I think that antipathy towards audiobooks is mostly unjustified. While I appreciate the satisfaction felt holding a physical book, audiobooks have their uses and advantages. Listening to the oral interpretation of a character’s voice can provide greater information than may be gained by our personal imagination. I am in my seventies and, unfortunately, have cataracts. Many other people also have problems with their eyes which can make reading difficult. Overall, everyone obviously should read as few, or as many books as they want , or of which they are capable. It’s entirely the individual’s choice. Anyway, audiobooks are really useful and also enjoyable.
i couldn't love this more. i don't often go for audiobooks, and even still some of my better reading experiences in recent years have come from listening to a story that was told to me 1000% better than i could have read it for myself. there is not a part of me that thinks audiobooks don't count
Reading makes makes my eyes tired unless the lighting is obnoxiously bright and I can listen to audiobooks while driving or doing dishes. I retain more by hearing, too.
I totally agree. It's also so helpful with young children. I don't have a lot of time to sit and read anymore, but will often put an audiobook on when I'm doing the washing or tidying up. I'm not a big music listener so I love "reading" this way as it helps me zone out of the boring things I'm doing with my hands!
I don’t think of audiobooks as reading, but I have nothing against them. If that’s how you want to take in the story, that’s fine, and you obviously don’t have to clarify that you listened to the audiobook if someone asks if you read something, it’s just not the same as reading text.
The exception there I think is for blind people. But I think that audiobooks for them are also closer to reading text than they are for people who can see but choose the audiobook. Mostly because sighted people can be doing something else while listening and it’s not the same experience if your attention is divided. But for blind people, if they’re listening to an audiobook that’s gonna be their only focus in a way that’s similar to a sighted person reading text.
I’m also kind of a book snob but my official position unless I’ve had a few drinks is “read or listen to whatever you want, just don’t buy it from Amazon if you can at all help it”
Hard hard HARD agree. It always makes me chuckle when I see people online complaining about the amount of reading some people do. I think the increase in complaints is because reading is kind of a trendy hobby that exploded after the pandemic. Of course, there have always been readers, but a surge in people posting what they read online increased and those people that would have avoided book related online content 10 years ago were bombarded with it from a ton of different people - it was no longer nerds and academic people that were reading (said affectionately) it was also the popular fashion influencer and the beauty guru and the jocks. It truly has become the new trendy hobby to partake in. (Probably in part because of capitalism - being a trendy Booktoker might earn you some money!) So I think a lot of people as a result tried to take up reading as a hobby (either from pressure or genuine curiosity), but it's just not clicking naturally to them, so instead of being honest with themselves (that they aren't a voracious reader, or maybe even a reader at all) they instead bash those that are. It's kind of like if someone's favorite thing to do is running - they are going to try and run as much as possible. It's going to be their priority hobby because they LIKE it. Like, just admit you don't like reading! It's not that hard! I seriously don't understand that concept. I LOVE reading, it's my favorite thing to do, above ANYTHING else (even hanging with my boyfriend or my friends or playing Candy Crush) so you best believe I'm going to try and read any chance I can! You will NOT see me have the same enthusiasm for running, or doing puzzles, or hiking because I don't LIKE those things!
alyssa, i could not agree more! i think because reading has become trendy while still carrying this intellectual and positive reputation, it instills a sense of insecurity and even jealousy in those who are trying to take it up, or even resisting trying. no one is getting mad, to your point, at people who have beat hundreds of candy crush levels, let alone claiming they're lying or cheating to get there!
Nothing stirs insecurity in people than one saying "I read xx books this month or this year". They don't even ask what you read, they scream at you "it's because you don't have children" or something of the sort. And then you remember you have friends with children who do read... people should just be honest and say they don't like reading, it's not a crime. Please continue reading (a lot) and sharing (it all) with us! Here and on the defunct app haha
this is so well put, Jess! i don't know what causes people to lash out — do people tell binge watchers that they'll never sit down to an episode of tv again if they have children??? anyway. thank you!
