Lit Vibes Only
Kelsey and Amanda are two book besties who love to "Lit the Sh*t" out of books they love and hate! In their Lit it or Quit It episodes, Kelsey and Amanda are forced to read the other's favorite books. While Amanda loves to read historical fiction and mystery/thrillers, you'll find Kelsey curled up with just about any romantasy. They discuss the books at length and, in the end, decide whether the book is a "Lit It" or "Quit It"! Every month they'll also give some book recs you just can't miss. Look out for the bonus episodes about bookish topics and books that were adapted into movies/shows.
Listen in and choose whose side you're on, or perhaps find yourself intrigued by a book you wouldn't normally go for. See you on Mondays!
Lit Vibes Only
Ep. 16: Lit Chats: The Great Audiobook Debate
Join Amanda and Kelsey as they tackle the world of audiobooks and debate whether listening to an audiobook counts as reading, share the struggles and benefits of each format, and recommend their favorite audiobooks. Tune in to hear their take on multitasking with audiobooks, the impact of narrators, and the intriguing new trend of immersive reading!
00:00 Welcome to Lit Vibes Only
00:23 Engage with Us on Social Media
00:47 Chit Chat w/ Amanda & Kelsey
09:20 Is Listening to an Audiobook Reading?
22:12 Personal Preferences: Audiobooks vs. Reading
25:03 The Struggles of Listening to Audiobooks with ADHD
26:58 Benefits of Audiobooks
28:24 Narrator Impact on Audiobook Experience
30:24 Audiobook Recommendations and Platforms
38:20 Challenges and Limitations of Audiobooks
44:21 Immersive Reading Trend
46:21 Final Thoughts and Social Media Plugs
Follow us on TikTok & Youtube @litvibesonlypodcast and on Instagram @litvibesonly_podcast. We'd love to hear from you!
See you on Mondays!
Ep. 16: Lit Chats: The Great Audiobook Debate
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[00:00:00]
[00:00:04] Amanda: Welcome to Lit Vibes Only, where we lit the shit out of books we love and hate. I'm Amanda.
[00:00:10] Kelsey: And I'm Kelsey and we would love it if you came to. , engage with us ,
[00:00:19] Amanda: like we're inviting
[00:00:20] Kelsey: us. Where are we taking
[00:00:21] Amanda: them?
[00:00:23] Kelsey: on our socials. So especially on TikTok and Instagram. On Instagram, you can find us at Live Vibes Only underscore podcast.
[00:00:31] Kelsey: And on TikTok, you can find us at Live Vibes Only Podcast. Mm-Hmm. And we also upload video episodes on YouTube, so you can also find us on YouTube at Mm-Hmm. Live Vibes Only. Podcast. So come and watch us and
[00:00:45] Amanda: see what we do while we're recording. Yeah. Wearing
[00:00:49] Kelsey: all of my Taylor Swift merch.
[00:00:51] Kelsey: So much merch all the time. , we get it. Okay. And the weird faces that we make and stuff. Yes.
[00:00:59] Amanda: I was going to say the [00:01:00] fact that we can't sit still, but honestly, I am quite impressed with us. I feel like you
[00:01:04] Kelsey: do a really good job. I don't know. I feel
[00:01:07] Amanda: like you don't fidget that much. Like I, I like, you can't see I'm like fidgeting under the table and like,
[00:01:12] Kelsey: yeah, yeah, no, I feel like my eyes can't stay still.
[00:01:16] Kelsey: Yes. Oh, same. I'm just like, yeah. Like, what is this? Oh, yeah. This thing.
[00:01:21] Amanda: While you're talking. It's also hard for me. This is a tangent, but it made me think of it. Like when I'm having a conversation with someone, it's really hard for me to like maintain eye contact and not because I'm like afraid or shy.
[00:01:34] Amanda: Like I just. Yeah. Yeah. My eyes just are constantly noticing everything else. I'm looking at the window. I just, I really struggle with that. Like in our last
[00:01:42] Kelsey: episode, when we started, I was like looking at stuff out here and then I, we had a really bad, we had a really bad storm not that long ago. Right. And there's a house right next to us and there's a bunch of branches on their roof still.
[00:01:55] Kelsey: And I was like, Oh, interesting. They haven't taken this out
[00:01:59] Amanda: yet. [00:02:00] No, I was looking out the window multiple times in the previous episode because I, that's just, it helps me to think too, if I'm not like. Not looking at someone and trying to maintain eye contact. Well, I'm thinking aloud. I need to like, look at something else while I process.
[00:02:16] Amanda: So if you are watching these video episodes and you're like, their eye contact is horrible, that is why
[00:02:24] Kelsey: we're not very good at it. You
[00:02:25] Amanda: should just listen to this. Maybe we should just. Hey,
[00:02:31] Kelsey: and even though, , we are no longer giving away stickers for reviews, you should still go on, , Apple or Spotify.
[00:02:39] Kelsey: Those are like the main platforms. Yeah. , yeah. Go review us, go rate us, please. We need all the love we can get so we can get going already. Yes. We need a bigger following y'all.
[00:02:53] Amanda: It's just like a great way for people to interact with us, especially on Spotify because you can comment on each episode.
[00:02:59] Amanda: So if you have [00:03:00] like strong thoughts and feelings about a particular episode, you can go to that episode and leave them there and we'll see them. We look, yeah, every single week we get notifications. So we know when y'all are writing things. So please do that. That's a good reminder. Now that we're not doing this sticker giveaway anymore, I feel like we forget to tell people to keep rating and reviewing, but please do that.
[00:03:18] Amanda: Keep
[00:03:18] Kelsey: going over there. We need it.
[00:03:21] Amanda: Yes. But yeah, speaking of, of doing things for others, it is it's Tispa season. It is the holiday season. It is Christmas week. This will be dropping on the 23rd. That's crazy. Christmas Eve, Eve, Christmas Eve's Eve, the Eve of Christmas Eve, whatever.
[00:03:40] Kelsey: , Look at you getting tripped over your words.
[00:03:42] Kelsey: Like you're a Kelsey or something.
[00:03:46] Amanda: It's not going to be a verb now. I'm just, I'm just, just, just did a Kelsey. , but for us right now, it is the Friday after Thanksgiving that we're recording this. Yeah. So it is like full [00:04:00] on black Friday, everything, all the black Friday deals and prepping for the Christmas holidays.
