Audio book to ebook

astrodad · 05-20-2011, 01:36 PM

Anyone start listening to an audio book and then get so engrossed in it that they start reading it, so as to finish it faster?

I've been listening to Neal Asher's The Skinner on the commute to work and have found myself running to the car during lunch to listen some more. I'm seriously considering buying it so that I can get through it quicker.

leebase · 05-20-2011, 03:16 PM

I haven't, but I've definitely wished I could have both the ebook and an audiobook with the ability to switch from one to the other at will (and in sync).

Lee

anamardoll · 05-20-2011, 03:25 PM

I often check out both ebook and audiobook at the same time (or near the same time, if there's a waitlist) from the FLoP.

I can't really listen to an audiobook of something I haven't read yet, for some reason. My mind wanders and then when I come back to the narrative, I'm lost. If I've read the book before, though, I can reorient easily. Does anyone else have that problem?

abookreader · 05-20-2011, 03:54 PM

What anamordoll said. I've actually been listening to audiobooks lately in an attempt to improve my listening skills - which suck.

I still only do well with books I've already read though. Even when I'm driving .... I zone out on the audiobook. My teachers used to complain all the time that I never listened in class. They were right.

So chances are when I get the audiobook from Overdrive, I probably have already read the book and I already own the eBook.

Dawdler · 05-20-2011, 04:16 PM

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has trouble staying focused while listening to audio books, I tried one a few months back and would zone out and come back in and be lost, I may try overdrive again just to confirm my troubles with audiobooks

pidgeon92 · 05-20-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawdler

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has trouble staying focused while listening to audio books, I tried one a few months back and would zone out and come back in and be lost, I may try overdrive again just to confirm my troubles with audiobooks

I used to be this way. I think getting older helps.

I now listen to an audiobook whenever I drive.

DiapDealer · 05-20-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawdler

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has trouble staying focused while listening to audio books

Include me in that group. I'd really love to be able to take advantage of audio books, but I just space out within minutes. And I can't figure out exactly where I went brain-dead to find my place again.

tomsem · 05-20-2011, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Include me in that group. I'd really love to be able to take advantage of audio books, but I just space out within minutes. And I can't figure out exactly where I went brain-dead to find my place again.

I've gotten a little better over time with this with practice. But navigation is a huge problem with audiobooks: no text search, generic chapter headings (when there's a UI). One of the ePub 3.0 specs has to do with synchronizing text and audio, so we might see something in a year or two:

Quote:

EPUB Media Overlays 3.0 [MediaOverlays30], which defines a format and a processing model for synchronization of text and audio.

SeaBookGuy · 05-20-2011, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrodad

Anyone start listening to an audio book and then get so engrossed in it that they start reading it, so as to finish it faster?

I've been listening to Neal Asher's The Skinner on the commute to work and have found myself running to the car during lunch to listen some more. I'm seriously considering buying it so that I can get through it quicker.

Yes, but not for the same reason. I've switched to the print version a couple of times to be able to skim through some of the denser parts, mostly nonfiction.

I tried Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger read by Simon Vance, gaving up after an hour or so. When I mentioned that at Goodreads, it was suggested that book's slow pace might not be optimal for audio, and to try reading it. Apprentice Alf was kind enough to supply me with an e-copy for my TBR pile.

pwalker8 · 05-20-2011, 10:15 PM

I have ebook versions of most of the audiobooks that I listen to, for a couple of reasons. First, I find that listening to a book is a different experience than reading, that is to say, I get a different understanding of it. Sometimes I buy the audiobook after I've read the book, for example the Harry Potter books (I have those in dead tree version) or the Honor Harrington series. Other times, I find a book that I like in audio format and get the ebook version. And, yes sometimes, I get really into an audio book and get the ebook version to see what happens.

anamardoll · 05-21-2011, 09:53 AM

I don't think it's an attention span problem, for those of you beating up on yourself for zoning out when listening to audio books.

Some people are audile learners and others are visual learners. I'm not surprised to hear that a lot of dedicated book readers lean more towards the visual spectrum!

So much can depend on the narrator, too. I really hated the voice acting for "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" that I listened to last year and the narrator just sounded so BORED.

Ericp · 05-21-2011, 09:27 PM

It is interesting to hear the experiences of others with audio books as I have never got on with them. For me, it is the reader that is the most important. Readers seem to be chosen almost at random and it ruins the entire experience.

A couple of examples would be Jim Dale and the male that reads The Wheel of Time books. Dale sounds like someone who is trying to eat whole hard boiled eggs whilst having a broom handle inserted up his rectum. The WoT guy sounds like he is trying to make an urgent call on a pay phone and angrily looking for the coins and the number.

This distracts me from the book. Similarly I was sad when I got Windows 7 to find that the only voice available was US female and sounds like she is urgently looking for a toilet. Not even MS "Sam" was available and I have got used to him.

We have all been in the position of turning on the radio and hearing someone read a play or story and been unable to do anything except sit down and listen, to be whisked away into the readers world, so it cannot be that I just do not like audio books.

