do you consider listening to an audio book “reading”?
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Good question, Judith!
I’m going to go with “yes and no,” haha.
When I count my books read for the year, I count audiobooks, and if someone asks me if I’ve read a book that I’ve listened to, I say yes.
That said, there really is a difference, at least for me. Sometimes when I’m listening to a book it’s just running and I’m not really paying attention. That’s how I made it through Moby Dick. So did I really read it if I wasn’t paying attention half the time? I don’t know… maybe it’s the same as skimming through boring sections while reading?
I’m currently listening to Robert Seethaler’s The Cafe with No Name, and I feel like I’m missing a lot. It’s a subtle, character-driven book that I’d do better actually reading. I’m enjoying it, but not enough to follow it up by reading a hard copy. But if someone asks I’d still say I read the book.
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totally agree. also i find the narrator so important. there have been books i’ve not listened to because of an irritating voice; similarly, books i’ve enjoyed more because of excellent narration. i got a book by a scottish author and couldn’t understand the narrator! between the accent and the slang, i was completely lost.
I agree with you @kim.kovacs, I find my comprehension of a book isn’t the same if I’ve listened to it, but I do consider it reading. I’ve found this is true for other people I’ve talked to about it as well.
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I do not listen to audio books but yes I do consider it reading. Why?. Because Nancy Pearl considers it reading. If you do not know who Nancy is, Seattle’s # 1 librarian. Google her!!!
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I actually find in some cases my comprehension and recall is enhanced when listening to audiobooks. This is particularly true when I am listening while driving on long interstate drives. I can actually get to points of the interstate and recall specific parts of books that I read when I passed through that area previously.
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I already posted but want to add this. After eye surgery a few years ago I decided to listen to audio books before my two week follow-up appointment. I did not count these books as having read because with each book I fell asleep and did not bother to discover where I had stopped listening. I think audio is good for long drives although I prefer to listen to my music.
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I am going with a yes even though you may miss some things with an audio. 
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I have tried listening to 1 audiobook but I had to often rewind.
I think I am a visual learner because my concentration is better when I am reading.
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I agree with you. I like a book in my hands but others don’t. I loke to see everyone enjoying books.
If your mind isn’t focused on what you’re doing, you won’t fully comprehend what you’re attending to. You can be reading a book and missing important parts if you are worrying over bills, health issues, etc necessitating that you go back and reread sections later. The same applies if you are listening to a narration while multi-tasking.
Adults are encouraged to read to their children to develop a love of reading. Many people, due to health related issues, have no other option than using audio books.
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I love listening to audio books while I exercise - walking, elliptical, or paddle boarding! All are enhanced while I listen and engage my mind.
Absolutely yes! I am an avid reader of both books and audiobooks. I often switch back and forth from listening to reading and back again as I have a commute to work each day. I do agree with some who have mentioned that the narrator makes a huge difference but I often find that the narrator more often than not can enhance the book for me!
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I only listen to audiobooks when I’m driving. But, yes- I consider it reading. The narrator is key to keeping my attention.
I listened to a 50 hour audiobook of Gai Jin, a book I’d originally purchased in hardcover when it was originally published and never got beyond the first chapters while toting it on multiple flights with excellent intentions🤣. I loved the audiobook.
Yes. I count audiobooks in with my reading for the year. I have had to train myself to be a better listener to catch all the details, and if the audiobook captures my attention, I might read it twice to marvel at tiny things I missed the first go around.
It depends on what the audio version is easier to follow. I am in a book club and often read the book both ways. I can do busy work and follow a book. If it is too complex, I chose a different audio book.
YES! In fact, when I listen to a book, it is more impactful and I can picture it in my mind more clearly than when I read the print version. James and The Covenant of Water are perfect examples! James would not have had the same effect (accents and dialect) if I read the print version. I also loved listening to Abraham Verghese narrate his book (same with The Tennis Partner). I am currently listening to Fagin the Thief, and it is fantastic!
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Absolutely! Think of all the people who are getting the benefits of books because of the audiobooks. Many of these people may not have made the time to read a print or ebook. I prefer print, but I strongly believe in audiobooks.
Yes, of course. What’s the difference?
Yes, I do. I am very deliberate in my choices of audio books. I love hearing people read their own memoirs. Books set in other countries, read by a native speaker, add so much to the story.