In keeping with today’s literary theme and the powers of the spoken versus written word…
Today Miss Plumcake wants to know:
Are audiobooks cheating? If you DO like audiobooks, what are your favorites and what if anything do they offer that printed formats don’t? If you object to audiobooks, tell me why and do you think they’re doing a disservice to the printed page?
I’m not going to weigh in on an opinion with this one because I tend to sway the votes when I do. Come back tomorrow when I’ll tell you what I think (because I think we all know I can only keep my mouth shut for so long before stuff starts pouring out my delicate shell-like ears).
Bonus Fill-in-the-Blank Question:
Never trust a man whose favorite book is ______________.
No, audiobooks aren’t cheating, especially if they are listened to in circumstances which preclude actual reading. If you’re driving, for example, or you commute by bus, or you’re under the covers without a flashlight or other diversions.
For myself, I cannot abide them, because they rarely go at my preferred pace. If you like them, have at them, by all means
Comment by sasha — September 2, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I don’t think audiobooks are cheating. I prefer the tactile stimulation of curling up with a good book and flipping the pages. However, the stonecutter listens to audiobooks while working, and has greatly enjoyed being able to do so. So he’s been able to tear through his reading list at a much greater rate than I have.
And never trust a man whose favourite book is Atlas Shrugged.
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — September 2, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
La Petite Acadienne – I was coming along to lay down the Ayn Rand principle; glad you got in there first. (I have three deal breakers – men with cellphones clipped to belts/bluetooth headsets; junkies; Ayn Rand fans.)
I am bemused at the concept of ‘cheating’/ It’s harking back to the high art/low art split, isn’t it? Reading a book = work, serious, ‘proper’. Listening = kinda cheating.
I’m all for audio books, especially as they have saved many of my family car trips.
Comment by Margo — September 2, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
Audiobooks are not my cup of tea. I love nothing more than to sit down with my precious *prrrr* books and hear the faint rustle of parchment and the smell, oh gods, the smell of ink and paper and if previous invoked gods are smiling down on me maybe a hint of aged leather binding. Thus said I have to defend them. I have several friends who are either too dyslectic to be able to read properly but love literature or they work long hours. For the dyslectics audiobooks are superfabulous! No more angst and sadness from trying to read the same page or sentence several times and STILL not getting the full grasp of what words came after the other. For truckers or diggers or any other people sitting long hours in some kind of mechanic contraption the inclusion of some audiobooks are a great way to instill some culture into what could be a dreary day with some really bad radio spouting the same ten songs over and over and over….
Comment by Ravna — September 2, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
Audiobooks are not my cup of tea. I love nothing more than to sit down with my precious *prrrr* books and hear the faint rustle of parchment and the smell, oh gods, the smell of ink and paper and if previous invoked gods are smiling down on me maybe a hint of aged leather binding. Thus said I have to defend them. I have several friends who are either too dyslectic to be able to read properly but love literature or they work long hours. For the dyslectics audiobooks are superfabulous! No more angst and sadness from trying to read the same page or sentence several times and STILL not getting the full grasp of what words came after the other. For truckers or diggers or any other people sitting long hours in some kind of mechanic contraption the inclusion of some audiobooks are a great way to instill some culture into what could be a dreary day with some really bad radio spouting the same ten songs over and over and over….
And never trust a man whose favourite book is The Phallus of Osiris by Valentina Cilescu
I can forgive people for reading Ayn Rand. I got this particular book as a joke for my birthday 4 years ago and have still not finished it. I doubt I will.
Comment by Ravna — September 2, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Not cheating, but not the same at all. I like to go back to reference earlier chapters in a book if something strikes me, which would be a lot harder with an audio book.
But more importantly, Never trust a man whose favorite book is “On the Road.” He is either in high school , or he never progressed. Either way, you can do better.
Comment by Alexis — September 2, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
I don’t think audio books are “cheating”, but I can’t stand them personally. I’m not an auditory learner, I just can’t absorb anything simply by listening to it. I’ve trained myself to enjoy listening to NPR in the car, but even then I will space out and stop listening halfway through a story and find I have missed some important part. I would much rather read the written word.