[00:04:08] Amanda: Yeah. And if you can tell,
[00:04:10] Kelsey: we're also recording a different time of the day, so it's much darker.
[00:04:15] Amanda: Like turning on all the lights . It's so sad. It's like, what? It's fine. 415 right now.
[00:04:23] Kelsey: Oh my God. Don't remind me.
[00:04:26] Amanda: Like this is not even the shortest day yet. We still have like a month to get to the shortest day of the year.
[00:04:32] Amanda: So it's going to be, it's so bad. I know, which is why we should be focusing on happy things like Christmas presents. Have you, have you started your Christmas shopping?
[00:04:42] Kelsey: , I don't really celebrate Christmas in that way. So, , at school, I like to do like, what do we call it? Like the secret snowflake, I oversee what's called ASB and, , that's like the student leadership.
[00:04:55] Kelsey: You probably know what it is. Yep. , just for our listeners. And so we have like [00:05:00] elected students that are in ASB and we call it secret snowflake. Cause in public school, you can't call it like secret Santa. , so
[00:05:09] Amanda: weird,
[00:05:11] Kelsey: but it's like literally the same thing. So whatever, I don't know, , how we can even get away with that, but it's literally the same thing.
[00:05:19] Kelsey: , And the kids were like, what we want miss me and miss the other teachers to be involved too. And so we're going to do that with them. , it's super cute. They're adorable. I love working with them. They're so fun. And then, , the, the school, the teachers at the school and the staff, like you can sign up to do like a secret snowflake and you pick one person or you get one person and like, you get a list of all the things that they enjoy and stuff.
[00:05:43] Kelsey: And then you. Shower them with gifts throughout the last week of school. , It's fun. So that's fun. Yeah. And there's no like cap or anything. You just do what you want.
[00:05:56] Amanda: Yeah. We don't, you didn't do any sort of gift giving at my school. We used [00:06:00] to be like, Parent association would put together gift baskets for all of us, but then they decided starting last year that it was like too expensive.
[00:06:08] Amanda: And so now we don't get anything. , which is like, so sad, literally nothing. And technically the students aren't allowed to give us gifts either. So every now and then you'll get a student who like, we'll bring you you know, a Starbucks gift card or like maybe some chocolate or something, but yeah, it is kind of I've never been at a school where like, you don't get.
[00:06:28] Amanda: Gifts are like a gift from the school just to say thank you. , but we do a secret Santa with my siblings. Because I have a huge family. I have six siblings and like trying to buy presents for six other siblings and my parents is just eight people and doesn't even start to cover like friends and co workers.
[00:06:46] Amanda: So in the last couple of years we've done a secret Santa and I did all of my shopping for my secret Santa because I wanted to make. The most of these black Friday deals. So I'm done [00:07:00] already.
[00:07:00] Kelsey: Holy
[00:07:01] Amanda: of my shopping for my secret Santa and for myself. Merry Christmas to me.
[00:07:07] Kelsey: Yeah. You were, you were very happy about the things that you got for yourself.
[00:07:11] Amanda: You know, it was, it's, it is being financially what sound wise. It's frugal to make the most of these Black Friday deals for things, they were things I needed. They were not things I just, well, some of them I wanted, but mostly things I needed. So might as well save the black when I can.
[00:07:31] Kelsey: And it's funny. On my end for like actual gift giving.
[00:07:34] Kelsey: Like I don't really do anything for my family. Mm-Hmm. . But my husband and I will do something for each other. Mm-Hmm. . , so yeah, I'm still deciding, but the tough thing is, is his birthday is in January. Oh. And so I have to always like plan ahead. Mm-Hmm. . , but your, yours is really close to Christmas. Trust is the very beginning.
[00:07:52] Kelsey: Trust. I know of
[00:07:53] Amanda: January . It's the worst.
[00:07:55] Kelsey: But yeah, his is like at the end of January and we always do something kind of [00:08:00] big.
[00:08:00] Kelsey: And so, , I can't tell you what it is cause it's a surprise, but that would be, I'll tell you guys later. Okay.
[00:08:06] Amanda: Okay. That's fair. , but yeah, no, having a January birthday sucks because one, the weather's gross. So nobody ever wants to like go out and do anything. And two, it's like right after Christmas, everyone's like, well, I just got you blah, blah, blah.
[00:08:17] Amanda: So I'm gonna get you anything else. And my, yeah, my birthday is January 7th. Yeah. And everyone's like, we just got you presents. And what was worse growing up, one of my siblings, he's born the second and I'm born the seventh. And so we always had to celebrate our birthdays together, even though we're not twins.
[00:08:33] Amanda: And I'm like, look, it is tough enough being one of seven. Let me have my one special moment. Okay. Why do I have to share everything? Oh, yeah.
[00:08:44] Kelsey: One of my coworkers has twins and She said, Oh yeah, they want different birthdays this year. Yeah. Like they're in middle school. That makes sense.
[00:08:54] Amanda: That's crazy. But yeah, they have a
[00:08:58] Kelsey: birthday together. Yep. It's [00:09:00] true. To that point.
[00:09:00] Amanda: Yeah. It's rough. Wow. Oh, well, Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate, , as you're like, happy holidays as you're heading into whatever holiday you celebrate, whichever holiday or none at all. Maybe this is like, not at all your thing, but.
[00:09:15] Amanda: We hope you have a great week regardless. We hope you have a lovely week. , and we're going to do our, this is our third Lit Chats episode. I have been really excited for this particular topic because I know in general, I think this divides the literary community, the reading community. And so I'm excited to dive into with Kelsey.
[00:09:39] Amanda: Be
[00:09:39] Kelsey: careful what
[00:09:40] Amanda: the heck I want to say. , so we're going to be talking about, you're like, I know God, , we're going to be talking about audio books today and just some subtopics, I guess, that fall underneath that big umbrella term of audio books. And we're going to kick off this discussion [00:10:00] with this lovely question, which is does listening.
[00:10:05] Amanda: To an audio book count as reading.
