What do you do while listening to audiobooks?

[Cassandra]

Mainly commute to/from work. But when I am really into the book, I have trouble stopping so I may do housework, laundry, grocery shopping and any free moment. Especially if there is a great reader!

[Betsy Myers]

Driving, working on light things that don't require much thinking, household chores, or games on my phone.

[[deleted user]]

J.
I'm with you on MHI. I'm currently re-listening to the last few books of the Dresden files in preparation of listening to "Skin Game". Then it's on to MHI re-listen for Book 5.

I re-listen a lot.

[Angelica]

I also listen to audiobooks when I'm watching my dogs out in the yard. I have 5 of them, so it's good to get some listening done while watching them.

[Nancy]

I've got a 45+ minute work commute and audio books are my savior! But I find that I can't do much other than drive and really pay attention to them very well. I've tried bringing them into work (mostly when I'm pushing a library deadline) but find that I miss alot because I'm not really paying attention.

But in the car - I don't even listen to the radio anymore!

[Catherine]

Kim wrote: "I always listen when I'm driving, on public transport, at the gym and out walking. I sometimes listen while I'm cooking, although I mostly listen to the radio when I'm in the kitchen. I also listen..."

I keep my ipod on my nightstand too, the volume set just right for if/when I have an insomniac attack.

[David]

I just completed a road trip from Central Texas to Santa Barbara then up to San Francisco and back, by myself. Listening to audio books was an excellent way to pass time while traveling alone! I also do regular 200 mile round trips and often listen to audio books.

[David]

I just completed a road trip from Central Texas to Santa Barbara then up to San Francisco and back, by myself. Listening to audio books was an excellent way to pass time while traveling alone! I also do regular 200 mile round trips and often listen to audio books.

[Michelle]

Mostly I listen while driving. I have a 45 min commute both ways so thats 1.5 hours a day already done. I will also listen at work if I am doing data entry or something that doesn't require thought as then it becomes too much. I also like to listen just laying in bed, or in the bath, or exercising/cleaning. I think this is why I prefer Audiobooks because I can multitask.

[Colleen]

I am totally addicted to Librivox right now. It's a free app that lets you listen to books written prior to 1920 I think, and recorded by volunteers. It's a great way to get through those really hard classics, like Moby Dick, which I just recently finished. You have to shop around a bit for a good reader sometimes, but a lot of the readings are really good. I especially liked Karen Savage who did most of the Jane Austen novels. I've read them before but it was nice to listen to them. I like a lot of other people listen to stories while doing chores or driving, but not when I'm doing brain work like writing on the computer or having a conversation, or shopping. Sometimes playing a game makes it hard to digest stuff... I don't really think audiobooks are cheating. It depends how well you follow the story. There's different learning types. Some people are really good at learning through listening, and some are really good at learning through reading. If you're not a good reader, but are a great listener I would propose you're going to get more from listening to a book than reading it. Plus, how many people can say they've gotten through Moby Dick? After listening to it, I know that with my busy life and the fact that the story has serious tangents, I would've never been able to complete it. But now I've at least listened to the story, and feel I understood and retained a high percentage of the tale. So totally a win in my mind. Now I'm listening to Tess of the d'Urbervilles and absolutely loving it. The prose is absolutely beautiful, and again I'm retaining more than I thought I'd be able to. It's nice to access stories that I probably would have never been able to read otherwise. I still read, typically more modern books though.

[Lanie]

Colleen, thanks for the tip! I'm gonna have to look into that. I adore classics!

[Thepinkpig]

I listen to audio books while weeding the yard, cleaning the house, running on my treadmill, or while working out at the gym, while walking the dogs, doing errands, driving back and forth to work! Audio books are so great for me because I'm really active and it bothers me having so little time to read. LOVE them as an option.

[Lanie]

Thepinkpig: you're just like me! I multi-task too!

[Nick]

At work. I have a data entry job, so I listen to audiobooks for almost 35 hours per week. Pretty sweet, actually.