SeaBookGuy · 05-21-2011, 10:21 PM

I have no opinion on Jim Dale myself as I've never heard him read anything, but folks seem to gush over his Harry Potter narration.

Most professional readers do a good job. Self-narrating authors ... not so much.

jtdolphins · 05-22-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Most professional readers do a good job. Self-narrating authors ... not so much.

The only bad experience I have had with audio books was a self-narrating author. I never finished listening to the book. I have listened to a lot of audio books and have yet to come across a bad professional reader.

I haven't bought a book to finish reading faster, but I have bought real books to have on my shelf for reference. I have done this with ebooks too. I just really liked the book and wanted it for my collection. These books have always history books so far.

SeaBookGuy · 05-22-2011, 01:40 AM

Many folks love Bill Bryson's self-narration -- I find him a turnoff as a reader.

One non-fiction that I think probably works out better that way is Eric Weiner reading his own book: The Geography of Bliss.

Myla Goldberg did a good job with her fictional work Bee Season as well.

05-20-2011, 01:36 PM	#1
astrodad Guru Posts: 962 Karma: 568242 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone	Audio book to ebook Anyone start listening to an audio book and then get so engrossed in it that they start reading it, so as to finish it faster? I've been listening to Neal Asher's The Skinner on the commute to work and have found myself running to the car during lunch to listen some more. I'm seriously considering buying it so that I can get through it quicker.

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05-20-2011, 03:16 PM	#2
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,929 Karma: 26616647 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	I haven't, but I've definitely wished I could have both the ebook and an audiobook with the ability to switch from one to the other at will (and in sync). Lee

05-20-2011, 03:25 PM	#3
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	I often check out both ebook and audiobook at the same time (or near the same time, if there's a waitlist) from the FLoP. I can't really listen to an audiobook of something I haven't read yet, for some reason. My mind wanders and then when I come back to the narrative, I'm lost. If I've read the book before, though, I can reorient easily. Does anyone else have that problem?

05-20-2011, 03:54 PM	#4
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	What anamordoll said. I've actually been listening to audiobooks lately in an attempt to improve my listening skills - which suck. I still only do well with books I've already read though. Even when I'm driving .... I zone out on the audiobook. My teachers used to complain all the time that I never listened in class. They were right. So chances are when I get the audiobook from Overdrive, I probably have already read the book and I already own the eBook.

05-20-2011, 04:16 PM	#5
Dawdler Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 328 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Device: Nook Color, Kindle 3	I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has trouble staying focused while listening to audio books, I tried one a few months back and would zone out and come back in and be lost, I may try overdrive again just to confirm my troubles with audiobooks

05-20-2011, 10:15 PM	#10
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	I have ebook versions of most of the audiobooks that I listen to, for a couple of reasons. First, I find that listening to a book is a different experience than reading, that is to say, I get a different understanding of it. Sometimes I buy the audiobook after I've read the book, for example the Harry Potter books (I have those in dead tree version) or the Honor Harrington series. Other times, I find a book that I like in audio format and get the ebook version. And, yes sometimes, I get really into an audio book and get the ebook version to see what happens.

05-21-2011, 09:53 AM	#11
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	I don't think it's an attention span problem, for those of you beating up on yourself for zoning out when listening to audio books. Some people are audile learners and others are visual learners. I'm not surprised to hear that a lot of dedicated book readers lean more towards the visual spectrum! So much can depend on the narrator, too. I really hated the voice acting for "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" that I listened to last year and the narrator just sounded so BORED.

05-21-2011, 09:27 PM	#12
Ericp Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle and Sovos Reader	It is interesting to hear the experiences of others with audio books as I have never got on with them. For me, it is the reader that is the most important. Readers seem to be chosen almost at random and it ruins the entire experience. A couple of examples would be Jim Dale and the male that reads The Wheel of Time books. Dale sounds like someone who is trying to eat whole hard boiled eggs whilst having a broom handle inserted up his rectum. The WoT guy sounds like he is trying to make an urgent call on a pay phone and angrily looking for the coins and the number. This distracts me from the book. Similarly I was sad when I got Windows 7 to find that the only voice available was US female and sounds like she is urgently looking for a toilet. Not even MS "Sam" was available and I have got used to him. We have all been in the position of turning on the radio and hearing someone read a play or story and been unable to do anything except sit down and listen, to be whisked away into the readers world, so it cannot be that I just do not like audio books.

05-21-2011, 10:21 PM	#13
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I have no opinion on Jim Dale myself as I've never heard him read anything, but folks seem to gush over his Harry Potter narration. Most professional readers do a good job. Self-narrating authors ... not so much.

05-22-2011, 01:40 AM	#15
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	Many folks love Bill Bryson's self-narration -- I find him a turnoff as a reader. One non-fiction that I think probably works out better that way is Eric Weiner reading his own book: The Geography of Bliss. Myla Goldberg did a good job with her fictional work Bee Season as well.

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