[00:10:09] Kelsey: I'll say, why don't you answer first? Well, duh, it does. You're getting the same content. You are getting the same vocabulary. Like it is. You are reading. Okay. And in my world, it counts as reading. Like I wouldn't go to Goodreads and be like, Oh yeah, I didn't read that. I don't know.
[00:10:27] Kelsey: Like, you know, exactly what happens. You're going to check it off on Goodreads or whatever app you use. What's the other app? That's out there. There's one more that's like people rave about, but I use Goodreads right now. , but if I'm going to check it off on Goodreads, like I read it, no matter what form I read it in.
[00:10:48] Amanda: Okay. So for you, your criteria is like checking it off on Goodreads means that you read it. I suppose so. Okay. That just
[00:10:58] Kelsey: came out of my ass. So it [00:11:00] wasn't premeditated. Okay.
[00:11:02] Amanda: Okay., I want to like, the first thing I want to say, just want to establish this right out the gate. What is it? Is that listening to a book.
[00:11:11] Amanda: and reading a book are both equally valid, equally acceptable ways of interacting with the text. One is not better than the other. One is not superior. One is not inferior. And I am like, completely 100 percent against people who believe that. Like, I think that is ridiculous. My one caveat, and this is getting, this is getting really nitty gritty and like into the semantics of things.
[00:11:36] Amanda: But if you've listened, if you've listened to this podcast for any length of time, You know that I love words, and I love language, and I really think a lot about the way in which we use words and language and what it means. And so, my one thing is that , I think if you listened to an audio book, then you should say that [00:12:00] you listened to an audio book instead of saying that you read a book purely because reading and listening are two different activities.
[00:12:09] Amanda: They're two completely different actions. , so I think it's misleading to tell someone that you read a book when you listen to it, just say that you listened to it. There's nothing wrong with that. It's not shameful. And so I have a question for you. Yeah, go for it. Like,
[00:12:23] Kelsey: what is your. What is the point behind that?
[00:12:26] Kelsey: Like, what is your point? Like, for me, it's just, what is your need behind that? Like, you have to distinguish the two.
[00:12:32] Amanda: So I don't think that again, this is not something I feel strongly about. This is not something that I'm like, Oh my gosh, it keeps me up at night. But in the context, if we're going to have like this discussion about it, right.
[00:12:41] Amanda: And we're going to like have to dive into the details and the nitty gritty that I would say, , for me, it just comes down to like using words. , or, or accurately and honestly, like reflecting what you're doing. So for example, if you were like, Oh my gosh, Amanda, like I just came back from, , going for a run and you [00:13:00] actually walked, I would feel like you were being dishonest because it isn't actually what you did.
[00:13:04] Amanda: Again, one is not better than the other. It just requires. Like, it's a completely different action. One sounds
[00:13:10] Kelsey: better than the other, though.
[00:13:12] Amanda: What?
[00:13:14] Kelsey: You went for a run versus a walk? You think it sounds better? Yeah, and that's also what people say about listening to audiobooks. Yes. , there is definitely like a hierarchy.
[00:13:26] Amanda: Yeah. And when you
[00:13:27] Kelsey: say that, it makes me feel like that's what you're saying to me. But then you're saying that's not what you're saying,
[00:13:34] Amanda: so you're making it sound like it's coming across as , Oh, well, I'm looking down on you because you, is that
[00:13:39] Kelsey: not that far.
[00:13:40] Amanda: But like
[00:13:41] Kelsey: that reading is superior to listening to audio books.
[00:13:46] Kelsey: And I know that's not what you're saying, because you have to have a distinguish between them,
[00:13:51] Amanda: but the flip side of that is like, why do then people who listen to audiobooks feel so adamant about saying that they read the book if it doesn't matter?[00:14:00]
[00:14:00] Kelsey: Because there is like this air of reading is more superior. in
[00:14:06] Amanda: like
[00:14:07] Kelsey: our culture.
[00:14:08] Amanda: Yes. Okay. So that's the thing. And we talked about this before. So that's where I think it comes from and we talked about this earlier today. Like there is this elitism that comes with reading and historically in general, like historically literacy, being able to read was like reserved for the very few.
[00:14:25] Amanda: And historically it was, it was men and often white men, but usually men in whatever culture and women weren't allowed to read. The lower classes weren't allowed to read, et cetera. So I think it's just permeated right deep, deep, deep into our cultural psyche. And so I think without realizing it, a lot of people who listen to audio books are then naturally situated to have to defend right there in their intelligence, their ability to interact with the text because there is that like underlying, Oh yeah.
[00:14:57] Amanda: Oral traditions and listening and speaking [00:15:00] versus reading and writing is less than and somehow speaks to a lack of education. It speaks to a lack of, like I said, intellectual capability. So I completely agree with that. And I fully understand. Why folks who listen to audiobooks like, no, I need to actually say that I read it because if I don't, then I'm somehow going to be dismissed or like my experience of the text is somehow less valid.
[00:15:23] Amanda: And I completely agree. Like we are totally on the same page about that. But I think by doing that though, by having people who listen to audiobooks feel like, Oh no, no, no. I have to say that I read it. We're just perpetuating that. Stereotype that one is better than the other. And I think it's just a really bad example for younger folks and younger readers.
[00:15:44] Amanda: Cause as teachers, you know, this, like when kids struggle to, to read, whether it's because of a physical disability, whether it's because of a learning difference, like dyslexia, maybe they're just slow readers. We don't tell them like, , It's reading, are nothing right we're like, [00:16:00] Oh, here are some alternatives.
[00:16:01] Amanda: Like you can listen to this. We provide them with audio books in school. Like that is at least at least at my school. I'm sure at your school. Yeah. At my school as well. And if we then, if they then see adults in their lives that are ashamed to claim that they listen to books versus reading them, like what kind of messaging is it then sending to kids?
[00:16:18] Amanda: Both of those things are valid. We're not going to ever undo this problematic Hierarchy that is still under the surface and people just like own up to
[00:16:26] Kelsey: it. I don't know. I don't think that it, I don't think saying reading an audio book is portraying that in my opinion.
[00:16:36] Kelsey: I don't know. Like for me, I will say both. I don't have like a, I only say I read this audio book. Oh yeah. I was listening to this audio book, dah, dah, dah. And I do both. So it is an interchangeable thing for me, but when I say I, it counts as reading.