I am glad to see that I am not alone in my unwillingness to trust a man whose favorite book is Atlas Shrugged. Learned that lesson the hard way, sisters.
Comment by Lil — September 2, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Alexis – word. Or any other arrested-development tome: Burroughs, Bukowski, Dr. Thompson, Ginsberg’s Howl, or the collected Bill Hicks. Fine books, but there’s a time and place, and that is called ‘being fifteen and sneaking your older cousin’s dodgy reads and Dark Side of the Moon LP’.
Comment by Margo — September 2, 2009 @ 3:39 pm
Several years after my lasik surgery, I still get Teh Dry Eye, and sometimes audio books are great for when I want to engage my brain but my eyes just aren’t up for it. It’s definitely a different experience, though – I listened to the audiobook version of Oryx and Crake, read by Campbell Scott (me-OW!), and I still remember it in a much more vivid, dreamlike way than the Atwood books I’ve read.
Since everyone and their cousin has beaten me to the prohibition on dudes who love Ayn Rand (sing it, sisters!), I’ll say that any adult male whose favorite book is Catcher in the Rye is best avoided.
And since what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, any grown-ass woman who still publicly claims Anais Nin or Stephenie (sic) Meyer as their favorite author or gushes over The Chronicles of Gor makes me visibly cringe. Really, honey, TMI doesn’t even BEGIN to cover it.
Comment by Lex — September 2, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
I hate audiobooks. I feel like something is lost when someone else’s voice, tone, and inflection is interpreting the book for me. There’s a part of reading that an audiobook takes away.
That said, I only object to them for myself. My sister would never have time to “read” if she didn’t use her time in the car to listen to audiobooks.
Never trust a man whose favorite book is: The Great Gatsby.
Comment by Candice — September 2, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Lex, Pongo’s favorite novel was Catcher in the Rye. Should’ve known then!
Comment by Plumcake — September 2, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
Audiobooks aren’t cheating! Sometimes you can’t hold a book in your hands and audiobooks allow you to “read” in another way. It’s also a hell of a lot better for your mind than TV. I spin and knit so I love that it’s possible to follow my hobbies while getting the benefits of a good book.
I think the problem is listening to a book which doesn’t have the right narrator. Then it doesn’t matter if they’re reading your favorite book, you hate every word.
Comment by Nanners — September 2, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
Audiobooks are not cheating as long as they’re unabridged. They’re definitely road trip savers, and a great way to make a commute more productive.
Never trust a man who doesn’t have a favorite book!
Comment by Sarah Fowler — September 2, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
I personally don’t like audiobooks. I have a few friends that only read that way. I’m a tactile person. Audiobooks tend to put me to sleep.
Never trust a man who doesn’t read!
Comment by Linda — September 2, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
I second the notion that Audiobooks aren’t cheating if they’re unabridged. I’ve been listening to Jane Austen books and they’re delightful when read in a plummy British accent. Also – the Harry Potter books (either Jim Dale or Stephen Fry) are wonderful to listen to when you’re driving or trying to fall asleep.
If anyone is looking for a free source, LibriVox has classics. It’s rather hit-or-miss because they are read by volunteers, but you can find some winners in there.
For a good mystery or thriller, though, I prefer the hardcover version, my spot on the couch and a cat on my lap!
Comment by penguinlady — September 2, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
I agree with penguinlady – audiobooks are ok by me, as long as they are unabridged. I like that I can do other things while I listen, like cook or knit or drive.
Never trust a man whose favorite book is by Chuck Palahniuk. Every boy I have ever gone on a date with that I’ve met on an online dating site lists Fight Club as a favorite; consequently I am currently (happily) single. I cannot explain the connection between being a Palahniuk fan and being a douchebag, but it exists, I swear.
Comment by Alexandra — September 2, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Okay, I am going to buck the trend here and say that audiobooks are simply effin’ fantastic. I love paper and ink, don’t get me wrong (huge book nerd here). But I have started preferring the audiobook experience. The primary reason (no, it’s not laziness!): more books at a slower pace.
Let me explain. When I read, I get deeply absorbed into a story or topic. This results in me reading faster and faster as I get more involved…which means I am not really reading every word. And I am surely not alone in this tendency.
