Several years ago, I realized that there were ereaders out there. I asked questions about these magical devices, thought about how cool it would be to own one. Learned there were even apps out that so you could read from your phone! Imagine that! Reading a book from your phone. I was floored. Now, keep in mind, this is back when everyone was just starting to use smart phones. I didn't even own an iPhone at the time, and the idea of ebooks was still new to me. Probably to a lot of people really. Anyway. That Chrismtas, I got a Kobo Wifi ereader as a gift. I've since upgraded twice, once to the Kobo Touch, and more recently to the Kobo Aura. But it was that first Kobo Wifi the made me a lover of the ebook. I thought I'd used that ereader minimally, but it soon became a HUGE part of my reading life.
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| My first Kobo looked like this! |
Now that I've waxed eloquent about ebooks, I'll start my tale about audiobooks. Now, these were something I never thought I would use. Seriously. I love reading. I love sitting down with a book, or my ereader and seeing the words on the page. I love the highlighting, the going back and reading your favourite parts over and over (which I still find easier to do in a paperback) and I thought to myself, no way can I ever just sit and listen to a story.
Well, I'm an idiot. I kept hearing more and more good things about audiobooks. They were becoming increasingly popular. People would talk about audiobooks as though they'd found pure gold, and were always saying how much they loved their audiobooks. And I kept thinking, well not me. That's just not how I read. I need to see the words written on the page. I can't listen to someone reading to me. But then, one day, not too long ago, I started thinking...I have to try this. Everyone can't be wrong. Even some of my friends who also always thought they'd never turn to audiobooks were loving them. So I asked some questions, did a little researching here and there. Got pissed off when I realized my local library doesn't really have any audiobooks. I was still hesitant though, because I'd listened to some samples and the narrators sounded kinda Romper Room to me. No offense to them, but I felt really silly listening to those samples.
But I finally purchased an audiobook. I'd only listened to maybe a minute of the sample, when I thought, for sure I can do this. And since someone had given me a coupon for the purchase, I thought I'd spring the little extra that audiobook costs and find out what the fuss was really all about. The audiobook I purchased was The Devil's Footprints by Amanda Stevens, narrated by Alicia Harding. And OMG ... it was so freaking good!!! Most of that is because Amanda Stevens is a brilliant author. Like, seriously, she is going on my automatic buy list. I don't even know why I'm sitting here writing this post when I ought be reading her books. But anyway. I have to say, the narrator did an amazing job. Hats off to Ms. Harding. Between Ms. Stevens' writing and Ms. Harding's narrations I was so spooked out that I didn't know whether not to listen or to go hide under my bed.
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For the record, I kept listening. And I fell in love with audiobooks. I'm fully converted. It only took one book. Just one book. And here I'd been so resistant. I think what made the audiobook reading experience so good was a couple of things. First of all, the medium is the message. Just experiencing a novel in a different media type than the printed word brought a whole other dimension to it. Secondly, I'd argue it's because of oral tradition. Audiobooks bring us closer to a more oral storytelling tradition--and all literature grew out of that tradition. Ancient peoples used to tell stories around the fire. Such tales as The Odyssey were only told orally for years and years before someone wrote them down. Oral storytelling is powerful. Being read to by someone is a powerful experience--just think how much little kids love it! Ever seen a little child being read to, the rapt look on their faces? For me, listening to this audiobook allowed me that same childlike experience; the wonder and awe of being told a story.
So dear friends, I say to you: read an audiobook. Treat yourself to this experience every now and then. It's one you won't regret having because audiobooks rock.
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