[00:16:52] Kelsey: Yeah. Right. Like it's counting towards the books that I have, like, yeah, I know what have has happened in them. Like [00:17:00] I, I've read them, but I, yeah, I will say like, oh yeah, I listened to an audio book. I'll say that.
[00:17:07] Amanda: Yeah. But
[00:17:08] Kelsey: it counts towards my reading. Sure. Sure. So I don't know. It's very, very thin line that we're walking.
[00:17:16] Amanda: Yeah. And I would say too, like if somebody told me that they read an audio book. Versus if they just said that they read a book that they listened to the audio book. I think that also is just, again, it's, this is not a huge issue. This is not something that I like get upset about or like at all.
[00:17:33] Amanda: Other
[00:17:34] Kelsey: people do though.
[00:17:34] Amanda: I know, which is like, so wild to me, but I do think if someone says that they read an audio book, like I'm like, okay, I know the format in which you experienced this text because you said audio book. Right. And so it's like, Oh, like, that's fine. If you want to say you read it, that's fine.
[00:17:48] Amanda: But when people say that they read a book and they listen to the audio book, just that phrase, I'm like, Oh, I'm imagining that you had this particular kind of experience with the text again, not in a way that makes it better or [00:18:00] worse. I'm just like, Oh, then I can then imagine like you have this hardcover or whatever book that you again.
[00:18:07] Amanda: Like read, because that's a different skill, like a different skill set versus listening. And like, I, I suck at listening. I'm a really poor auditory processor. It's why I don't listen to audio books. I find it very hard to track information that way. Does that make me less than I don't think so. Like, does that mean I'm less intelligent?
[00:18:25] Amanda: I don't think so. And so I think it's just a matter of playing to your strengths and like getting to experience the world in a way that best suits you. So. Yeah, I do think it's silly if people are like, Oh my gosh, like you're a, you're a fraud. If you say that you read an audio book, like that just seems really extreme to me and like, so narrow minded.
[00:18:48] Amanda: And again, so it's, I think, a bad example for, for students of all, or just people in general, right? Who like experience the world differently based on, you know, whether they are neurodiverse or [00:19:00] whatever. Huh.
[00:19:01] Kelsey: When you're talking, I'm like, oh, okay. Yeah. She's saying that. Audio books are valid.
[00:19:09] Kelsey: And then I'm like, wait, no, she's not. And he's so like, yeah, the way that you're describing this, I cannot tell what you're
[00:19:18] Amanda: saying. This is a great comprehension check. Kelsey, what do you think I've communicated so far?
[00:19:29] Kelsey: Various things. That's why you're like, so audio books don't count as reading. They count as listening and that's kind of the, that's the problem with people see like with, , but it does count as reading.
[00:19:45] Amanda: So I think what I'm trying to say is that listening to an audiobook means that you listened, you didn't, you didn't actually engage in the act of reading. However, especially as you were saying, like when you're keeping track [00:20:00] of books that you've quote unquote read, like that is, yeah, that's totally fine.
[00:20:04] Amanda: Cause as far as I'm aware, there's not some app that's like, let me track the audio books I was like, that's, that's stupid. But I think there is a distinction between listening and reading. That is what I'm trying to say. I don't think audiobooks are less than a written book.
[00:20:18] Amanda: , but I, I think it is important to note, and again, not, not important to because one is better than the other, but because there's just a difference. Like listening requires your brain working in a certain way and engaging with something that is very different from reading. And both of them are very cool ways to engage.
[00:20:34] Amanda: Does that make sense? Yeah, it makes sense. It still sounds
[00:20:38] Kelsey: like you're not saying what you're saying. It's like, , why do you have to make that distinction? Why is that distinction so important? I don't have
[00:20:46] Amanda: to, that's what I'm saying. I don't have to make that distinction, but I do think like those two things, I'm just like saying that it's a different verb.
[00:20:54] Kelsey: Like literally that's what we're talking about.
[00:20:56] Amanda: It's a different verb because it's a different action.
[00:20:59] Kelsey: [00:21:00] Yeah.
[00:21:00] Amanda: Yeah. But the way that you're processing, I think I will, I think it only matters in that because of the way that it's talked about, one is given more superiority than the other. And I think that's a bad thing.
[00:21:15] Amanda: And I think you should think, think two things should be acknowledged. One is they are two different ways of engaging with the text and they are both valid. That is what I'm saying. Okay. And I feel like a lot of people just think that like they're the same and they're both valid and that I disagree with
[00:21:34] Amanda: because I've heard people make that argument like listening and reading is the same. I'm like, no, it's not. Like, it's not the same thing, and it's okay, and I think it's, there's that built in defensiveness because they're afraid that they're then being condescended to, or their experience with the text is somehow less than because they listened to it.
[00:21:51] Amanda: And so I understand why people get defensive. Yeah. Okay. So that's all. So
[00:21:58] Kelsey: hopefully
[00:21:59] Amanda: that's, that's [00:22:00] clear.
[00:22:00] Kelsey: Okay. I don't know how else to say that. In the end, we're basically saying the same thing. Yes. Is all that chalks up to. Okay. Okay. Okay. So our next question, why do you choose to or choose not to listen to audio books?
[00:22:19] Kelsey: Okay. Hmm, you go ahead first.
[00:22:21] Amanda: Yeah, I mean, I've kind of already answered is that I don't, I'm not good at processing things that way Mm-Hmm. . Mm-Hmm. Part of it's because I have a, a disability, like I have single-sided deafness. So generally just processing sound is a little bit harder for me than other people.
[00:22:36] Amanda: , and two, I just find it harder to understand and retain information when it's presented. , in an auditory format or an audio format versus text, just because that's how my brain is wired. So I'm like naturally going to, I'm going to be more inclined to go to something that's visual, whether it's pictures, whether it's text, [00:23:00] whether it's a video that is going to stick with me versus audio.
[00:23:04] Amanda: And I also just. Quite simply, I love the idea of getting in my little reading chair with an actual book that I can wrap my hands around or my e reader, because unfortunately that's usually what I'm reading, , and have something I can hold in my hands. And, it's just me and the text and physically in that space, in that moment, there's just something really wonderful about that interaction.
