My Musing:
I tried an audiobook, finally! I know that they’ve been around quite some time and they’ve become very popular with folks who listen to books while they drive. I received an offer for a free book from Audible, which I’d vaguely heard of and decided to take the plunge into ‘listening’ to a book for the first time. To be honest, I was rather disappointed. I downloaded Gone Girl, the infamous book from last year. Perhaps it wasn’t the right choice for a first book!
But it wasn’t just the content. The progress was so slow! When I read, I think I am a much faster reader and so I get through books fast, in general. But because it was narration, it was very slow, and I got through a chapter in some 15 minutes, instead of five. I could notch up the speed but then it was just annoying, like listening to quacky duck! It was nice to be able to rest my eyes and such and I think I should have downloaded a book of poems or something, but because it was free, I didn’t have much choice.
What was your first audiobook? Do you have any good free suggestions for me to try out?
Musing Mondays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
Describe one of your reading habits.
Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!
BookMark 
I have a really difficult time listening to audiobooks. I tend to tune them out after awhile, so if I’m not familiar with the book I get very lost and confused when I snap out of the fog or whatever. Maybe try an audiobook for something you’re familiar with next and see how that goes?
Also, the whole ‘reading faster than the narration,’ totally another problem I have with audiobooks *sigh*
Unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions for free audiobooks, but I hope you manage to find something you like better for your second listen!
That’s an idea, I’ll try going for a book that I’ve liked reading, then!
I just started listening to audiobooks about 9 months ago on my daily commute and I definitely had to train myself to pay attention and not let myself drift off. It really is a completely different way to enjoy books–once I realized and accepted that, I’ve come to really look forward to listening to my current audiobook each day. The narrator also makes a HUGE difference. But–I think it’s also important to note that audiobooks aren’t everybody’s taste–and that’s OK!
Audiobooks require a lot to draw the listener in. I recently started “Where’d you go, Bernadette?” and the voice really bothers me. However, the Harry Potter audiobooks are fantastic! Great post 🙂
Bahahaha quacky duck! Well I read Thirteen Reasons Why by audio to try and capture a similar experience to the MC; that was indeed interesting……tho I got it from my library’s online ebook division, so idk about an international source….:/
–B
I am the same way, regarding audiobooks. I like to use them when I have a LONG car drive and can get the entire thing finished in 1 round trip. If not, I tend to give up. I’m a much faster reader than listener!
-Jenni