen to Charles Dickens’s novels or the majority of other classics just because they might be difficult to comprehend. Sometimes, when you read a printed book, you have to reread the paragraph to grasp the idea, catch the allusion, or interesting pun. This is not always possible with audiobooks.

That’s why I usually listen to audiobooks of modern writers whose books don’t have very complex plots or non-fiction books. But I still have the feeling that I may miss something when listening to the book instead of reading it.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I’m listening to 2 audiobooks per month on average.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

My audiobook provider is Storytel. I would love to try Audible, too, by my native language is not English. And although I speak English fluently, I find it difficult to listen to books in English. But the variety provided by Audible makes it very attractive.

14. Audiobooks Can Last Forever

Stella Samuel – Team Manager at Brandnic.com

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Personally, I have had a good experience of listening to audiobooks though there are some drawbacks. The pros and cons of audiobooks may vary from one person to another. For example, a non-native English speaker may have issues with understanding the pronunciation of English audiobooks.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The benefits of Audiobooks:

  • I save power. I am a book-reading enthusiast who sometimes listens to audiobooks, even late at night. In the darkness, I don’t need to have lights on for me to listen to audiobooks. This isn’t the case with reading.
  • It renders me flexible. Sometimes I listen to audiobooks when at the gym, preparing a meal for my kids, or even on a walk. In fact, this is the main reason that has made me opt for audiobooks more than reading.
  • It’s very convenient. I usually take a posture of my choice when listening to audiobooks. This isn’t the case with reading.
  • Durability. Audiobooks can last forever, provided there is a reliable backup. On the other hand, physical books wear out due to interaction with readers.
  • I don’t need any storage in my room. Audiobooks require storage on the user device and not physical storage in a room.

The Drawbacks of Audiobooks:

  • Requires a technology device. Audiobooks can be accessed in computers and smartphones. In the absence of these devices, one cannot have access to them.
  • It’s hard to master spellings. Sometimes I find it difficult to get the spelling of certain names (characters in the story) or words. I actually miss them.
  • It’s hard to reconnect ideas when distracted. Imagine when you are at the gym, and a colleague interrupts you when listening to an audiobook. It becomes hard to reconnect again.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

The number of audiobooks I listen to per month largely depends on the book’s size or the message in it. However, the maximum number I can listen to is three books.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

My audiobook service provider is Amazon through the kindle Unlimited feature.

15. Perfect for Long Road Trips

Marcia Noyes – TV Presenter, Entrepreneur

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Listening to audiobooks has been primarily positive. I typically listen to audiobooks when traveling by car. Outside of driving, I prefer reading instead.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

More lively discussions when we stop for food and the possibility through those discussions to remember more. It also keeps us engaged throughout the long 15-24 hour trips to Colorado or Florida.

  • Positive: Listening to the same non-fiction book with my partner and discussing it at every gas or meal stop. It keeps us from burying our heads in our phones. Much livelier discussions. This helps us remember the books longer.
  • Positive: Helps the trip go so much quicker. We are transfixed by what’s happening in the book.
  • Positive: Learning about a subject that you normally wouldn’t take time to learn. For instance, when we drove out to the Permian Basin area to update some oil lease addresses, we listened to the Frackers book and had a great time studying the oil rigs and seeing what the author was describing right there as we drove along.
  • Negative: I can’t write down any notes, which I typically do, but these discussions help us remember. I can always get a book from the library.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

If traveling, it comes to about 2 per month. Some of the ones that stand out in my mind for us are:

  • The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters by Gregory Zucker
  • The Art of Deception by Kevin Mitnick
  • Billion Dollar Painter: The Triumph and Tragedy of Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light by G. Eric Kuskey

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I have used Audible but don’t use it often enough to pay for the service, so we get books on audio at the library.

16. I Fell in Love With Books Again

Sarah Kimmel – Founder FamilyTechzone.Com helping families understand and manage the technology in their homes.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I have been able to fall in love with books again! I always loved reading but haven’t really had time to read for years as I’ve been raising my family and working away from home. I have a 45-minute commute to work, and I found that I was wasting so much time just listening to music.

It really all came to a head when my good friend sent me a book to review on my website. It took me months to try and get around to reading it. I finally purchased it on Audible instead (even though I was given the physical copy for free). I could get it all “read” and write it up quickly and haven’t looked back since. I have an Audible subscription now and am able to get three free books every month! I LOVE it!

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The huge benefit is the ability to get inspired or learn something new during times that might be wasted, like driving kids around for different activities or commuting to and from work.

The only real drawback is typically the inability to take notes. I find myself dictating a lot of notes via a Google voice assistant to remember key information later.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

Around 2-4 books depending on length.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

Audible

17. Audiobooks are a Beautiful Thing in my Life

Leslie Kiel writes for Insurantly.com and taught middle school Language Arts for nine years.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

While you can’t replace the experience of reading a good book, the invention of audiobooks has been a beautiful thing in my life! Especially at my current stage with three kids, I am lucky to have the time or energy to squeeze in reading right before bed. With the advent of audiobooks, though, I can multitask, and every car ride or run on the treadmill is a chance to “read.”