[00:23:27] Amanda: And I don't have that with an audio book. I mean, you could curl up with an audio book. You could have that playing while you sit and listen. But, , I think you're going to speak to this in a moment, but a lot of times if you're listening to an audio book, you're doing something else. And so I like having my focus solely on.
[00:23:42] Amanda: The story that I'm engaging with. Yeah. That's
[00:23:45] Kelsey: pretty much it for me. , so I do listen to a lot of audio books. , And I like the idea of being able to do other things while I'm listening to an audio book. So I like to do it when I'm driving [00:24:00] or when I'm working out or when I'm doing chores at home. , it just allows me to continue my reading.
[00:24:07] Kelsey: Without having to just sit there and, , and read because also like for me, that's really difficult to do. , because my brain is constantly like, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, on all of the tasks that I need to complete or think that I need to complete, I create in my head. , and so, , audio books help me do something while also listening to a book.
[00:24:28] Kelsey: , so that. Is probably my biggest reason for listening to audio books. , and plus like, I'm a slower reader, so I get through books less quickly. And so, , Some people like to read in like just chunks, like they'll read a couple days of one book because they can get through it quickly. And, , I would love to be that kind of reader, but I don't read that quickly.
[00:24:51] Kelsey: And so my books are like a week at least, , I'm reading a book typically. Unless I really, really love it and I'm just, , curled up with [00:25:00] it for hours and hours. , so yeah. Okay.
[00:25:03] Amanda: I
[00:25:03] Kelsey: have a
[00:25:03] Amanda: question for you as a fellow, as a person who also has ADHD. So one of the things, I have listened to audio books before, right?
[00:25:11] Amanda: It's like I've never listened to them. , I listened sometimes to podcasts, although not often, which I know is kind of ironic. , but. You listen to ours though. Yeah. Yeah. I do. Okay. Yes. Lots of editing. , one of the things that I struggle with is when I am listening to, let's say an audio book as I'm driving or like doing a chore or something, what happens for me is I am distracted by.
[00:25:33] Amanda: What's happening around me. Right. So if I'm like cleaning my bathroom and I'm listening to my book, Oh, what is this weird spot in my shower? Where did that come from? How can I get this off the wall? You know? And then I'm like, then I realized I haven't actually been listening for the last four minutes and then I have to go back.
[00:25:45] Amanda: Or if I'm driving, I'll pass something on the side of the road that gets me thinking about a story I need to go to. And I need to, so does that happen to you? Or are you like locked in?
[00:25:54] Kelsey: No, it totally happens to me. Okay. , there, I think it is good like training for [00:26:00] my brain though, where it's like, it's trying to stay connected to the book.
[00:26:04] Kelsey: And if the book is boring, like it's not going to, right. So if I'm really interested in the book, my, , Brain will stay on the book. , but yes, of course. Yeah. I get distracted or society will talk to me and I'm like, why are you talking to me? , okay. Okay.
[00:26:22] Amanda: I was just curious. Cause I have found the only podcast I can listen to and the only audio books that I can listen to successfully are ones that have really strong narratives that are like really easy to follow and that are like, yeah, suspenseful, gripping, hold my attention.
[00:26:36] Amanda: If it's just like people chit chatting, like in a podcast or if it's like us, or if it's just like a story that's really meandering or taking its time, I'm like, I'm gone. I can only listen to thrillers on, on an audio book. Interesting. Yeah. It's got to really grab me. Otherwise I'm gone. For sure. , okay.
[00:26:57] Amanda: Next question. And this is mainly for you since I don't [00:27:00] really listen to audio books a lot, but like, what do you think are some of the benefits of audio books?
[00:27:09] Kelsey: I mean, I think I could just, I kind of went over them just a minute.
[00:27:15] Kelsey: But yeah, , you can be multitasking when you're reading, listening to a book, , and do something else. , I think that's going to be extremely important whenever I were able to have children because like, I'm like, when am I ever going to read again?
[00:27:29] Amanda: Yeah. Only going to
[00:27:31] Kelsey: be listening to Audiobooks, I bet.
[00:27:34] Kelsey: , so that's just like something I think about for the future too. But, , thinking about accessibility, we talked about students, like we have students that listen to audio books rather than, , actually reading texts because there, there can be many reasons for this, but just like slow processing they just have a disability where it's harder to actually read things rather than listen to things.
[00:27:55] Kelsey: And so Yeah, I know like I have a student who just [00:28:00] like really really struggles with their ADHD and can't focus like Sit down and focus on a text , and you put physical disabilities on here, but that's something also to like keep in mind. Like if someone can't physically like potentially like hold up a book or like, you know, have something in front of them like that. , Audiobooks would be a great way to, , access books.
[00:28:22] Amanda: , absolutely.
[00:28:23] Kelsey: For all those reasons. And then, , one of the things that I really love about audio books is , the narrator can be very talented or make the book, like, Very, very bad. So they have the ability to, to do that and to like shift you into this world. , and we'll talk a little bit about some of my recommendations and like ones I've loved.
[00:28:45] Kelsey: ,
[00:28:45] Kelsey: And then finally, like thinking about if you, I don't know why these things happen, but like there's mental blocks to reading, right? Just like there's mental blocks to many other things. , And sometimes it's really hard to get into a book [00:29:00] and people call that a reading slump. , when you are struggling to read and I think a couple of things that helped me, , and one of them is included, , including, , reading an audio book and, , because the story's going to continue, whether or not you are.
[00:29:17] Kelsey: Like, you know, turning the pages. Exactly. Exactly. I'm like trying to like describe this, , because. If you're sitting down to me, for me, if you're sitting down with a book and you're like, I'm, you know, feeling that reading slump and trying to sluggishly get your way through, you're not going to be very successful at it.
[00:29:37] Kelsey: , and at least in my case. And so audio books help the story continue, even if I am in a slump and it helps me get out of it. , So that's another benefit. That I have noticed of reading audiobooks.
[00:29:52] Amanda: And I would say my one benefit from the times that I have used it, and this is like so basic and obvious, but like traveling, right?
[00:29:57] Amanda: Which you kind of already talked about with multitasking, like [00:30:00] you've got a long road trip. I used to drive from New Jersey to Ohio on the holidays back when I lived in New Jersey. It's, you know, like eight, nine hours. And, , And it was perfect audio book length. I'd find a great thriller that was you know, eight hours long and would just listen to the whole thing in one go.