I discovered this by accident. I took a much-loved, repeatedly-read book and listened to the audio version. And, to my surprise, there were parts that I’d never fully appreciated/understood because I didn’t have to listen to every single word at an acceptable pace when I read it in my head. It was amazing.
For most of human history, stories were meant to be listened to. There is something about having a story read to you that just feels natural. With books on my iPod, I also get at least 2 hours of extra reading a day (commute + workout) on top of the time I’d normally spend reading at home. I “read” more books now than ever, and I’m luxuriating in every word, every sentence, more fully.
Comment by Cheeky — September 2, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
I am an avid reader, but never an audiobook.
Comment by mdegraffen — September 2, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
I get too easily distracted for audiobooks, and therefore would miss out on half the story.
And I’ll never trust a man whose favorite books is House of Leaves.
Comment by Ashe Mischief — September 2, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
I like audiobooks for long trips, but only if they’re uplifting and humorous. My faves are Dave Barry and Bill Bryson. Serious nonfiction and pretty much all fiction don’t work because they require, IMO, more attention than I can spare while driving. Comedic audiobooks are also similar to stand-up comedy, another fave of mine on road trips.
Never trust a man who’s favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It’s my favorite picture book, and it can be his too, but by adulthood you should have read something that made more of an impact.
It’s no coincidence that George W. Bush named that as his favorite during the 2000 campaign.
Comment by purplemoonshoes — September 2, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
I distrusted audiobooks until I worked with a librarian who can’t sit still long enough to read a book, but who loves audiobooks. Now I figure it’s the attention to and immersion in the story that matters, not how you get it. I still prefer to read paper but have uses for audiobooks sometimes.
Audiobooks are WONDERFUL for helping the miles fly by while driving. The mental resources needed to listen to a story, combined with the mental resources needed to drive, occupy just enough brain power to keep me engaged without reducing my ability to do either competently. My favorites for this purpose are comedy (especially Ellen DeGeneres’s “The Funny Thing Is…”) and lighthearted mysteries.
I tend to prefer audiobooks read by the author, to hear it the way they intend it. I discovered whole new flavors and meanings in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” trilogy (the books, not the radio plays) when listening to the audiobooks as read by Douglas Adams. I cannot recommend this enough to his fans.
I’m with Linda: “Never trust a man who doesn’t read!”
Comment by Karen — September 2, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
As above, audiobooks must be unabridged, and read by someone who is good at their job. Preferably someone from the British Isles. Get Jeremy Irons to read you Brideshead Revisited sometime. But mostly I’d rather have an actual book for the physical page turning delight of it.
Don’t trust a man whose favorite book includes the word “phenomenology” or “metaphysics” in the title. Actually, you can usually trust these guys to some degree. But you don’t want to spend much time with them at parties.
Comment by Cedar — September 2, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
I like both audiobooks and physical books. As others have mentioned, they are not the same experience at all, and both can be quite enjoyable and edifying.
One of my favorite books is “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain. I laughed my way through the book….and then listened to the audiobook version read by the author. It was a whole new experience with new laughs and a whole new appreciation for a book I’d read multiple times. Both different experiences, both great. (Another audiobook I just adored was “So Long And Thanks For All The Fish” read by Douglas Adams himself.)
But if it must be a choice of one or the other, I’d rather have the printed page.
Comment by TropicalChrome — September 2, 2009 @ 6:01 pm
I have never had any interest in audiobooks and have never listened to one. I don’t think they really count as reading. Listening is not reading. I agree with what Candice said above: “I feel like something is lost when someone else’s voice, tone, and inflection is interpreting the book for me. There’s a part of reading that an audiobook takes away.”
I can see how they would be useful and enjoyable for people who do a lot of driving (although I would be afraid I’d get too into the story and stop paying attention to the road) or in other situations people have mentioned above — when knitting, cooking, unable to read due to eye problems or dyslexia, etc. As for me and my house, we will read the book.
Comment by Cat — September 2, 2009 @ 7:32 pm
I love audio books, they are perfect for commuters, and for my husband who drives a vehicle for 8 hour shifts.
