Audiobooks discussion
What do you do while listening to audiobooks?
Lay on the couch recovering from the weekly chemo infusion. I use Librivox.
O, Laurie... that is tough! But I'm glad you are able to find some comfort in audiobooks.
Laurie wrote: "Lay on the couch recovering from the weekly chemo infusion. I use Librivox."My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I had a friend who listened to Under the Tuscan Sky on audio while receiving her chemo for breast cancer and developed an aversion to the author-narrator's voice through association!
Jeanie wrote: "I had a friend who listened to Under the Tuscan Sky on audio while receiving her chemo for breast cancer and developed an aversion to the author-narrator's voice through association! .."I can imagine that is how our brains work!
I remember getting the flu while eating something I always loved. I was violently sick and go to bed with fever. It took my years to learn to love that kind of soup again...
And chemo is so much worse, I think/suppose.
Greg wrote: "SAJ wrote: "I read while I listen to audiobooks."Funny!"
It's true...lol
Camelia Rose wrote: "SAJ wrote: "I read while I listen to audiobooks."You mean you read and listen to the same book? That's interesting..."
Yes, Usually at night. I catch up on new and stuff....look for more books while I listen....
Robin wrote: "Karen wrote: "I don't know how someone can read and listen to an audiobook unless they are the same story. I can only do mindless things while listening; laundry, cleaning chores and other househol..."I'm not reading the same thing I'm listening too...
Hello. I am a new group member/psychiatrist/novelist. I would love to hear your thoughts about this: can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other things as you listen? We know listening can be powerful, and I have read some Audible reviewers of my novel who also read it say that while they enjoyed both forms, they preferred the audio.
But I myself, when I listen, like to huddle into a chair and lose myself in the book. So I wonder, for those of you here who do many other things while listening, do you think you are missing anything compared to listening only?
Monica wrote: "Hello. I am a new group member/psychiatrist/novelist. I would love to hear your thoughts about this: can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other thing..."It depends on what I'm doing....if it's something that I've done for years like driving or cleaning, I can get totally immersed in the story. But if it's something that is slightly new to me, say a new recipe that I'm cooking and I have to think about, it takes me out temporarily. One thing I discovered I can do with no problem that surprised me is Suduko puzzles....it must engage a different part of the brain, not so with regular crosswords. I don't feel like I miss anything and if I do find that my mind has wandered I just go back to the last passage I remember.
I do know some people who annotate while they read so I don't think that type of intense study would work for me while listening to audio. If it was something I needed to annotate, I'd prefer a print book.
Monica wrote: "Hello. I am a new group member/psychiatrist/novelist. I would love to hear your thoughts about this: can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other thing..."I think it depends - I could, for instance, write an email while listening to a book, but one as part of a series with which I'm familiar as 'background'. However, I feel I can connect with a story in general, even if I'm on say a bus or a train where I am very conscious of my surroundings and what's going on around me.
Great discussion you started, Monica!I agree with Janet, things like sudoku go really well, in fact I think it enhances my listening.
I can do basic cleaning stuff, cooking is more a challenge: I tend to vary and experiment with my recipes, so the focus isn't on the book.
I can't do other language things like emails. John is several masterclasses ahead of me I think!
I can actually focus better by multitasking, I think it's similar to paying attention better while fidgeting/messing with a fidget toy in that it takes up 'floating attention'. As long as it's repetitive like cross-stitch/crochet/knitting/coloring/diamond painting/etc, I find it helps me to stay focused more than just sitting or walking around.
Specs wrote: "Great discussion you started, Monica!I agree with Janet, things like sudoku go really well, in fact I think it enhances my listening.
I can do basic cleaning stuff, cooking is more a challenge: I..."
Interesting you say that, as I started a book in Spanish on the plane, an English announcement was made, so my brain made me stop reading immediately even though I tried not paying attention to the English.