[00:30:14] Amanda: So, , I think that's, yeah, it's also just really convenient. Or commutes and long drives, et cetera, which you've already touched on. And that's how, yeah, that's how I use them. , so you were going to share, since you, again, since you do listen to audio books, you were going to share some of your recommendations for audio books that you've really enjoyed and also .
[00:30:33] Amanda: Where you like to listen to your audiobooks, because there's so many platforms, there's so many subscriptions. Oh, a hundred percent. That people can utilize. So, did you want
[00:30:40] Kelsey: to? Yeah. So, the big difference between various books is that you can have one narrator. Or you Or multiple narrators for various characters throughout the book.
[00:30:52] Kelsey: And so I tend to prefer multiple narrators for a book, , but not necessarily exclusively, [00:31:00] but they're fun. They can be really, really fun. Then again, there are, and I'll share an example of this. There are books where the narrator will create different
[00:31:11] Amanda: voices
[00:31:13] Kelsey: for each character who are like extremely talented.
[00:31:16] Kelsey: And one of those narrators is, , Daniel Henning. And he narrates the house in the Sierra Leone sea, , by TJ Klune. And he does such a good job, like you've read this book. There's six different kids in it and all of them have different voices and it is so stinking adorable. , Daniel does a really, really great job, , of distinguishing the voices of the characters.
[00:31:41] Kelsey: That's why I loved that book is because I, I listened to it. I didn't read it. And now I'm in the second book and I actually, , I'm reading it now and I can hear their voices, like Coming off the page, you know, it's so fun. I
[00:31:57] Amanda: just, I said two things.
[00:31:58] Amanda: One of the things you just said, [00:32:00] you said, I listened to it. I didn't read it. And I was like, Oh, hmm. It's interesting that she made that distinction on her own. Like, so clearly,
[00:32:06] Kelsey: clearly, but also you will find that in this episode, I have said, read and listen to interchangeably. So
[00:32:14] Amanda: it was just funny that you felt the need to make that distinction when to you do the same, but anyhow, no, the other thing I was going to say, look at your face.
[00:32:24] Amanda: So as a theater person, , there's a form of theater called reader's theater, which you might be familiar with. And it's literally just people on a stage with a script. There's no, set, there's no blocking or anything. And you're just reading the scripts and the different characters and they're reading the stage directions and everything.
[00:32:40] Amanda: And that's what it makes me think of. And I'm like, Oh, I think I would really like that. I think I would really enjoy it because , it's almost more of a performance in a way. Oh, totally. Having like the multiple, yeah, the multiple voice actors.
[00:32:52] Kelsey: Yeah. , so that was really fun. And , I would say even though I wasn't a huge fan of the book itself or the [00:33:00] series itself, , the Atlas six series all six of them have a different narrator and, , It's just really, it's just great to be able to distinguish between all of the characters in such a way.
[00:33:12] Kelsey: When you're moving from character to character to character, you know exactly who's speaking. , and actually Daniel Henning , is a narrator in this book, , not of one of the six, but he is the character Gideon in this, , book. It's funny because there are very popular narrators, right?
[00:33:31] Kelsey: And so you'll see them in various books. Sure. That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. And so I also, I
[00:33:38] Amanda: also like it when folks will read their own books. So like if a celebrity wrote a memoir, , so I did, I think I mentioned this, I listened to you like Tina Fey's, I think it was Tina Fey's memoir.
[00:33:50] Amanda: , that was just really interesting to hear her words and her voice. , I know you know, Trevor Noah reads born a crime and that's another really popular, audio book. So I do [00:34:00] enjoy that. Like very much. I think one of the things I haven't done yet, which I would like to do is to listen to an audio book that is voiced by like actors.
[00:34:09] Amanda: Like I know there's some, you know, famous actors who will lend their talents to the audio book world. Like that'd be really cool to see them perform like in that format as well.
[00:34:19] Kelsey: Yeah. , the other book that I listened to that was a memoir was the spare. Did you see that book by Prince Henry.
[00:34:28] Kelsey: Oh, yes, but it was so funny. , I, , got really obsessed with, the monarchy essentially, after I went and saw six. The musical. Oh, yeah. Of course. Anyway, I dove deep and ended up, , listening to The Spare. Gotcha. And Prince Henry actually is narrating that and, , so yeah, I really love that too especially if there's a memoir.
[00:34:55] Amanda: And,
[00:34:56] Kelsey: , the author, , write, , is narrating. That's fun, [00:35:00] too.
[00:35:00] Amanda: Yeah.
[00:35:00] Kelsey: , to let everybody know, like, I listen mostly through Libby, which is the free, app through libraries in our area.
[00:35:10] Kelsey: I think that's really good. I feel like it's nationwide. I feel like I've heard it quite a bit. , I don't know if it's in other countries though, but at least in the United States, it's connected to libraries. And so you can not only listen to audio books, but you can also, , Kindle like books. On there as well.
[00:35:29] Kelsey: Ebooks. Thank you. , and I actually have not figured out how to connect it to my ebook, which I have a different one. Like your e reader you
[00:35:37] Amanda: mean?
[00:35:38] Kelsey: Yeah. Okay.
[00:35:43] Kelsey: What is it called? Oh my gosh. I don't even know. Kobo. Kobo. Okay. , so I have Kobo. , I don't know how to connect Libby to Kobo yet. I'll figure it out sometime. But, , but the thing with Libby is like, especially in the Seattle area, it gets so you have to [00:36:00] wait a long time for books. And right now I am reading, rereading powerless, , which you are a hundred percent going to read and
[00:36:09] Amanda: hate, but it's going to be
[00:36:11] Kelsey: so hard.
[00:36:13] Kelsey: I'm so excited. I. I freaking love this book and it's the characters in it and it's the tension in it and you are gonna hate it.
[00:36:23] Amanda: Wait. Okay. Pause for a second because you've said this multiple times. So what am
[00:36:27] Kelsey: I going
[00:36:27] Amanda: to hate about it? It's a romance. Oh, is that the only reason I'm going to hate it just because it's a romance?