I sometimes like to read my favorite author’s newest book first then listen to it.
Some authors have serious editing problems and while I can’t stand to actually read their books, I love to listen to them.
Comment by Moviegirl20 — September 2, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
Poor vision, dyslexia, long drives…all of these are excellent reasons to use audiobooks. I’d also say they’re great for people who are more auditory than visual learners. I’ve known several people like that over the years, and audio books are fabulous for them. I absolutely agree they should be unabridged and read by someone who reads very well. I don’t think someone should be deprived of the full joy of a good book because their eyesight is too poor or their brain is not wired for visual learning.
For myself, I’d much, much rather hold the book in my hands and cast the book in my minds’ eye in my own way…but I’m an extremely visual person, too. Trying to learn things by ear is probably the least successful way for me to attempt it. Eyes first, hands second, ears third. Audio books never had a chance with me.
Damn. Everyone else has already picked Ayn Rand, Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, and The Great Gatsby. So, taking all those as read, Never trust a man whose favorite book is anything in the Gor series.
Seriously, I once had a guy think he was giving me a compliment by comparing me to the cheap prostitutes in the series as opposed to the ones whose services were gratis.
How many ways can we say ‘never getting laid in a zillion years?’
Comment by Twistie — September 2, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
I listened to audio books when I had an hour-long commute to work. I was careful to choose those with readers whose voices and iconography I liked.
I wouldn’t trust a man whose favorite book is Harry Potter.
Comment by Miss Cavendish — September 2, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
I don’t think they’re cheating. The narrative is the thing really, isn’t it, whether it’s printed or spoken. I don’t like them personally, but that’s because while I can sit for hours with a printed book, I can’t seem to pay attention long enough to follow an audio book. I’ll be driving along and realize I haven’t been listening for the past five minutes, and then I have to back up a bit and start over. And then a few minutes later, my attention wanders again. I get so irritated it’s just not worth it. I need the visual words on paper to focus. But I know people who really love audio books.
Comment by Leigh Ann — September 2, 2009 @ 10:44 pm
As a former night shift data entry clerk, I have listened to a gazillion audiobooks and i love them. Its like getting paid to hear a story. Working at night, i needed something to keep my interest and keep me awake. I like light hearted chick lit. Because if i’m listening to anything deep and slow… the pace made me fall asleep. Its definetly a different experience than reading.
Some of my faves –
Fat kid rules the world. I love Matthew Lillard’s voice.
I went to Vassar for this? anyone else adore modern girl goes back in time stories?
Anything by Jennifer Crusie, but especially Agnes and the Hitman. The narrator plays each character so well. I have listened to it so many times.
Dirty Girls Social Club – the author alisa reads it. thats always a good thing.
Girls of Riyadh – it was hard for me to keep the names straight, but the stories were worth it.
Comment by HollyLuz — September 2, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
Audiobooks are great for commutes, but there’s something magical about having a physical book, preferably a ratty paperback, in your hands (and, most definitely, not a Kindle) to thumb through. But if the choice is between someone who follows audiobooks and someone who doesn’t read at all, there’s no contest.
And I’ll throw some fat into the fire, and say anyone who raves about “Motorcycle Diaries” is a tosser, especially if he wears a Che T-shirt with his Diesel jeans. I despise the cult of Che and most of what it stands for, but even more I disdain the boho-yuppies who pretend to justify their otherwise profligate lifestyle by strategically parading his likeness or parroting his platitudes. Yawn.
True story – I teach in an MBA program and one of the students was wearing a Che T-shirt (along with a slew of ipod/iphone/i-whatever gadgets). Anyone else see a contradiction?
Comment by SusanC — September 2, 2009 @ 11:27 pm
It’s not cheating, unless it’s the abridged version, of course. It’s just like having the book read to you, which used to be quite common before radio and TV.
Comment by Jen Anderson — September 2, 2009 @ 11:40 pm
As a bookstore manager, I LOVE and prefer the printed word. Audiobooks just remind me of the way everyone these days is plugged in and unavailable to their fellows… iPod, iPhone, laptops, blah blah blah. I’d rather see someone reading– it’s so attractive!
