Love letter to audiobooks

I am obsessed

I decided to try out an audiobook after seeing recommendations from people with chronic illness saying it took less energy than reading a physical book. At the minute with Long Covid, anything that uses minimal energy is essential for trying to pace and manage your illness (because there is no other treatment *eye roll*). The audiobook was ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus. I finished it in one day, and I knew after that I was hooked.

When reading a physical copy of a book, I every so often get the feeling of being fully engulfed in it - feeling part of the story and attached to the characters, not just observing. But listening to the book seemed to take it to another level, it was like I took in every word and was IN that world. It was one of those times where you feel hollow afterwards, like something is missing from your life. I always think that is the sign of an amazing reading experience.

I am now a constant audiobook listener; throughout the day when I am resting I have an audiobook on (I am meant to be in silence for full rest but sometimes silence is TOO much), before I sleep I have an audiobook on, when I’m cooking I have an audiobook on. Sometimes it does feel like I’m rushing to the end just to complete another book on Storygraph. To feel a sense of achievement on days when the desire to be productive pushes through the fact I know our worth is not based on our productivity. Most of the time I am just enjoying it though.

If you are in contact with me at the minute, you will have heard about Borrowbox. Everyone I speak to it’s; “HAVE YOU GOT BORROWBOX YET?”. Borrowbox is a library app which allows you to loan audiobooks and e-books for free!! FREE!!! (move over audible we don’t need you). You can have 5 of each on the go (so can reserve 4 at a time while you are listening/reading one for example) and all you need is a library account, which you can set up in 5 minutes and then use those details to log in. To be honest it kinda feels like a game to me, picking out your next reserve and working out the timings of when it will be available. It’s the little things which get me through each day lol.

HOW has it taken so long? Well, I know how. Because of the ableist, elitist thinking of “audiobooks aren’t proper reading”, which is soooo not true, but I have definitely been influenced by it. If anything, I miss more of the details when I read the physical copies (Am I a fast reader or do I just skim read lol?). That’s not to say I have stopped reading physical books, I still enjoy it and also have so many to get through, but it is definitely more taxing on my brain and drains my energy more easily.

I think I am way behind everyone else, same as when podcasts took me 5 years of hearing how good they were to actually listen to them. But if you haven’t yet and fancy it, try out an audiobook. Maybe you won’t like it (I know some people find them grating), but maybe you will looove them like me.

Love Kate xx