[00:36:31] Amanda: You're going to hate
[00:36:31] Kelsey: it and it's, it's, I think you're going to hate it. I'm not going to tell you exactly why. Okay. Okay. I want you to like make your own thing. Okay. But I know you're going to, like, I just know. Cause it's not like amazing writing. Oh, okay. The reason why you were okay with, , court of thorns.
[00:36:47] Kelsey: Was because like Sarah J Maas does a good job and she's a good writer, right? , this is not like wonderful writing. Okay. It's
[00:36:56] Amanda: okay. I did so bad. It's okay. Oh my [00:37:00] God. Just evil.
[00:37:04] Kelsey: , yeah. So. Okay. I also have a Spotify subscription and if you are the head, like Spotify, , , I don't know what that's called.
[00:37:14] Kelsey: Account holder, then you are able to access like audio books. And so I do that through Spotify. , and. I listened to all sorts of audio books, , but, , you know, sometimes audio books can be boring and, one of the ones that is boring that I recently read, but also Sassadio wanted me to read this because I said, if you read ACOTAR, I'll read one of your books.
[00:37:41] Kelsey: And he wants me to read the road. And I don't even know who this person is. Oh,
[00:37:46] Amanda: by
[00:37:46] Kelsey: Cormac McCarthy. Yeah, Did you read it?
[00:37:49] Amanda: Nope. It has been on my list for a long time and I keep bumping it down because I'm like, I don't, I know it's good, but I just don't wanna read it.
[00:37:55] Kelsey: Is it good though? I don't know. I don't, I dunno.
[00:37:58] Kelsey: Could've read it. So , [00:38:00] I, the narrator in there, I think actually ruins the book for me because his voice is boring and I really can't stand it. And I was like, why? he narrates the whole thing and there's a boy in the book too. And so he creates this really annoying voice for the boy.
[00:38:19] Kelsey: And I'm just like, I can't. So the other thing though, that is worth mentioning is the Speed that you listen to your audio books on, this is another thing that kind of like circulates around TikTok. , I currently have it at, , let me look real quick. It's like one something, yeah. It's at 1.
[00:38:39] Kelsey: 5 and some people will listen to like three.
[00:38:45] Amanda: That's crazy.
[00:38:46] Kelsey: It's insane. And it's so funny because I will, I'll listen to this out loud,
[00:38:50] Kelsey: ,
[00:38:50] Kelsey: sometimes, and my father in law was here last week, , and he was like, is that, are they talking fast on there? Other [00:39:00] people who have not been like accustomed to reading that way, they're like, I don't know.
[00:39:04] Kelsey: What the frick is happening? , because yeah, they do. They're like, Oh God, that'd be so
[00:39:12] Amanda: hard, especially for someone who struggles like me to process things like in that format, it would be so difficult. Like I can, I can read like that. Like I can read like, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. You can't like, I would have to be so honed.
[00:39:31] Amanda: And I think the other thing with audio books is like, and this is true for e readers too, which is why ideally I like an actual book to hold is because it's, you can't go back easily. It's like you can easily flip back to that, that page to check something or go back and look at like, if there's a map, look at the map of the beginning of the book or check.
[00:39:47] Amanda: So I find it very limiting to. I
[00:39:50] Kelsey: would say that's probably the biggest con of the book. Like reading an ebook or not an ebook, an audio book, , is because you can't go back. You're like, [00:40:00] Oh, when was that? What chapter was that? You don't know. It's very hard. It's very difficult. Yeah. So even like, if I'm listening to an audio book, For our podcast, like I have to open up notes page and be like, what do I remember?
[00:40:14] Kelsey: And like,
[00:40:16] Amanda: plug it in
[00:40:16] Kelsey: because, , I'm not gonna remember. Yeah. You can't like dog ear it and go back to it or it in that moment. But also the hard thing is sometimes I'm driving and so that's not possible.
[00:40:26] Amanda: Yeah. I mean, like, again, I have so much respect for and I'm so impressed by people who are good at that.
[00:40:35] Amanda: Thank you. And can hold all that information and can track things for that long. And, we read a book, I mentioned this on the podcast a couple of weeks ago. , we read in the dream house by, Carmen Maria Machado, and there's a ton of like footnotes in it. And I remember asking some of my fellow book clubbers who had listened to it.
[00:40:54] Amanda: I'm like. How did that work? How did they read? Did they read the footnotes and how did they do [00:41:00] that? Like, did they insert it in the middle of a sentence when the number was there? And so like, I just, it really throws me. And what did they do? They said the folks who read the audio book said that the narrator did read the footnotes, but they didn't say how they did it.
[00:41:15] Amanda: And there were things that they had missed. So I'm not even sure if they read like all of the footnotes or only some of them or, but either way, it's just like things like that. Because of the way that a page is laid out in the way that text works on a page is just it's different. And so like your experience of the text can be different again if you're not looking at a map, right?
[00:41:34] Amanda: Like, how does that work in a fantasy book when there's a map? Like they're not reading the map to you. So you just don't have that information. Right. , I'm assuming they read through character lists and like list all the names and stuff. I'm sure. No, I don't think so. Oh, so you don't have like the, okay.
[00:41:50] Amanda: , so yeah, you know, a text does operate a bit differently. And so, , yeah, so there's pros and cons to both, right? Like, yeah, for sure. It's
[00:41:56] Kelsey: funny. Like I remember reading [00:42:00] There was a book you recommended that you ended up not having me read after all by is I think it's by Geraldine Brooks.
[00:42:10] Kelsey: The first one that you recommended? Oh, yes.
[00:42:12] Amanda: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What one was that? , , this, , song. Oh my gosh.
[00:42:17] Kelsey: Whatever that one was. Yeah. That one was so confusing. And I was like, what the fuck is this book about? And then eventually I was like, okay, yeah, he's in a desert or something. And I was like, okay, there's this guy , Oh, what's his name?
[00:42:29] Kelsey: I don't know. I don't know his name. Oh, the secret chord.
[00:42:31] Amanda: That's what it was. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:42:33] Kelsey: That one was so confusing as an audio book. I was like, what the, yeah,
[00:42:37] Amanda: some of them just don't work in that format, which makes sense though. Right. If something was created for a particular format and operates a certain way, it can be hard sometimes to translate.
