Is listening to audiobooks the same as reading? I know I didn’t consider audiobooks to be reading for the longest time.
For that matter, it is only recently I started fully embracing and accepting that ebooks are as legit and pleasurable as physical books
If you are someone like me who takes a long time to accept modern trends as part of the reading landscape evolution, this article might interest you.
My Eureka Moment
I never understood the concept of audiobooks for the longest time.
How can listening to audiobooks equate to reading? Sacrilegious.
When I would see posts of people listening to audiobooks on their daily run, I’d have my judgemental nose up in the air. Silly me!
What has changed since then?
I attended the Boston Book Festival in 2025 where I attended a panel that featured the wonderful and impressive Alison Wood Brooks. She stood out alongside the likes of Steven Pinker and (add names).
Since I enjoyed listening to her so much, it was the first time ever I considered buying an audiobook. How lovely it would be to buy her book in her audiobook format and listen to her sage voice.
So, TALK by Alison Wood Brooks was my first ever audiobook purchase. Did I enjoy it?
Yes and no.
Let me explain!
The Catch
Don’t get me wrong. Audiobooks are awesome.
But there’s a catch.
Audiobooks are perfect for certain genres of books. Specifically fiction and entertainment books. Anything that’s a light, entertaining read would be the perfect fit for audiobooks.
While I enjoyed listening to Brook’s voice as the narrator-author of TALK, I realised how little I retained when I checked out the Kindle sample of the book. TALK is a deeply researched book and it’s best read via a physical or ebook. Audiobooks are the least preferable format for such a book.
A 2010 study showed that students who listened to a podcast version of the quiz lesson performed significantly worse than students who read the same material on paper. Physical books are still your best bet for better reading comprehension and retention of difficult texts.
However, another study showed that when reading for pleasure or insight, students who listened to the text performed just as well on comprehension tests as those who read it.
So, the keyword between choosing an audiobook or a physical or ebook is ‘difficult’. The higher the difficulty of the text, the more your choice should incline toward physical and ebooks.
Where Audiobooks Have the Edge
Audiobooks add an undeniable human dimension to your reading experience. There are certain things that you can miss out on while reading text. The voice, pacing, intonation, and even emotion. A well-narrated audiobook aids and enriches your imagination with pauses, intonation, and emotion.
Yes, there are seasoned authors who are deft with bridging these gaps by making you imagine, listen, and feel them all on the page. But let’s admit it! Such authors are rare in a world increasingly filled with rushed, AI-assisted writing, the lack of depth becomes hard to ignore.
Another edge is the convenience factor of audiobooks. You can listen to them while working out, commuting, doing your chores and more. It’s a boon for those with a busy schedule.
Last but not the least factor is the inclusiveness of audiobooks. Audiobooks are disability-friendly and can be accessed by people with ADHD, dyslexia, visual impairments. Apart from the professional narration, the ability to adjust speed settings helps this group to stay engaged for long while traditional reading can feel frustrating. Audiobooks are also gentle on those whose attention spans have been affected in the scroll culture.
Reading Isn’t Just One Thing
Many people who had fallen out of the reading habit discover they finish far more books once they embrace audiobooks.
The audiobook edge is not about replacing print; it’s about expanding great literature that actually gets consumed in our modern, fast-moving lives—to everyone.
Our ultimate goal is not less reading, but more—dramatically more.
Tina Sequeira, Author, Mentor, Founder
I consider Audiobooks as reading.
In fact, that’s my numero uno preference if the author is also the narrator.
Then, it feels intimate and cozy. Like the adult version of your parents and grandparents reading aloud books to you as a baby and child.
This post is a part of Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2026.
Yes, audiobooks count as reading. It ultimately depends on the individual, as the experience is directly tied to the enjoyment and engagement the reader feels.