That's a great one.

I think many things Harlan Ellison did in his lifetime made Harlan Ellison's life harder, so why should this be any different?

>So if someone asks me "have you read x" you're saying that you expect me to respond with "oh no, but I have listened to the audiobook.

"I listened to the audiobook" is exactly how I respond, and then we get on with talking about it. Doesn't seem that strange to me.

Anytime you sit down to read a book, you are making a bunch of internalized decisions as a reader: the pace at which you move through the prose, how you imagine each character sounds, the tone and rhythm and inflection (akin to the "performance" of an actor) of how dialogue is delivered, the emphasis (or lack thereof) you give to different elements of the text, etc. This is the interpretive work between a reader and a text that actually constructs the narrative in front of you.

When you listen to an audiobook, you are still of course experiencing that text, but you're handing over the interpretive work of its construction to a third party. You are listening to someone else perform the book, and that person is the one making all of those interpretive choices I described above. This is not inherently inferior or "lesser" a process, but it can lead to fundamentally different outcomes, because there's an additional outside element being brought into a process that would otherwise be pretty insular. I've listened to audiobooks that I've hated, only to then read the book and have the complete opposite reaction. Conversely, I've tried to read books that I couldn't stand, only to then listen to an audiobook and have everything click into place, because the narrator was offering me a way "in" to the book that I couldn't quite find on my own.

These are all interesting and worthwhile things to consider when we're talking about the experience of literature. Clarifying the specifics of each experience is not some sort of value judgement on the so-called "validity" of each format, it's just a way to approach things with more nuance and hopefully generate further discussion.

In 2002 we got the absolutely beautiful YA fantasy book Abarat, by Clive Barker. In 2004 he published what was supposed to be book 2 of 5 in the series. In 2011 we finally got book 3 of 5.

His website still says he's working on books 4 and 5 and there's synopsis and artwork, but no eta and it seems like the website hasn't been updated in ages. So I just don't think I'll ever get to experience the end of one of my all time favorite series (that I still recommend whenever applicable, the first book is just too good).

Lonesome Dove

Yup agreed! As I said in my post, it could definitely be weird (this guys reading while walking??) or dangerous (look out- person, dog, car, stop sign)

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It helps make it feel like it lasts longer.

That's a great way to describe it. I feel that.

We all try to quantify and make sense of our world. At some point as you get more responsibilities, you'll just read books for pleasure.

Don't think of it as hoarding. You adopted them. At least that's how I justify my choices. ;)

There's a reason people tend to pace while talking on the phone. I believe that there's a connection between kinetic movement and our ability to focus and think. I certainly feel that way for myself. Listening to audiobooks while I walk my dog has been a great way for me to be able to enjoy more "reading" during my day.
That being said, I would definitely advise against reading a paper book/ipad while walking outside, only because I'd be worried for your safety! But the treadmill on a walking speed sounds like a decent idea.

I feel this way with some books. Which is why I was so surprised how little I wanted this one to end!

I finished 20 in January.

9 books toward my goal to read books by authors from other countries.

3 books toward my goal of finishing 3 series that I've been working on

4 books toward the goal of reading books I own

2 books for book clubs

2 books to learn something new

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The opposite happens for me. For example, when I picked up Death of a Salesman I went until midnight trying to read to see the ending. I did the same with Hamlet but not quite as drastic as losing a couple hours of sleep.

Perhaps the discussion I have with my friends are very different from the discussions you all are having with yours, but for my situation they are functionally identical.

I full agree. It's not the subject matter as much as the manner in which it's written. Rape is a good example of a subject that has been handled appropriately by many authors and really grossly by many others.

Seems strange they wouldn't want to explain it and just links to an article :/

>Then your a pedantic ass. No one cares how you consumed the book, they want to talk about the story you both are familiar.

It's not pedantry. Clarifying the format will lead to a better discussion, because it's context that can be kept in mind as you discuss your individual responses to a book.

​

If I listened to an audiobook, and you read it, we are of course on equal footing to talk about the text, but we experienced that text in different ways. I've had discussions with friends about novels where it eventually became clear that the divide in our perceptions of it came down to the fact that one person listened to it (and therefore experienced a third party's performance of the text instead of doing that interpretive work directly), and one person read it themselves, and it affected how each of us responded to it.

M. Tisls

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I agree with you, beckjami.

The Road. I knew what was going to happen. I read it for almost 80% and realised that there's just one way it was going to end. I stopped reading because I wasn't ready to end it, which is a great compliment to the author.

Agreed 1000%.