Convenient, portable and inexpensive, audio books are here to redefine the notion of reading
Oh for a book and a shady nook, either indoor or out.
With the green leaves whispering overhead,
Or the street cries all about.
Where I may read all at my ease,
Bot of the new and the old;
For a jolly good book whereon to look,
Is better to me than gold.
—John Wilson
Much has been written and said to acknowledge and lament the dearth public libraries in Pakistan. More often than not, information technology mainly the internet and the proliferation of electronic media are blamed for diminishing reading habits of Pakistani’s. Admittedly, the internet and New Media has altered the way we communicate access information, educate and entertain ourselves. In the digital age, entertainment and information is no longer chained to a single device or physical location and as users strive to achieve more in the least possible time, audio books offer an ideal solution for the aliterate.
Generally audio books are perceived to be a niche product; meant for the visually impaired or for those considered too young to read. An audio book is an audio file of a narrator reading a particular book andmost people are not aware of their rapid growth and accessibility. However, given the growing popularity of iPods, portable audio players and internet-enabled mobile phones doubling up as MP3 players, more and more book publishers now produce digital audio titles simultaneously with the release of the paperback version, enabling people from all backgrounds and walks of life to enjoy and listen to the latest bestsellers or classic literature.
Of course, many book lovers may find the idea of ‘listening’ to text instead of having the smell and feel of a book in their hands while ’reading’ it, alien and disdainful. However, as lifestyle changes continue to spur the concept of audio on the move, listening to audio books can open a whole world of literature, self-help, mainstream, and other categories of books to busy people who just do not have the luxury of a few spare hours to sit down to read.
For individuals such as myself, who spend a large part of the day in front of a computer, putting on headphones to be transported into the virtual pages of a book, is less taxing on strained eyes. Also unlike reading a paper book or watching the television, I can pop my audio library into a pocket or a bag to listen to while exercising, travelling, waiting at a doctor’s clinic or sitting around waiting for the power supply to resume. MP3 audio books are not only a convenient and an inexpensive means to keep up with ones reading list, but are also easy to store and definitely save space. Downloading audio titles is easy and quick doing away with the need to wait to search for a particular book at the bookstore or waiting for the shipment to arrive. Then of course there is sheer pleasure of being read to, though it is advisable to listen to sample chapters first, as a bad narrator can ruin a great book.
I have found digital books, in both text and audio formats, to be addictive and an enlightening pastime. Having said that, though audio books can convey a lot of meaning to a reader it does not mean that one should forgo the printed word. A lifelong reader can still be a book-in-hand reader and also be passionate about digital books.
This article was first published as part of the June 2010 issue of All about Lifestyles publication of the Dawn Media Group
Reba Shahid 