[Wendy]

I was turned on to audio books by a friend. She told me she listened to them while walking, instead of music. Thus began my love of the audio book. I have walked my way through the entire Harry Potter series, The Huger Games series, The Red Tent, a few James Patterson's, The Fault in our Stars and now am on Middlesex. I look forward to my walks each day and no longer require a friend to keep me motivated as I have the next chapter enticing me along.

[Erica]

Wendy wrote: "I was turned on to audio books by a friend. She told me she listened to them while walking, instead of music. Thus began my love of the audio book. I have walked my way through the entire Harry P..."

that's such a good idea!

[Kristie]

Wendy wrote: "I was turned on to audio books by a friend. She told me she listened to them while walking, instead of music. Thus began my love of the audio book. I have walked my way through the entire Harry P..."

I love listening while walking! Hope you're enjoying Middlesex. I loved it.

[PheaJhayREADS]

whenever i am driving alone on a farm or some remote roads, i am always listening to audiobooks. i also love listening to speeches, TED/TEDx talks, tutorials. all sort of stuffs. (if you will take a peak at my music library, you would be lost on the viriety that you'll find.

[Serena]

I listen to audio books almost everyday at work. Not only do I listen everyday, I listen almost all day. When I work 12 hours or more, it makes the time fly because you get so wrapped up in the story. Audio books work for me because reading tends to put me to sleep, and even if it didn't, I barely have the time to do so. I think they're great, the only problem is that you go through them so quick!

[Kira]

I listen to them when working out. When action or fight scenes occur my adrenaline races and I accomplish more than when I listen to music. I also commute to work about an hour drive so that is also an opportune time that I use to listen to them.

[Nancy]

One thing I love to do while listening to audiobooks is dreaming -- somehow my brain mixes up the book with my subconscious! The results are usually pretty boring, though.

[Martha]

I listen to audio books while I'm eating dinner or getting ready for bed; sometimes while I'm eating breakfast or getting dressed in the morning. I also listen to them when I'm driving. Sometimes I listen to them if I can't fall asleep at night.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Sara ♥ wrote: "I'm one of those people who talk to strangers in line at the grocery store. My husband whines about it... thinks it's embarrassing or whatever. But what I get an even BIGGER kick out of is listenin..."

Lol...that's nuts!

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Ed wrote: "Or taking a road trip just to listen. Great idea!"

What a great idea.

[Anastasia]

I listen to audiobooks when I'm doing the dishes, I hate doing it and this little divertissement helps me a lot :-D

[Shawn]

I mainly listen while driving. Some days I will turn on my audio books while walking to the car and keep them on until my PC boots up at work. I also listen on those days I eat lunch at my desk. It is amazing how many books I can "read" this way.

I tried listening while working out and doing chores around the house but I normally use that as quite time. Although if I am at a good part or near the end I will turn one on.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

I just spent the day in the kitchen cooking to a few chapters of The Reunion by Amy Silver narrated by Jaunita McMahon, who does a fine job of it too.

[Brizo]

I play them in the background when working on my computer doing other things like my photography edits and such. I also listen to them when gardening, as I'm outside for hours at a time and it makes the gardening go faster.

[Diane]

Cook, clean and drive

[Sara ♥]

Benjamin wrote: "So long as it doesn't involve words, I can do pretty much anything while listening to an audiobook. So, I can't browse websites or comment on posts. I can, however, play video games or drive or clean or do math homework.

Math homework? Impressive! I didn't listen to audiobooks back in the day (which wasn't THAT long ago, but still...), but I used to talk my homework problems out... so I don't think I could have done that! :) What class(es?) are you taking?

[Rober]

Mostly while driving. The problem is that I sometimes feel like parking and just listening when it's a particularly good part of a book.
Aside from that, I listen when I am having trouble sleeping. It doesn't help but it adds an interesting factor to the sleepless issue. :)

[Sarah]

I listen while I am driving, running, and working out at the gym.

[Claire]

I sometimes read along, make food,or play on my computer.

[Mari]

I just picked up a pair of Bluetooth cordless earphones so that I can do chores and listen now. I'm SO EXCITED!!!