I have three young children and I read a LOT. I also get through audiobooks alongside physically reading every day. It's good for children to see us reading, so there's really no good excuse (for people who want to read) not to pick up a book from time to time. If they wanted to, they would.
Pretty regularly hit 40-50 books a year and when friends ask how thats even possible I just tell them I don't watch TV. The time is there. And everyone has different priorities, but I get tired when I hear people say reading a lot is impossible or performative
I read 50 books a year and every time I get my screen time report on my phone I kick myself because I realize I could easily double that if I stopped scrolling.
For better or for worse, my hack is that I have the Kindle app on my phone. Whenever I open my phone to scroll Insta or some website, the Kindle app is the first thing I see on my home screen and I attempt to redirect. It works really well, but I'm also able to read in short bursts and still retain what I saw. I know some people really have to sit down and get comfortable to focus.
mark, this is such a great tip. i don't love reading on my phone, but i strongly prefer reading a few pages on an app over scrolling and losing track of time!
I absolutely agree with this! I read a lot, but I never tell people how many books I read a year as I feel like it would sound like I’m bragging and I don’t really feel like it’s anything to brag about. It’s just my main hobby and always has been. I also watch barely any tv and it’s not because I don’t enjoy it - I love it when I’m into a show, but I actually find it much easier to get into a book than a show because I’m a naturally fast reader so I get into a book very quickly, whereas with tv if something doesn’t grab me immediately I often give up on it within about 10 minutes and never go back to it because I usually have a book I’d rather be reading! I think another thing that helps me read a lot is that I happen to have massively broad taste in books - it’s not that I’m not discerning in what I read but I enjoy basically all genres so I never ever run out of books to read.
i feel like you took this comment from out of my own brain. i agree about absolutely everything- unintentional bragging, the difficulty of getting into tv but enjoying it, the genre breadth, all of it!
I think Hank Green or someone said once that anyone can become really fit if it's one of their top three priorities and I think the same applies to anything, including reading a lot. I'd guess that people don't like admitting that their top three priorities don't include certain things society deems especially important or status-conveying, like working out or reading. But that's the problem; only three things can be in your top three priorities! That doesn't mean reading can't be fifth, or ninth. We compare ourselves to the best in every category because we've been conditioned to chase self-improvement until we collapse. I think we all need to half-ass a few more things.
It's also interesting to me what people's definitions of "unrealistic" reading are. It seems to be anything that's much higher than the most books you personally have ever read in a year. Even given that, 30 as a clearly-cheating number is pretty sad.
i love this perspective – in the age of the internet we are all seeing exclusively people doing their #1 thing, and comparing it to ourselves even if that thing is not in our top 10.
i don’t even judge people whose top 3 all consists of things like self care and light, pleasurable activities – in fact that makes a lot of sense to me. but there’s a defensiveness to it that makes me upset.
A lot of this dialogue feels like it’s coming from people who think reading goals are competitive with other people, when really they should be competitive with yourself. I challenged myself to read 50 books this year because last year I read 45, not because 50 is what everyone else is doing.
Oh, I love this one. Glad you said it, especially about that irksome tweet about reading 30+ books a year. (Also, your reviews are one of the only reasons I check Goodreads, outside of tracking my own reads, these days.)
I can understand disbelief when someone says they read 300+ books per year, especially if you don't have the habit, but 30 is a bit ridiculous to me. Tell me you have never had reading as a "main" hobby without actually saying it.
Surprising how explosive people can be when you happen to do something they wish they could. Having fun and enjoying the ride is more important than any "audiobooks aren't real books" debate. While I was working as a research technician, I was sitting in the cell culture hood for hours each day, and my physical reading went out the window. Audiobooks were my primary source of reading because of accessibility, and I know others who use it because of eyesight issues or it's available from the library.
"Bricking" is what eventually helped me too! I paid for an internet browser extension that blocks social media on my phone, and I'm testing out an RSS feed reader to stay in touch with news, world events, and my favorite content creators. I always have "fun" books loaded onto my phone via Libby or an EPub reader, which helps me redirect the pick-up-my-phone compulsion. My focus and my mental health have improved quite a bit since using my phone in this way.