And writing:
http://JimmyBoi2.wordpress.com
Thanks! Enjoyed your writings !!
Comment by Jimmy — September 3, 2009 @ 12:32 am
I haven’t listened to many audiobooks, but when I have, I’ve been so productive: Hey, I’m relaxing and enjoying a book! But I need something to do with my hands…might as well wash those dishes or knit that sweater.
The first one I listened to was Life of Pi, which I’d tried to read earlier but just could not slog through. The audiobook form made it much less tedious, and I did enjoy it – had I forced myself to read the actual book, I might have regretted spending the time on it.
Next I got through the audio versions of most of (ahem) a very popular and very bad recent YA series which shall remain nameless…engrossing, entertaining fluff until I finally just could not stand the stupidity. Glad I found out firsthand what all the hype was about instead of blindly judging it – but doubly glad that I at least got some housework done while letting it rot my brain.
Looking at the squalor I live in, I think it’s obviously time I need to get more trashy audiobooks to motivate me to clean.
Never trust a man whose favorite book is The DaVinci Code.
Comment by B.S.A.G. — September 3, 2009 @ 3:31 am
I agree, when I read, I read, when I’m listening to an audiobook, I usually do something else, too – like cooking, baking, walking, driving, whatever.
Never trust a man whose favourite book is American Psycho.
In fact, run as fast as you can.
Comment by Cara — September 3, 2009 @ 5:46 am
Yes, reading is my relaxation tool, so when i want to read, i want to curl up on the couch with a book. But i love audiobooks in the car, mainly ones I can listen to with my pre-schooler. We are currently in the middle of the Little House series.
As far as men go, Ayn Rand is a good one to avoid…but in my history, where more often than not I was dumped for my fabulously gay best friend, my triggers tended to be more along the lines of “Judy: Beyond the Rainbow”.
Comment by rebecca — September 3, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
Listening to an audiobooks is not “cheating” regardless of whether it is abridged or unabridged (how is an abridged audiobook any different than skimming, which I do frequently?). I personally love audiobooks because it allows me to do something with my hands while reading, they’re also great for traveling. Quite frankly, there are some books I never would have read if it hadn’t been for the audio version, case in point, The Man in the Iron Mask, which I tried to read two or three times before listening to the unabridged version on tape. It is now one of my favorite stories.
Never trust a man who’s favorite book is “Natural Cures ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About” by Kevin Trudeau
Comment by Sarah C — September 3, 2009 @ 1:06 pm
Audio books aren’t cheating, and lifesavers for people with vision problems, but I haven’t enjoyed being “read to” since I was seven or eight years old. I’d always rather read to myself, partly because I have a short attention span but mostly because a recording is to some degree another reader’s interpretation.
I would never trust (or date) a man whose favorite writers were Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter.
Comment by Constance — September 3, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
While I prefer holding a book in my hands and actually reading a good book, as a teacher, I’ve come across several students who literally cannot process information by reading. They need to hear the novel and I’ve burned copies of the novels for them so that they don’t fall behind. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter as long as the written word is being enjoyed.
When I used to drive back and forth from Maryland, I used to listen to books on tape. With the right reader, listening to the novels was as good as reading them.
Comment by enygma — September 3, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
I don’t love audiobooks myself – when I read, I just want to read, and when I want something on in the background while I do something else, I just want music. I downloaded a couple of audiobooks during a bout with the flu, hoping to recapture the comforting feeling of being read to, but they just made me sleepy. But they don’t anger me, and I had an ex who was great at reading stories aloud and I loved listening to someone in the room read to me.
The answer to the fill in the blank question is obviously The Fountainhead.
Comment by JenniferP — September 3, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Let’s start here… I READ books, and I LISTEN to books too. Having listened to at least twenty books, I have come to this conclusion: audiobooks are kinda cheating. I feel cheated. I feel like I’m cheating myself out of expanding my vocabulary. If I actually read a book, I see a word, I learn it, and I recognize it later. If I only hear a new word, I probably won’t know how to spell it or recognize it again. Yet, I keep listening to books because I feel like it’s more useful than listening to music when driving, and I can listen to a book while doing housework, that would otherwise not get done if I was sitting on the couch reading a book.
