LoveAudio week

There’s a lot to be said for reading and enjoying a good book, but if you don’t listen to audiobooks, you’re missing out on a very unique way of storytelling. Audio books are another way of accessing a great story, in addition to a paper copy, hardback or ebook. There are many advantages of audio books and somethings that even paper books can’t provide:

(c) Love Audio

You can ‘read’ hands free. Ok, so you can prop your kindle on your knee or on a music stand, but an audiobook allows you to go about your daily business much as you would when listening to the radio. For the most immersive experience, you should lie on the sofa with your head on a soft pillow and allow yourself to travel into that world coming alive..

Reading on the bus for some is impossible as you can get motion sickness. This is my personal bugbear as I get travel sick when reading. I’ve stumbled off buses before as I’ve been so desperate to finish a chapter and find out what happened. Audiobooks let you get on and off a bus accident free and make for a pretty good journey in between.

You feel you’re entering a very private and intimate world when you listen to an audiobook. The story is being told just for you when and where you want it. It feels like a unique experience.

Loved Jackanory as a child or read with mother? Remember the feeling of calm, connectedness and relaxation you felt? Audio books can do this for you now

They’re much more than Jackanory however. A boring train journey can soon become a chase on the trail of a serial killer, a walk around an idyllic island or a visit to a gothic mansion in the past. Beats the daily commute doesn’t it?

Care should be taken however if your headphones pop out when your audio book is still playing. I shocked a lady once by a voice from my handbag announcing that someone had found a dead body in the garden. But this can work in your favour if you stop the book at a certain stage to play a joke on a friend or someone irritating 😉

Audio books are like attending a private screening at your local theatre. Close your eyes and the voices bring the story to life in your mind

Of course, telling people you are listening to voices in your head can have some funny responses and looks!

Audiobooks are IDEAL for language learning. Most of my Swedish was self taught using Camilla Lackberg’s books in the original Swedish. The dictation, pronunciation and speed are very well suited to language learning. A lot slower and less colloquial than conversations or the news for example, you can rewind, stop, start or just listen and let it soak in. If you get a copy of the book in that language, you can always read the parts you don’t understand or to get a better gist of the story.

And they’re IDEAL for BookTrails! Listening to the story, having the words and atmosphere in your head as you stand in the places the book is set is one of the most amazing feelings. Historical books can take you back to that time as if you had a time machine. Even having the voice of a character in your head can help you really see what that character sees, feels and does. It’s bringing one of the five senses even more alive and allowing for book immersion in every way.

And – it’s SO easy to access audiobooks with your phone! Why not try one this week? Follow the #LoveAudio hashtag for information throughout the week.