2020 CHALLENGE: The Audiobook Challenge

2020 AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE

hosted by Hot Listens and Caffeinated Reviewer

I'm signing up this year for the 2020 Audiobook Challenge hosted by Hot Listens and Caffeinated Reviewer. The goal is to listen to more audiobooks in 2020 than in 2019. I love audiobooks and read a lot of books with my ears. I listened to 42 audiobooks in 2019. It might be hard to top that.

I am signing up for the "My Precious" level 30+ audiobooks in 2020, with the goal of getting to at least 43 and beating my 2019 number. I don't have any in mind yet. I keep a wish list on my library account, and keep several holds going, so I often take pot luck of what hold comes up first.

My usual method of adding to my wish list or library holds is to go through all the book lists I'm working on and see what's available from my library. They add audiobooks all the time. I've gotten through a number of Must Reads and Prize Winners this way, which appeals to the list ticker in me.

BOOKS READ FOR THIS CHALLENGE

I will list my books here as I read them.

MY THOUGHTS ON AUDIOBOOKS

First, I am firmly in the camp that counts an audiobook as "reading" a book. (As long as it is an unabridged edition; but I don't count reading an abridged edition with your eyes as reading the book either.) If the words of a book go into your brain through one of your sense receptors - eyes, ears, or fingertips - that counts as reading the book, in my book.

Second, I love audiobooks. Especially now that they are available for instant download, they are so convenient! And the download versions have the nice added features of being able to back up in 15 second bits if you miss something and listen at faster speeds, which is really nice. I find 1.25 is good for most books. I listen while I fold laundry, cook, walk to work, drive, or putter around the house. I can't listen while I do anything that requires verbal thinking.

Finally, audiobooks have helped me get through several chunky classics I probably wouldn't have tackled in paper. I prefer audio books for older literature. Someone else has parsed the dense, long paragraphs and figured out the proper phrasing; the use of different voices for the characters make them more engaging; and the books are just more lively. It's like the difference between trying to read a Shakespeare play -- difficult -- and watching one performed -- enjoyable.