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

There are so many reasons to listen to audiobooks, but there are a few downsides. I love marking up my books- highlighting important passages, making notes in the margins, and turning down the corner of my favorite pages. Obviously, this isn’t an option with audiobooks.

It may sound corny, but audiobooks also take away that feeling of cozying up with a good book. I’ve given it a shot; I piled myself under blankets and put earbuds in, but without the physical book to look at and hold, I was asleep within 5 minutes!

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I’ll listen to 3-5 audiobooks a month, but when I had an hour commute, it was closer to 7.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I used Nook in the past but now use Audible.

18. Audiobooks have Entertained Me for Much of my Life.

Travis Vengroff – Producer of The White Vault & VAST Horizon

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

Audiobooks have kept me entertained for much of my life, as a child on long boat trips with my father, on long RV rides with my entire family, and on late-night commutes as an adult. They have allowed me to get through books I would otherwise have never had time to read, and many of the free/independent ones inspired me to create my own stories, which has, in turn, shaped my entire career. I have become friends with some of my favorite narrators, worked with them, and now produce audio fiction for a living.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

Free quality entertainment

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

4-5 per month

Who is your audiobook service provider?

The Himalaya App

19. I Love Audiobooks

Sharon Farber – Author of Choosing to be a Medium: Experience & Share the Healing Wonder of Spirit Communication, Llewellyn, 2019.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I love audiobooks! I listen to them constantly while driving. If I get hooked on a great book, I’ll bring it in and listen while cleaning, cooking, or otherwise trying to accomplish something at home. My whole family listens to books while we travel, and it makes a huge difference in the quality of our trip. Sometimes we stay in the car listening after we arrive at our destination.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

The benefit is that I get to listen to books while driving or otherwise engaged. I love books but have no time to read them, so this is perfect. Another benefit is keeping the family entertained while traveling. We’ve been doing this for 15 years since the children were small. Occasionally I’m not thrilled with a narrator, but this issue is negligible.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to about 4 per month. It depends on how long they are.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

I get audiobooks at the library. I visit multiple libraries to expand my options.

20. I Used to be Against Audiobooks.

Natasha Raulerson is an award-winning author, wife, mom, and super-nerd @Instagram

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I used to be adamantly against audiobooks, preferring the immersion of deep reading on the page, but then I had a kid. Now, I adore audiobooks because I still get to listen to my favorite authors since I don’t have time to physically read as much as I would like. With audiobooks, I can listen while I’m driving, waiting in line, or pop one earbud in and enjoy it while my son is watching Cars 3 for the billionth time.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

I love audiobooks because I’d otherwise be missing out on my favorite stories. I love reading on the page, but with a busy lifestyle, it’s hard to find time to curl up with a good book. With an audiobook, I pop in an earbud wherever I’m at and hit play. It’s great. The biggest drawback to audiobooks is if you’re multitasking or not really focused, sometimes you have to go back a bit to find a detail you may have missed.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to 2-3 audiobooks, depending on the time and availability of the books.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

Generally, I go through Libby or Hoopla Digital. Both work through the library system, so sometimes I may have to wait, but these are great for readers on a budget.

21. Audiobooks Can Be A Challenge

Neal Fagan -Freelance Filmmaker and Photographer in Madrid, Spain.

What is your experience (positive or negative) of listening to audiobooks? 

I am an avid podcast listener, but in my experience, audiobooks are a bit difficult to listen to, mostly based on the length of the book and not the content. I find that when I listen to audiobooks, my most recent one was “Devil in the White City,” I am sometimes lost in what I’m doing while listening to the audiobook. I have to backtrack on multiple occasions because I hadn’t been paying attention.

That being said, I do understand it is a great way to “read” a book in the car or at work or other places where reading an actual book is either impossible or dangerous.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of audiobooks, in your opinion? 

Benefits: Being able to listen to books in more places and at more times than reading a book.

Drawbacks: Sharing your concentration with a book and the surrounding world can lead to either lapsed reading or lapsed physical activity.

How many audiobooks do you listen to per month? 

I listen to about one audiobook every now and then. Maybe. Three times a year.

Who is your audiobook service provider?

Audible

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Barry D. Moore
Barry's 25 years of experience with Silicon Valley Corporations such as IBM, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Hewlett Packard Enterprise & DXC Technology enables him to share his knowledge of succeeding in today's professional corporate environments and develop a great work life for yourself.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Kudos! I want to commend your effort in bringing many experts’ opinions together so as to educate the public on the importance of audiobooks and learning in general.
    Reading allows us to learn about a lot of things and it is a good idea to encourage people to read more good books. Audiobooks provide people a way to read more of these good books.
    Thank you again for this great reach!

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