By Rahini David
I don’t blame those that are cautious of audiobooks; there is a component of unfamiliarity with them. I don’t keep in mind after I got here throughout the idea of audiobook, but when requested my opinion of them earlier than my first expertise, I’d have predicted that I’d have problem telling every character aside in any complicated fiction and that in case of non-fiction, my thoughts would drift aside and never stay within the matter for lengthy. I’d have additionally insisted that music is preferable throughout a stroll within the park and most necessary of all, I’d have held the opinion that the act of holding a e-book itself is a pleasurable expertise over and above the mere content material of the e-book.
I’m not right here to say none of those objections maintain water. Every objection to audiobooks has its personal benefit. However audiobooks allow us to circumvent so many disadvantages and reap the benefits of the bookish expertise, that it is a internet optimistic.
The standard of the narrator: Narrators make or break an audiobook expertise. Audible provides a 5 min pattern freed from price that can assist you resolve. I can’t stress sufficient that if you’re new to audiobooks, you make sure that you don’t find yourself with an untalented narrator. However most Audible narrators nail the perspective and accent that the author would have meant within the first place. Solely British narrators work for P.G.Wodehouse. Additionally,a sure consolation in French is required if some characters communicate French or communicate with what is meant as a French accent as required in Agatha Christie’s work.
Some books require a male voice and others a feminine voice, and, in my thoughts, this isn’t negotiable. I needed to cease a “Gone with the wind” rendition because the story, although ostensibly in third particular person omniscient can be a girl’s voice (IMO) and this audiobook was learn by a person. “Tenant of Wildfell Corridor” had 2 narrators, one male and one feminine. The narrator of every chapter is set on a case-by-case foundation because the e-book comprises letters written by a person and diary entries written by a girl.
Lately I began a bunch of Jane Marple brief tales, and it was narrated by an previous lady with a Marple-like previous lady quiver in her voice. The one drawback is that as per the story, particular person males narrated their intriguing private experiences, and Jane Marple solves the case within the final couple of paragraphs after asking just a few pertinent questions. This meant that an previous lady was narrating a narrative that must be narrated by a younger man. This stored taking me out of the gathering of tales, and I made a decision to not hassle myself over it anymore. Males can voice direct speech of a feminine character and vice versa. However for essentially the most half, the narrator ought to swimsuit the story.
I’ve heard so many Wodehouse books learn by Jonathan Cecil. And a lot Hercule Poirot is learn by Hugh Fraser (as Captain Hastings) that I’m not totally comfy when different narrators learn these novels. Most Non-Fiction has the narrative voice that you simply normally join with documentaries and video essays. If the subject pursuits you, Non-fiction fits audiobooks very properly.
And listen to me out on this; AI narrators can work. In case you tried an AI learn e-book in 2020 and it didn’t work, that’s actually not the case in 2025. The standard of human-like voice manufacturing is getting higher yearly. I current this as my Exhibit A.
Full solid productions
I’ve listened to Ponniyin Selvan as a full-cast audiobook and it contains sounds of rivers, winds, horses and so on. because the case perhaps. These productions are so meticulously produced that closing one’s eyes and listening within the consolation of a quiet room is value it. Ponniyin Selvan’s story didn’t captivate me in any respect, however I stay a fan of the narration group and the sound engineers. It is just credited as Bombay Kannan, however there are people for every character.
I’m actually wanting ahead to the Full Forged model of the Harry Potter books that is solely a few weeks away from launch. It appears like a nice alternative for an immersive expertise. It’s clear {that a} full solid audiobook is troublesome to supply and could be managed provided that a e-book is a cult basic, however when such productions can be found, they’re value testing.
The Phil Dragash model of LOTR feels very a lot as if it’s a full solid manufacturing, however it’s a single man. It’s clearly a labor of love, and every character is so distinct that it’s stunning. Typically, I imagine that we expertise 80% of a e-book when it’s consumed as audiobook, however in Phil Dragash’s model it’s 110% of the studying expertise. The expertise is elevated. It’s a fan created work and never official in any respect, however so properly made that there’s in all probability a cult following for that model particularly.
When and The place
Music looks as if the higher choice for a stroll, the beat units the tempo for the stroll, and an audiobook for a stroll within the park appears misplaced. However there’s a sure tediousness in strolling for an entire hour, day after day and the world’s finest playlists can get previous. A 10 hour audiobook can be your strolling companion for a few weeks and you’ll begin associating the trail and the park benches and timber and shrubs with the voice of the narrator and the rhythm of the story itself. Small disturbances like noisy kids or honking of neighboring automobiles gained’t be a disturbance in an audiobook expertise any greater than you taking the e-book itself to the park and studying it there.
Additionally, there’s a part referred to as “Paced Strolling” in your Google Match app and you’ll set the metronome to a cushty beat and permit it to set your tempo whereas the audiobook is within the foreground. You can’t play Audible and most metronome apps concurrently in a telephone (Didn’t work on my Samsung Telephone), however Google Match app works effective for the aim.
That stated, I’ve discovered the kitchen inherently noisy and the clunking vessels, and flowing faucet water and cooker whistle can kill the expertise. I believe quite a lot of experimenting is required earlier than you resolve what actions are audiobook-friendly and never. Jigsaw puzzles, rubrics cubes, stitching and sudoku are such audiobook pleasant actions. However identical to bodily studying, you must carve out your time. It doesn’t simply occur.
The price of audiobooks
I take advantage of Audible for many books and YouTube Audiobooks often. An Audible model can price upward of Rs. 600 simply. However the month-to-month credit score and a few diligent planning signifies that I not often burn my hand.
Focus vs Distraction
Six years again I had written in my journal that it takes about 10 minutes to get uninterested in an audiobook even when the narration is sweet. I keep in mind that I consciously labored towards having a great consideration span for audiobooks. Now I don’t understand how lengthy I can go, however I can handle a great chunk throughout a stroll or any partaking quiet exercise. However the issue is that I generally cease and ask myself if I’m engaged sufficient or if I’m simply letting the phrases wash over me whereas I’m distracted by a totally completely different thought. An audiobook will help you tide over a tedious wall of textual content and makes a basic simpler to take. However when an audiobook isn’t working, it’s essential to ask your self the query of whether or not the writer or the narrator is in charge. And generally the reply isn’t as simple as all that.
However in spite of some niggling issues, the audiobook expertise is completely value it.
