Why I Don’t Call Audiobooks “Reading”
(Even Though I Love Them)
Let me start by saying this: I love audiobooks. I really do. I’ve listened to dozens while walking, driving, cleaning, or just unwinding at night. They make stories accessible and portable in a way that traditional reading doesn’t always allow.
But here's my take: I don’t consider listening to a book the same as reading it.
And yes, I know that might sound like semantics, but hear me out.
It’s not the same experience.
When someone says they “read” a book and then mentions it was an audiobook, I find myself pausing. To me, listening and reading are two different things. You’re not reading, you’re listening. And that difference matters, because the experience itself engages us in a completely different way.
Different mental pathways
Reading and listening engage your brain differently. Reading involves decoding symbols, processing visual language, and often requires more sustained attention. Listening can be powerful and immersive, but it activates different cognitive processes.
Both are valuable and can lead us to deep understanding, but they take different paths to get there. Think of it like walking a trail versus being driven down it. Reading makes you notice every twist and detail. You’re setting your own pace and stopping to take in the view. Listening lets you lean back and absorb the landscape through someone else’s rhythm and perspective. Same trail, different journey.
The distraction factor
Most of us listen to audiobooks while doing something else: walking the dog, folding laundry, running errands. That’s the beauty of them! But with traditional reading, you can’t multitask. It demands your full focus. You’re all in, and that makes it a uniquely absorbing act.
Your imagination works differently
When you read a book, it’s just you and the words on the page. Your imagination is fully responsible for creating the voices, the tone, the world. With audiobooks, someone else’s voice guides your interpretation. Their inflection, pacing, and emotion shape how you experience the story.
There’s a quietness in reading
Reading creates a kind of interior stillness. Even in a noisy room, the act of reading can quiet your mind. Audiobooks, while engaging, bring sound and voice into the room. They’re a different kind of immersion - less quiet, more performative.
Here’s where I land:
I'm not saying that one is better than the other, but that they’re not the same. Listening and reading are both powerful ways to experience a story, but they invite us in through different doors.
Although I listen to audiobooks often (mostly non-fiction), I love the act of reading book more. Yet, audiobooks are an incredible form of access, and for many people, they’re the only way to experience books.
They can be just as immersive, moving, and transformative as reading. My take is just one perspective, and I’m always open to hearing others.
Maybe I’m just particular with my words, but if I listened to a book, I say, “I listened to it”, not “I read it.” To me, that small distinction matters.
I think if you listened to a book, just say so. There’s no shame in that. Just know it’s a different journey than reading with your eyes. Both can move you, change you, stay with you.