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Mari wrote: "I just picked up a pair of Bluetooth cordless earphones so that I can do chores and listen now. I'm SO EXCITED!!!"

Haha, the prospect of doing housework has never been so exciting!

[Kristie]

Mari wrote: "I just picked up a pair of Bluetooth cordless earphones so that I can do chores and listen now. I'm SO EXCITED!!!"

You'll love 'em, Mari.

Maxine, FYI I bought mine on Amazon about 6 months ago, and I love them:
http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTH220-B...

[Ed]

I just got that and it works great!

[Mari]

Maxine I got them from Tiger Direct.

[Mari]

I need all the help I can get, to look forward to chores! For a book addict like me, it takes chores to a whole new level! Happy happy!

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Mari wrote: "I need all the help I can get, to look forward to chores! For a book addict like me, it takes chores to a whole new level! Happy happy!"

:D

[Ross]

I can only ever listen to an audiobook much in the same way I read, in that I lie down in my bed, nothing else going on, just getting lost in the enunciation of the story. Bliss!

[Teresa]

I listen to my audiobooks while at work. I run a machine and I don't have to talk to anyone. My job is a boring job and my fantasy land keeps me sane. I also listen to them while driving and cleaning my house.

[Teresa]

Grumpus wrote: "I'm looking forward to finishing up Under the Dome on my drive to New York and Max Barry's new book, Lexicon on the return trip. I used to dread long ..."

I tried so hard to listen to under the dome since I am watching the series but for some reason I just couldn't get into it:(

[Jane]

I am allowed to wear headphones at work and I listen to audiobooks all day. Today I finished listening to secrets of the millionaire mind. Annoying narrator but decent info I thought.

[Ross]

Must be cool to be able to listen to audiobooks at work. I can't really get away with that, but perhaps that has more to do with my inability to multitask!

[Janet C-B]

I am relatively new at listening to audiobooks. I decided to give it a try to take the edge off working out at the YMCA. I also listen after I swim laps at my local pool. I seem to do better with relatively light books, like humorous memoir, or essays. I also do OK with listening to non-fiction. I have a harder time with keeping my focus with a novel with a complex plot or multiple characters.

I cannot listen to an audio book while lying down, because I fall asleep and have no idea where I left off.

[Janet C-B]

At the end of this month, I am traveling out-of-state for 10 days and I will be cut off from wi-fi. I have downloaded several audiobooks to try to fill that gap. I think the audiobooks will be useful on my flights as well as driving to and from my destination. I am not so sure if I will find them useful once at my destination. As I mentioned above, I am relatively new at this.

[Erica]

Kristie wrote: "Mari wrote: "I just picked up a pair of Bluetooth cordless earphones so that I can do chores and listen now. I'm SO EXCITED!!!"

You'll love 'em, Mari.

Maxine, FYI I bought mine on Amazon about 6..."

holy crap I need these in my life thank you so much for the info

[Grumpus, Hearing aide]

Teresa wrote: "Grumpus wrote: "I'm looking forward to finishing up Under the Dome on my drive to New York and Max Barry's new book, Lexicon on the return trip. I use..."

Under the Dome started with so much promise...in the end it was only OK...I find the TV series even worse than the book and don't watch it.

[Janet C-B]

Maxine wrote: "It does take a little while to adjust to audio books, Janet.I found listening to a book i had already read helped train my brain. I read harry potter, all seven of them along with light romance nov..."

Maxine, the other variable is that I am much stronger at processing visual information vs. audio.

One incentive to try to develop my audio skill is knowing that macular degeneration runs in my family. My mom became legally blind when she was about 80. She is now 91, and the loss of vision has been a huge adjutment for her. She does not enjoy books on tape, because she falls asleep on them.

I also used to fall asleep on audiobooks, so I just didn't bother with them. Because I have been a lifelong avid reader and my vision is good right now, my new perspective is that this is a good time in my life to find out what kind of narrated book I like best, learn favorite narrators, etc.