I can also do simple, repetitive things while listening--folding clothes is great--but anything where I'm having to use higher order thinking doesn't work as well unless the book I'm listening to is mindless itself.For a really good book though, I actually prefer my comfy chair to snuggle in and just listen. In fact, it's almost necessary since I've found myself standing stock still in the middle of a task, immobile andjust listening when the book is sufficiently absorbing. Of course, not all books are quite that enthralling so multitasking is possible most of the time.
Oh, and I've found that it's dangerous to have a whole bag of nuts or M&Ms or chips too close at hand while listening... poof, and an hour of the book and all the snacks are gone! While I remember what happened in the book, for the life of me I don't remember eating all the goodies. :(
Adrian wrote: "I can actually focus better by multitasking, I think it's similar to paying attention better while fidgeting/messing with a fidget toy in that it takes up 'floating attention'. As long as it's repe..."I am like you, Adrian. I think I am somewhere on the ADD spectrum and I rarely do only one thing at a time. I can focus on audiobooks while cleaning and while walking (it's the main way I motivate myself to walk, and now I associate certain spots in my neighborhood with scenes from the books I heard while walking there.) Most driving is fine too, but if it's an unfamiliar place or a lot of traffic, I might turn it off. When driving, if I don't have a book and don't make an effort to concentrate on the road, my mind goes to something else and I am even less focused.
I haven't had the snacking problem so much, but sometimes I remember what was happening in the book when I arrived at the grocery store or mall, but not where I parked my car! I guess I should associate my parking place with the story.
It's the sign of a terrific audiobook when I will just sit on the couch and listen without doing anything else. A couple like this were The Martian and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Lol Jeanie & Robin.Another note, sometimes it is great to enhance the listening experience.
I was actually walking around on an estate (with beautifully old trees) while listening to The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World .
Thanks so much to all of you. I'm the psychiatrist-novelist (The End of Miracles) who asked: if you do other things while listening, do you think you are missing getting deeply into the story? Your answers were so interesting, both to my psychiatrist and my novelist side. We, and our brains, are so different from each other that we see from the answers that: it varies a lot. Also, as always, no one is really reading or listening to the very same book - because we are co-creating it through our own self, our experiences, our memories. reply | edit | delete | flag *
Monica wrote: "Hello. I am a new group member/psychiatrist/novelist. I would love to hear your thoughts about this: can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other thing..."Hi Monica, Like others above, it does depend on what I am doing. In fact, I like to listen while doing other things, most particularly driving, washing dishes, watering the garden, walking, gardening, waiting, doing certain things on the computer, having a couple of dim sims at the food court after doing the shopping and prior to picking up my wife from zumba (how specific is that!!). I think that listening to audiobooks requires a little practice, a book or two, and most people either love it a lot or don't like it at all. I love it a lot.
I listen while I'm driving or doing a menial task that doesn't require using focused decision making.
I listen to my audiobook when I’m driving, cleaning and when I’m coloring. I just love listening to audiobooks.
Diana wrote: "I listen to my audiobook when I’m driving, cleaning and when I’m coloring. I just love listening to audiobooks."I listen while coloring also. I've gotten into dot-to-dot puzzles as well.
Monica wrote: "...can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other things as you listen?..."Yes. In fact, I have to be doing something else as I listen or my mind will wander, no matter how interesting the book is. I’m always doing things like household chores, playing a word game, or assembling a jigsaw puzzle (usually on my iPad). I usually listen to a book as I cook, but I sometimes have to pause the book when following a recipe.
Listening whilst (long distance) driving has always been my ‘best friend’ for those long drives. I can sometimes listen when I’m driving in an urban area, but only if I really know where I’m going and how to get there! If I have to rely on my SatNav for directions, then I can still listen to the book, but I won’t have heard a thing!