However, if there is a person who is never going to READ a book, I would hope that they would listen to a few. At the very least, they will be entertained and exposed to some new words and ideas.
P.S. Have you seen/heard of the Playaway? It is basically an audio book on a self-contained player like an iPod. http://www.playaway.com/
P.P.S. I’m a librarian.
Comment by Kalamari — September 3, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
I knit – a lot – it’s an obsession. And so I hardly read books any more – until I found audiobooks. It’s not the same as reading a physical book, as you lose the ability to put your own interpretation on it, and you can’t flip back to remind yourself of something (well, not easily anyway) but as long as the reader (narrator?) is good, and it’s unabridged, then for me it’s a great way to keep up my reading AND my knitting.
It’s not about cheating – but rather about preference and what fits with your lifestyle.
Comment by Rose Red — September 4, 2009 @ 5:28 am
I love audiobooks on a long drive, but I do want them read by someone who is a very good reader. I’ve not been lucky enough to come across Jeremy Irons’ reading of Brideshead Revisited, but I’ve loved that book for years and I remember his narration from the series years ago–I practically hear him in my head whenever I give the book another reading. I’m going to to out and look for audiobooks like the ones mentioned by so many of the commenters here: Anthony Bourdain reading Kitchen Confidential, for example. So much better than news and overplayed pop tunes on radio stations, music you’ve heard far too many times, and utter silence.
Haven’t we all learned the hard way to run away from anyone reading Ayn (rhymes with “mine”) Rand, any of the Beatniks after age 13, and anything that has anything to do with/resembles The Hobbit?
Comment by chachaheels — September 4, 2009 @ 6:15 am
I come from a family of serious readers and we all shunned audiobooks for years; until my mother had lung cancer and hardly had the strength to hold a book up. She got a tape player and some audio books and loved it. We also read a few books to her, as she had done when we were young.
There was a time when I was very ill, and missed my books terribly. Audio books sure filled the void.
And in a sad repeat, my father lost his vision and all of us (4 daughters) spent time and money ensuring he had a steady supply of books. I think I’d rather lose any other sense than sight. My sisters were more discerning, picking the mysteries he loved, whereas I often picked a book I’d loved and sent that. (However, he did reject the 18 discs of Crime and Punishment, after enduring 26 discs of Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norell).
I think holding and reading a book is (one of) the ultimate pleasures in life, but for those who can’t read audio books fill a void, and do it very well.
I’m with the anti Ayn Rand group. Sadly, one of her books has shown up on my son’s reading list for next year. However, he’s a clever lad and should hate it as much as I do
Comment by Christine — September 4, 2009 @ 8:34 am
I have a problem with fiction: I can’t put it down. It doesn’t even have to be good. I just have a compulsion to know How It All Ends.
This is bad enough when I stay up all hours to finish a paperback book and end up late to work as a result. (And that is not good, which is one reason why I mostly read history books and other dry stuff.) It is worse when, after a four-hour car trip listening to an audiobook, I park the car in front of the house and just sit there with the key in the ignition so I can keep listening to the book.
Comment by TeleriB — September 4, 2009 @ 11:10 am
I’m a self taught speed reader, and I have a hard time slowing my reading speed down enough to actually savor what I’m reading, so audiobooks are wonderful for me. A lot of my work is very visual rather than literal, so I’m able to listen while I work. I also like audiobooks for screening out the Wall Of Testoterone in which I live. I share my home with two teenage boys and a 45 year old engineer, so there’s always classic rock, video games, punk rock, or tv shows with explosions on in the background.
Comment by Margo — September 4, 2009 @ 11:27 am
I love books — traditional, audio, and warming to electronic — however in recent years I listen more than I read. My current favorite audio book – ‘The Help’ by Katheryn Stockett, unabridged, just over 18 hours, and with a full cast of narrators.
Traditional bound books also serve an alternate purpose, in that they are comforting and decorative, which will never be surpassed by more modern media.
Comment by Susan — September 6, 2009 @ 9:58 am
my sister has dyslexia but she can live a very normal life eventhough she can’t read that much*-,
Comment by Layla Collins — October 11, 2010 @ 4:24 am