I agree with this entire post! I always get embarrassed to tell people how many books I read a year, because they either think I'm lying or bragging, and I'm honestly not sure which is worse. I always feel like I have to justify it with "I work at a library, I work part time, I read a lot of graphic novels". Really though, I just don't watch tv, I'm an introvert, I listen to audiobooks while I do other hobbies, my whole life revolves around books/reading and I like it that way. BUT your whole life doesn't have to revolve around reading in order to be a reader! And it really is not a competition. I track my reading because that's fun for me, not because I'm trying to prove anything.
i had my expectations, but i’m still taken aback by what a common experience it appears to be to feel nervous or shy about answering the question “how many books did you read last year?” it isn’t a competition, and we shouldn’t all have to feel so defensive and protective — not about a harmless passion!
I didn't realise people hated on those who read 30/50/100 books a year!
People should read as much as they want and in any format they want - I go with everything from paperbacks, hard covers, Kindle editions, audiobooks... I get a solid hour of listening to my audiobook in the morning when I'm feeding my cats, prepping my breakfast, getting ready etc. It's brilliant!
This is my favorite post of yours. You really shared something about your hidden self here, and that takes courage. This post will make me read more of your posts. Thanks.
Love this post so much. After a covid reading surge, I started using a lot of these techniques after retuning to “normal” life, and I’m up to about 35 per year. Seems perfectly normal to me :) When I see 100+ reads per year from you and a few friends, I don’t see anything strange or suspicious - I see opportunity 🤩 Keep reading too much, Emma. And congrats on your marriage!
Can I add this article to my “finished” list?? 😉 just kidding but love everything about this article!
Even during grad school I finished a couple of books but I always hated justified why or how much I am or am not reading during different periods of my life.
I think that antipathy towards audiobooks is mostly unjustified. While I appreciate the satisfaction felt holding a physical book, audiobooks have their uses and advantages. Listening to the oral interpretation of a character’s voice can provide greater information than may be gained by our personal imagination. I am in my seventies and, unfortunately, have cataracts. Many other people also have problems with their eyes which can make reading difficult. Overall, everyone obviously should read as few, or as many books as they want , or of which they are capable. It’s entirely the individual’s choice. Anyway, audiobooks are really useful and also enjoyable.
i couldn't love this more. i don't often go for audiobooks, and even still some of my better reading experiences in recent years have come from listening to a story that was told to me 1000% better than i could have read it for myself. there is not a part of me that thinks audiobooks don't count
Reading makes makes my eyes tired unless the lighting is obnoxiously bright and I can listen to audiobooks while driving or doing dishes. I retain more by hearing, too.
I totally agree. It's also so helpful with young children. I don't have a lot of time to sit and read anymore, but will often put an audiobook on when I'm doing the washing or tidying up. I'm not a big music listener so I love "reading" this way as it helps me zone out of the boring things I'm doing with my hands!
I don’t think of audiobooks as reading, but I have nothing against them. If that’s how you want to take in the story, that’s fine, and you obviously don’t have to clarify that you listened to the audiobook if someone asks if you read something, it’s just not the same as reading text.
The exception there I think is for blind people. But I think that audiobooks for them are also closer to reading text than they are for people who can see but choose the audiobook. Mostly because sighted people can be doing something else while listening and it’s not the same experience if your attention is divided. But for blind people, if they’re listening to an audiobook that’s gonna be their only focus in a way that’s similar to a sighted person reading text.