I listened to audio books while I was peeling off wall papers, painting walls, caulking windows and trims, caulking long expansion joints and curvy cracks on the drive way, repairing scratched wood floors, dusting furniture...anything that was tedious and low brain work. I either played hoopla using cell phone or Alexa, or played audio CDs using portal audio system. Don't know about you guys, I am never a fan of earphone, it could make me lose my balance or not aware of my surroundings. I always place my cell phone or the audio system by my side, so they did get a little share of the paint:-)
Andrew, I love to listen on long drives. Sat nav can be a pain and I've been to turn it off and get hopelessly lost but that's OK as well once I have a book to listen to!Susan, I completely agree about ear bods. It seems which ever size I try just keep falling out. The only time I use them is in bed. I love my alexa the most.
Susan wrote: "I listened to audio books while I was peeling off wall papers, painting walls, caulking windows and trims, caulking long expansion joints and curvy cracks on the drive way, repairing scratched wood..."I've listened to books while doing most of those things and more. It's great to be able to accomplish a task and enjoy a book at the same time.
Commuting, driving by car, running and when my girl (10months) sleeps in her stroller. I listen with 200-300% i.e. I cant do anything smart meanwhile.
I usually do it when i'm blogging, editing videos or commuting usually, sometimes even when im cooking.
Monica wrote: "Hello. I am a new group member/psychiatrist/novelist. I would love to hear your thoughts about this: can you get deeply into the story and connect with the characters when you are doing other thing..."I'm a little late to answering this one, but I usually listen while doing housework and feeding the dogs. I can 100% connect to the characters and get lost in their world. Unloading the dishwasher requires almost no brain power so I'm not in the kitchen, I'm in Middle Earth.
I love that - "I'm not in the kitchen, I'm in Middle Earth". There is a school of thought about being present to what you are doing, like when you are washing the dishes, just be aware of washing the dishes. What a waste of time! Well, I'm sure many people benefit from focusing on the moment, but I doubt they enjoy that more than I enjoy whatever audio world I am in. I'm often surprised at how fast the dishes or other tasks get done.
Robin wrote: "I love that - "I'm not in the kitchen, I'm in Middle Earth". There is a school of thought about being present to what you are doing, like when you are washing the dishes, just be aware of washing t..."I guess "be in the moment" is a philosophy that works for some. When it comes to real life I'd rather be cooking than fighting a mad scientist and minions. When it comes to entertainment chopping vegetables, stirring soup, checking pasta... not that entertaining. It's great that audio books allow me to do both at the same time.
Thank you, LJ, for making me think about this. It's taken me nearly 70 years and a few near-death experiences to bring me to this conclusion:Being 'in the moment' is far more than enjoying washing the dishes. It is realizing that you are alive in this moment, and that's all you have. This moment. The past is gone, and the future is probable, but not guaranteed. Humans plan, fate laughs.
If you have a book that you're engrossed in, you are in that moment. You have had the pleasure of choice, of using your body and mind to its capacity, of not being forced to do something other. You chose how to use the moment.
If you're in the front seat on a roller coaster, you're in the moment. If you're in an earthquake, you're in the moment. If a loved one dies, you're in the moment, if you choose to be. It's good to have practice with something simpler.
If all you have is the peace and quiet to wash dishes, isn't it better to enjoy that moment, knowing that it could end in a flash? Sometimes, you just don't get to choose the peace around you, but you can always choose to appreciate what you have.
Being present in your life is the point.
As my time grows shorter, I am more aware, and more grateful.
I don't mean to be preachy. I'm just working on my own stuff, and sharing what I've found helpful living my life fully, with no GSR: No guilt, no shame, no regret. YMMV
When I progressed from being unable to read shiny paper, then regular print, then large print, and on to being only able to read my computer with inverted color and really large letters, I discovered that audiobooks had come a long way, baby, since I drove 30k miles one year, and listened to the entire collection of books on tape from my local library. (1987-88)The CDs were great, but...getting to the library was difficult. Downloading audiobooks from Overdrive saved my sanity while I set up and underwent 4 eye surgeries to restore my vision. Months of forced isolation and motion restriction, to keep me from getting sick and ruining my transplants, allowed me to do little else but listen and lie still. I live alone, and books, GR, and the library site were my constant companions. It was like playing hooky from the world, to curl up and read and read, and do nothing else. Who knew that going blind for a year could be so much fun? And educational? I've learned a lot about libraries, and what has happened to them since Amazon.
