What Audio Books Can’t Deliver

The Long and Short Stories of Life

Yesterday I discussed how and why I listened to audio books, and how my love of being read to evolved into a membership with Audible Books. I promised that today I’d give examples of what I miss about actual, hand-held books and what audio books can’t deliver.

Aside from the new book smell, the crack when you open a fresh tome, and the whisper of cotton, linen, or papyrus as you thumb through the new pages, there are a few more things Audible, CD’s, and Books-On-Tape can’t do:

1. There is no instant replay

Sometimes I want to read a line again or pause just to savor the thought or the phrasing. The author has put a lot of time into the turn of a particular phrase, yet if I’m read to, I only get to hear it once. In a mystery I want to reflect on the information I’ve just…

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