I’m also kind of a book snob but my official position unless I’ve had a few drinks is “read or listen to whatever you want, just don’t buy it from Amazon if you can at all help it”
Hard hard HARD agree. It always makes me chuckle when I see people online complaining about the amount of reading some people do. I think the increase in complaints is because reading is kind of a trendy hobby that exploded after the pandemic. Of course, there have always been readers, but a surge in people posting what they read online increased and those people that would have avoided book related online content 10 years ago were bombarded with it from a ton of different people - it was no longer nerds and academic people that were reading (said affectionately) it was also the popular fashion influencer and the beauty guru and the jocks. It truly has become the new trendy hobby to partake in. (Probably in part because of capitalism - being a trendy Booktoker might earn you some money!) So I think a lot of people as a result tried to take up reading as a hobby (either from pressure or genuine curiosity), but it's just not clicking naturally to them, so instead of being honest with themselves (that they aren't a voracious reader, or maybe even a reader at all) they instead bash those that are. It's kind of like if someone's favorite thing to do is running - they are going to try and run as much as possible. It's going to be their priority hobby because they LIKE it. Like, just admit you don't like reading! It's not that hard! I seriously don't understand that concept. I LOVE reading, it's my favorite thing to do, above ANYTHING else (even hanging with my boyfriend or my friends or playing Candy Crush) so you best believe I'm going to try and read any chance I can! You will NOT see me have the same enthusiasm for running, or doing puzzles, or hiking because I don't LIKE those things!
alyssa, i could not agree more! i think because reading has become trendy while still carrying this intellectual and positive reputation, it instills a sense of insecurity and even jealousy in those who are trying to take it up, or even resisting trying. no one is getting mad, to your point, at people who have beat hundreds of candy crush levels, let alone claiming they're lying or cheating to get there!
Nothing stirs insecurity in people than one saying "I read xx books this month or this year". They don't even ask what you read, they scream at you "it's because you don't have children" or something of the sort. And then you remember you have friends with children who do read... people should just be honest and say they don't like reading, it's not a crime. Please continue reading (a lot) and sharing (it all) with us! Here and on the defunct app haha
this is so well put, Jess! i don't know what causes people to lash out — do people tell binge watchers that they'll never sit down to an episode of tv again if they have children??? anyway. thank you!
I have three young children and I read a LOT. I also get through audiobooks alongside physically reading every day. It's good for children to see us reading, so there's really no good excuse (for people who want to read) not to pick up a book from time to time. If they wanted to, they would.
Pretty regularly hit 40-50 books a year and when friends ask how thats even possible I just tell them I don't watch TV. The time is there. And everyone has different priorities, but I get tired when I hear people say reading a lot is impossible or performative
it really, really irritates me. not everyone can read X number of books, sure, but everyone can READ
I read 50 books a year and every time I get my screen time report on my phone I kick myself because I realize I could easily double that if I stopped scrolling.
100%! Im a big movie watcher so I'll always make time for that, but endless scrolling on my phone kills me
For better or for worse, my hack is that I have the Kindle app on my phone. Whenever I open my phone to scroll Insta or some website, the Kindle app is the first thing I see on my home screen and I attempt to redirect. It works really well, but I'm also able to read in short bursts and still retain what I saw. I know some people really have to sit down and get comfortable to focus.
mark, this is such a great tip. i don't love reading on my phone, but i strongly prefer reading a few pages on an app over scrolling and losing track of time!
I do this too! I love that it syncs with the actual Kindle
I absolutely agree with this! I read a lot, but I never tell people how many books I read a year as I feel like it would sound like I’m bragging and I don’t really feel like it’s anything to brag about. It’s just my main hobby and always has been. I also watch barely any tv and it’s not because I don’t enjoy it - I love it when I’m into a show, but I actually find it much easier to get into a book than a show because I’m a naturally fast reader so I get into a book very quickly, whereas with tv if something doesn’t grab me immediately I often give up on it within about 10 minutes and never go back to it because I usually have a book I’d rather be reading! I think another thing that helps me read a lot is that I happen to have massively broad taste in books - it’s not that I’m not discerning in what I read but I enjoy basically all genres so I never ever run out of books to read.
i feel like you took this comment from out of my own brain. i agree about absolutely everything- unintentional bragging, the difficulty of getting into tv but enjoying it, the genre breadth, all of it!
I think Hank Green or someone said once that anyone can become really fit if it's one of their top three priorities and I think the same applies to anything, including reading a lot. I'd guess that people don't like admitting that their top three priorities don't include certain things society deems especially important or status-conveying, like working out or reading. But that's the problem; only three things can be in your top three priorities! That doesn't mean reading can't be fifth, or ninth. We compare ourselves to the best in every category because we've been conditioned to chase self-improvement until we collapse. I think we all need to half-ass a few more things.
