In Awe of Audible
I am coming clean, using this piece as a confessional - I am a reformed reading purist. I have to be honest, I barely know if that sentence makes sense, but it felt right. I am no stranger to a Kindle or Audible, I’ve known about them for years. I refused their existence, always claiming they didn’t count - you couldn’t feel the pages between your fingers, couldn’t highlight your favorite lines, couldn’t experience that intoxicating book smell (old and new, they each have their own allure). So if you read a book that way, did it even count?
These judgements were very much to my detriment. While I continued to buy books, I never read them. The older I got, the less time I made for reading. I had a Google Photos folder full of screenshots of books I had on my radar, ignoring the 10 unread ones I had at home. ‘I don’t have time to read’ was my phrase of choice. Let’s be honest - I definitely had time to read. Lord knows I made time to watch tv and go out, so why couldn’t I make time to read? When I did attempt to read, it’d work like a supersized Melatonin - making my eyelids instantly heavy. I know what you’re thinking, but my books aren’t boring, I can assure you that isn’t the problem. With that settled, what the hell was wrong with me?
I soon found myself with a paid Audible subscription at my disposal. Not being one to waste a good deal, I decided to try it and see what the hype was all about - assuming I’d even use it similar to how I listen to podcasts. Yes, I do listen to podcasts, I can make times for those, weirdly enough. I downloaded a book and couldn’t get enough of it - this is just like a podcast, but longer and of my choosing. I “read” my first book in two weeks - the fastest I had read a book in years. Then I downloaded another one, and finished that one in a week…this thing was magic. Needless to say, I’m on book number 3 within a month my wish list now has all of the titles that I had taken screenshots of. Nothing is perfect though, so here’s my fair evaluation of this new Audible life:
Super into:
The prices - the books themselves are either the same or less than that of traditional options
The app being super easy to use - no learning curve here, clean UI and direct instructions
The selection - I have yet to not find a book I was looking for (and I hope that never changes)
The accessibility - I can walk my dog, jog, drive, cook, all while listening. It makes it so easy and really motivates me to do things I don’t typically want to do just to keep listening, which is a nice bonus
The fact that you can download the books - no internet required to listen as long as you prep beforehand
The ability to rewind 30 seconds - its the perfect amount of time in case you miss something (sometimes its the little things that mean the most, like this feature)
How it functions with Apple Car Play - seamless connection and disconnection, also coordinates the background colors of your screen with the book’s cover, nice touch
Wish it had:
The PDF version - while I do love listening, if a line is really impactful, I want to physically read it to take it in, and that’s not an option. I’d pay more for that within the app, though I rather not, but the option isn’t even there sadly
The ability to delete a book from your library - you can archive it, but if I didn’t really like it or mean to get it, I want it totally gone, maybe that’s the anal in me, but its true
Ways to control time settings - it tells you how much is left of the book in the center of the screen as opposed to the chapter. I’ll take both, sure, but I care more about the time left of the chapter more (and thus want it centered) so I know if I have the ability to finish it in between tasks
I still feel a bit funny saying I “read” these books, since I really listened to them - but that doesn’t have the same ring to it. My friend recently made me feel better about it, telling me that the medium in which we consume a book isn’t important, and I find comfort that I wasn’t the only person struggling with that component. Its been a long journey to Audible, but the convenience is unmatched and I honestly can’t see myself living without it now.
My goal is to read one book a month, and I’m almost caught up - it feels like I’ve reawakened a part of me I loved when I was younger, and nothing can take that away, regardless of how I do it - reading, listening, you name it.
