Regular readers of the blog will know how much
I love listening to podcasts so I found it interesting when the Audio Publishers
Association reported a 23% increase in audiobook revenue during 2018. Booklovers
are apparently being wooed to the dark side, preferring to listen rather than
read. But listening isn’t actually reading, is it? I still wasn’t tempted to
give audiobooks a try.
Perhaps my
reluctance to embrace audiobooks was caused by memories of stressfully long car
journeys, wonky cassettes tapes and scratched CDs when my sons were small,
when we listened to the Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on a loop. Or perhaps I
treasured the time I spent reading as me-time. Whatever the reason, I held off
joining the audiobook-loving masses until listening to an audiobook became the
most sensible option.
WHY I TURNED TO THE DARK SIDE
My book group chose to read Joanna
Cannon’s bestselling debut, The Trouble with Goats and Sheep. An excellent
choice and a book I’d already enjoyed but didn’t wish to read again. I did, however,
want to brush on the story, so I downloaded the audiobook courtesy of my local
library - and loved it. The novel is so beautifully narrated, the changes in
tone and depth for each character bringing Grace, the ten year-old protagonist, alive in a way
that was magical and different to the experience I had when reading.
SO THE LOVE AFFAIR BEGAN …
I was hooked. Once I finished The
Trouble with Goats and Sheep, I immediately began searching for my next
audiobook read - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal...
WHAT MAKES AUDIOBOOKS SO SEDUCTIVE?
So what changed my mind? Well listening
to a story is comforting. Perhaps it taps into memories of being cuddled on mum’s knee, or harks back to times when families swapped stories around the
fire. But audiobooks have been around in various guises for a long time. What
has caused their popularity to soar NOW?
WHY THE RECENT BOOM IN AUDIOBOOKS?
Using quick and easy to install
apps on mobile phones, bookworms are listening in the gym, on the train, whilst
driving or powering through boring chores. But there’s a catch,
audiobooks can be pricey. So where to begin?
4 WAYS TO LISTEN FOR FREE...
1. Check out the audiobooks
available to download for FREE via your local library.
2. Amazon’s excellent Audible
service offers an introductory three-month trial, allowing readers to
download one book per month absolutely FREE.
3. Amazon also offers FREE trials
of its Kindle Unlimited service, during which time booklovers may listen to as
many audiobooks as they wish.
4. Finally, for UK readers, Good Housekeeping
magazine has partnered with publisher, Harper Collins to create the GH Audiobook Club and over the coming months will be
offering every Good Housekeeping reader FREE audiobooks via Kobo. This month’s FREE to download book just happens to be The Trouble with Goats and Sheep which I
highly recommend! To find out how to claim those free books click here.
I will always love learning via
podcasts but now I enjoy mixing things up by listening to audiobooks too.
So, if you are already a lover of
audiobooks, which do you recommend? And if you have yet to join the audiobook
revolution, are you tempted?
Happy listening!
Rae x