It's also interesting to me what people's definitions of "unrealistic" reading are. It seems to be anything that's much higher than the most books you personally have ever read in a year. Even given that, 30 as a clearly-cheating number is pretty sad.
i love this perspective – in the age of the internet we are all seeing exclusively people doing their #1 thing, and comparing it to ourselves even if that thing is not in our top 10.
i don’t even judge people whose top 3 all consists of things like self care and light, pleasurable activities – in fact that makes a lot of sense to me. but there’s a defensiveness to it that makes me upset.
isn’t 30 so disappointing? what a low bar.
A lot of this dialogue feels like it’s coming from people who think reading goals are competitive with other people, when really they should be competitive with yourself. I challenged myself to read 50 books this year because last year I read 45, not because 50 is what everyone else is doing.
love this
Oh, I love this one. Glad you said it, especially about that irksome tweet about reading 30+ books a year. (Also, your reviews are one of the only reasons I check Goodreads, outside of tracking my own reads, these days.)
thank you so much! i don't know if i'll ever be able to part with that awful website
I can understand disbelief when someone says they read 300+ books per year, especially if you don't have the habit, but 30 is a bit ridiculous to me. Tell me you have never had reading as a "main" hobby without actually saying it.
i get it!
Surprising how explosive people can be when you happen to do something they wish they could. Having fun and enjoying the ride is more important than any "audiobooks aren't real books" debate. While I was working as a research technician, I was sitting in the cell culture hood for hours each day, and my physical reading went out the window. Audiobooks were my primary source of reading because of accessibility, and I know others who use it because of eyesight issues or it's available from the library.
"Bricking" is what eventually helped me too! I paid for an internet browser extension that blocks social media on my phone, and I'm testing out an RSS feed reader to stay in touch with news, world events, and my favorite content creators. I always have "fun" books loaded onto my phone via Libby or an EPub reader, which helps me redirect the pick-up-my-phone compulsion. My focus and my mental health have improved quite a bit since using my phone in this way.
i love this!!! this is exactly what i’m talking about.
I agree with this entire post! I always get embarrassed to tell people how many books I read a year, because they either think I'm lying or bragging, and I'm honestly not sure which is worse. I always feel like I have to justify it with "I work at a library, I work part time, I read a lot of graphic novels". Really though, I just don't watch tv, I'm an introvert, I listen to audiobooks while I do other hobbies, my whole life revolves around books/reading and I like it that way. BUT your whole life doesn't have to revolve around reading in order to be a reader! And it really is not a competition. I track my reading because that's fun for me, not because I'm trying to prove anything.
i had my expectations, but i’m still taken aback by what a common experience it appears to be to feel nervous or shy about answering the question “how many books did you read last year?” it isn’t a competition, and we shouldn’t all have to feel so defensive and protective — not about a harmless passion!
I didn't realise people hated on those who read 30/50/100 books a year!
People should read as much as they want and in any format they want - I go with everything from paperbacks, hard covers, Kindle editions, audiobooks... I get a solid hour of listening to my audiobook in the morning when I'm feeding my cats, prepping my breakfast, getting ready etc. It's brilliant!
it's crazy! and that's perfect!
This is my favorite post of yours. You really shared something about your hidden self here, and that takes courage. This post will make me read more of your posts. Thanks.
so kind. thank you!
Love this post so much. After a covid reading surge, I started using a lot of these techniques after retuning to “normal” life, and I’m up to about 35 per year. Seems perfectly normal to me :) When I see 100+ reads per year from you and a few friends, I don’t see anything strange or suspicious - I see opportunity 🤩 Keep reading too much, Emma. And congrats on your marriage!
thank you so so much, Willy. i love this so dearly!
Can I add this article to my “finished” list?? 😉 just kidding but love everything about this article!
Even during grad school I finished a couple of books but I always hated justified why or how much I am or am not reading during different periods of my life.
thank you! the need for explanations and excuses to justify one’s own reading is so frustrating. it’s not an accusation!