[00:42:46] Amanda: That's why like when a book is made into a movie, you're like, Oh, like some of this work, some of this had to change because it doesn't work in this format. Like those things matter. And I think it's important Yeah. The
[00:42:57] Kelsey: ones that had, , footnotes was that [00:43:00] historical fiction.
[00:43:01] Amanda: No, the in the dream house is a memoir. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Yeah. It was a very interesting style the way that she wrote it because she was playing around with like different conventions and tropes, which again, it's like, Oh, that's interesting to think about how that translates from one medium, one format into another and I think is actually part of this conversation.
[00:43:22] Amanda: We didn't really talk about in the first question, but things operate differently in different formats. Thanks. And so it, it does change in some ways, small and sometimes large, the ways that you understand something or interact with something. And I get, and again, I think, yeah, a good example is taking a book and making it a movie.
[00:43:41] Amanda: It's not the same. And that's where you get a lot of criticism from people who read the book, like, but this changed and this wasn't the same and it's like, yeah, but you can't do this. You don't have internal dialogue a lot of times in movies. Oh, yeah, exactly. You can have people like the voiceovers, but it's like, it's not
[00:43:54] Kelsey: there.
[00:43:55] Kelsey: Yeah. And
[00:43:55] Amanda: that changes your understanding of a character and how you, respond .
[00:43:59] Kelsey: And even [00:44:00] in just thinking about the one that I mentioned, The House in the Cerulean Sea, like, my experience of that is completely different from yours and how, , I interacted with the children, the characters. Yeah.
[00:44:12] Kelsey: Yeah. Yeah. Just because they're. Their personalities had like a different layer to them, right. And it's just, it's different experience. So, yeah, the one thing before we end this episode is there's this new phenomenon, , becoming kind of popular on, TikTok where it's called immersion reading and, or immersive reading, , where you listen to the book and have the physical book in front of you.
[00:44:40] Kelsey: So you're doing both at the same time. Okay. Seems like overkill. Oh God. I tried this out with , the, sequel to the house in the cerulean sea. I can't even remember what it's called.
[00:44:51] Kelsey: I was listening to it and reading it. And I liked it mostly, but I, I don't have time for that. If I'm listening [00:45:00] to an audio book, I'm listening to it so I can do other things. And so it didn't feel like it was worth it to yeah, I don't, I don't get and reading at the same time.
[00:45:10] Kelsey: , but if anyone has recommendations out there, you let me know and I will try it out.
[00:45:14] Amanda: Did they say why people like it? So
[00:45:17] Kelsey: for this other book that I'm listening to right now, but read. Prior, I could see they have different narrators for the two main characters.
[00:45:26] Kelsey: And so like hearing their voices along with reading, I think could be really cool. I could see that, but yeah, I don't know why.
[00:45:36] Amanda: Okay. It's just a new thing. It's weird. Cause I'm like,, if you're listening, it's like, oh, the narrators have different voices. I'm like, well then just the audio book would suffice.
[00:45:43] Amanda: I don't know what the book would then add to that, but yeah, I don't know. I will have to look into this phenomenon because I'm not familiar with it and it seems. Some people are really obsessed with it. Yeah. It just seems like one of those things where it's like, it's doing the most, but it's not actually doing anything.
[00:45:59] Amanda: [00:46:00] So I will. Yeah. I'm curious if, yeah. If any of you guys in the audience, in the audience, any of our listeners, if you guys Engage in this practice. I would, I'm genuinely curious. I would love to know, , why you like it and like what the benefits are. Cause to me it seems, yeah, I'm, I'm a little confused, so I would love to learn more.
[00:46:19] Amanda: I'm very open to learning more about that. Cool. Do you have any final thoughts about audio books that Absolutely. You need to get off your chest.
[00:46:28] Kelsey: I feel like we went over them. And if you haven't listened to an audio book and have been curious about it, you should definitely go check them out.
[00:46:37] Amanda: Yeah. And again, the audio books that I've listened to, I've really enjoyed.
[00:46:40] Amanda: It's just not something I, it's part of my regular reading practice. , but I have, yeah, I have nothing against them. And I don't know, the more, the more I talk, To you, Kelsey, the more I'm like, maybe I should incorporate audio books into my routine. I don't have a super long commute, but like, I don't know.
[00:46:55] Amanda: Kind of do. Isn't that at least 20 minutes? Yeah. To me, that's not long considering what it used to be. [00:47:00] That's like, that's yeah. It would take me forever to get through an audio book if I'm listening to it in 20 minutes. But maybe not. Yeah. I guess if it's shorter. And I'm listening to it on two times speed.
[00:47:11] Amanda: ,
[00:47:11] Amanda: yeah. But then if you're
[00:47:12] Kelsey: interested in the book, then you'll find ways to listen to it. That's what happens. That's, yeah, that's true.
[00:47:18] Amanda: Because I want to know what's happening. It's the same with podcasts that I've gotten into. I'm like, all right. I just need to like. So I can't finish this episode. , cool.
[00:47:25] Amanda: So to wrap things up, I will just go over our socials one more time for folks since Kelsey did a wonderful job at the beginning. So Instagram, I do my best. You did so good. , Instagram at lib vibes, only underscore podcast. , Tik TOK is lit vibes, only podcasts, as is our YouTube channel, lit vibes, only podcast.
[00:47:45] Amanda: If you are feeling the need to communicate with us via email, you can shoot us an email at lit vibes, only podcasts at gmail. com. But in general, like we want to hear from you, especially these episodes, like the lit chats, where we're just kind [00:48:00] of talking about our thoughts on a topic. , we both want to learn more.
[00:48:04] Amanda: Yeah, we both want to learn more about these topics. We want to know if you enjoy this format of episodes, basically talk to us. We're lonely. Come chat with us. We would love to hear from you. We have no friends.
[00:48:14] Kelsey: Wait, we got like 55 on TikTok, but that's it. So we 70
[00:48:19] Amanda: something on
[00:48:20] Kelsey: Instagram. Come hang out with
[00:48:23] Amanda: us.
[00:48:23] Amanda: Either way, come join us. Come join the club. Thank you so much for listening y'all and , we'll see you next Monday.
[00:48:29] Kelsey: See you next Monday. Bye. Bye. Bye.