Oh, can I say that here?
JZ wrote: "Thank you, LJ, for making me think about this. It's taken me nearly 70 years and a few near-death experiences to bring me to this conclusion:Being 'in the moment' is far more than enjoying washing..."
Your observations are very thoughtful. I hate to admit it, but for me the biggest regret I have about dying some day is not that I will be separated from my family, but that I won't be able to read more books!
Robin wrote: "JZ wrote: "...Your observations are very thoughtful. I hate to admit it, but for me the biggest regret I have about dying some day is not that I will be separated from my family, but that I won't be able to read more books!"Your not alone in that thought. There's even a book tote bag.
I listen all day while I am at work! I have an issue with silence, that mostly being that I absolutely hate it. I slept in my parents room for most of my toddler/early childhood years, my mother always left the TV on when she went to sleep so I did to. To this day I cannot sleep without the sound of voices talking, can't be music can't be white noise, only talking. I think it was so ingrained in me from such a young age that it extended to beyond sleep. When there is silence I get can't focus on anything, so I am very very thankful my job allows me to have headphones in all day.
I walk, paint, edit, pretty much anything that doesn't require a lot of mental attention.
They're awesome for making the time fly on long road trips!
I listen at work while doing admin stuff, also while cleaning or working out. And recently started doing diamond painting or adult coloring books while listening as well.
Jolie wrote: "I swear that if not for audiobooks, my housework would never get done. I also love crafting (creating dollhouse minis) while listening to a good book!"
Jolie I agree, I don't know how I ever got through housework before audiobooks!! I also enjoy crafting, audios just makes life so much more pleasant. :D
Jolie I agree, I don't know how I ever got through housework before audiobooks!! I also enjoy crafting, audios just makes life so much more pleasant. :D
I listen while folding laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, and waiting simply waiting on lines throughout the day. Sometimes my car, but not usually.
household chores, listen at work, exercise, diamond painting, driving
HeatherH wrote: "household chores, listen at work, exercise, diamond painting, driving"Diamond painting! I think that's a first in this topic!
Specs wrote: "HeatherH wrote: "household chores, listen at work, exercise, diamond painting, driving"Diamond painting! I think that's a first in this topic!"
I just recently found it and I love it! Keeps my mind from wandering to other stuff while I am listening and it's super relaxing!
Crocheting, cleaning, colouring, zoning out...
During Christmas I treated myself to jigsaw puzzles while listening to my audiobooks - bliss!
I think I would love jigsaw puzzles, as does Specs Bunny, but being colorblind, jigsaw puzzles are a nightmare! Many years ago I got a beautiful puzzle for Christmas. I finally gave up on it after 2 solid weeks of torture. Now I like to play visual puzzle games on my phone, or watch muted basketball games while listening to my audiobooks. It has to be something which doesn't distract me from the book, and I'm easily distracted.
Rick B wrote: "I think I would love jigsaw puzzles, as does Specs Bunny, but being colorblind, jigsaw puzzles are a nightmare! Many years ago I got a beautiful puzzle for Christmas. I finally gave up on it after ..."Ooh, that's really annoying Rick! Maybe there are jigsaws from artists like Escher (although they may be really difficult!) or something else in black and white?
Google jigsaw and colourblind! I found this;
https://www.zazzle.com/colorblind+puz...
Hope there is more of this kind of thing.
Or do a Sudoku while listening!
Audiobooks
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World (other topics)The Martian (other topics)
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (other topics)
The Hero With a Thousand Faces (other topics)
A Dance with Dragons (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Max Barry (other topics)Max Barry (other topics)
Amy Silver (other topics)
Max Barry (other topics)
I found it difficult to keep up with an audiobook in German even though I can read the book itself pretty comfortably. It felt like the narrator was going way to fast, lol. Just shows that I need more practice.
For English audiobooks, I cross stitch, crochet, and do jigsaw puzzles online. Same for podcasts.