Audio Book

Finally borrowed my first audio book ever from the library.

Not that I wanted to be lazy, but there is no ‘normal’ version of the ebook available. I was surprised cos it’s the Hunger Games that I’m ‘reading’. I thought that they would have the ‘normal’ version for such a popular book.

I have actually wanted to read it since it became popular because of the movie. I haven’t seen the movie myself but I wanted to read the book. I have been waiting for the ‘normal’ version of the ebook to come out but after more than a few month or even almost a year (?), there’s no signs that it will ever happen so I gave in.

I have been driving to work recently due to my concussion. And I will continue to drive most of the time as winter approaches. I have been listening to this standup radio station recently but I do actually feel like it’s ‘dumbening’ me by listening to that station too much cos quite a lot of the times, they are talking about getting high or getting drunk and some other times, it’s just some angry act that I don’t find funny at all. I also find that there is too much swearing sometimes. Of course there’re funny bits as well but I feel like I shouldn’t listen to it too much.

The news station annoys me sometimes cos it repeats its news multiple times during my commute and they also spend a lot of time talking about the financial market and the sports news which I don’t care at all. The music station is also too much sexy and swearing and I’m too old for that kind of music anyway. Most of the time I can’t appreciate it.

詹占 has been on this audio book thing for almost a year already and he has been telling me to try it. I resisted for a long time cos I feel like it’s cheating cos I’m not actually reading it. Also, I personally think that there’s something extra to read a book yourself cos you have imagine things your ways, you interpret things your own ways, whereas in an audio book, tho not as bad as watching a movie, the ‘reader’/'narrator' does interpret the dialog somewhat by doing voices so I personally think that it takes away a tiny bit away from the imagination room.

But than, I gave in this times cos there is not an alternative (I’m afraid of bedbugs from the library books now since 小笨 told me about it and that I actually saw that on the news the other day). I guess another alternative is to actually go buy the book but unless it’s a very good book, I don’t buy books anymore. There’s simply no space in our house these days and I rarely re-read books anyway. Plus to ‘read’ a book during commute isn’t a bad idea. Feels like a better use of my time than to listen to stupid comics swearing away.

So far, my experience with the audio book is pretty good. The pace is right for my listening. I was a bit weary about the reader reads too fast cos I wouldn’t say that my listening is very good. I like to turn on subtitles when I watch TV/movies whenever possible. Maybe bcos it’s actually a teen book so most of the vocab is not too difficult. And the book itself is pretty good as well. Quite exciting so far. Well… I haven’t even actually gotten to the actual “game’ part yet. Almost there. But it’s already quite exciting.

I also found myself liking quite a few of the teens books. Twilight series, the Abhersen Trilogy (this is really good. If you like fantasy, you should read this.) Maybe that’s how far my English level is.

Anyway, I now agree with what so many ppl has told me before, that audio books are great for commuting, especially if you are driving. If I’m taking a bus, I may still opt for an actual ‘readable’ book but for some, it’s not possible cos they get dizzy reading on the bus/train. Audio book is recommended.