How to Get Into Audiobooks (and Whether They 'Count' as Reading)

Audiobooks are the secret weapon of people who seem to read an impossible number of books. They turn dead time — commutes, dishes, walks, workouts — into story time, and for many readers they have doubled or tripled how much they "read" in a year. But getting started can feel awkward if you are used to the page. Here is how to make the leap.

First, Yes — Audiobooks Count

Let us settle the eternal debate. Listening to a book is reading. Studies of comprehension consistently find that listeners absorb and retain stories about as well as readers of print; the brain processes the meaning of language similarly whether it arrives by eye or ear. Storytelling was an oral tradition for thousands of years before it was ever a printed one. If you finished the book and understood it, you read it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is gatekeeping, not informing.

That said, the experience is different, and the difference is worth understanding so you can use each format well.

Start With the Right Kind of Book

The fastest way to bounce off audiobooks is to start with the wrong one. For your first few, choose books that are easy to follow by ear: a single clear narrator, a mostly linear plot, and not too many similarly named characters to track. Memoirs read by their authors are a fantastic starting point — the author's voice adds something print cannot. Character-driven fiction, mysteries, and fast-paced thrillers also tend to work beautifully.

Save the tricky stuff for later. Dense literary fiction with intricate prose, books with huge casts or complex invented names, and anything with maps, charts, or footnotes can be hard to absorb by ear. There is no shame in reading those in print and saving audio for the books that shine when performed.

The Narrator Is Everything

A great narrator can elevate a good book into an unforgettable experience; a poor one can sink a great book. Before you commit, always listen to the sample. Pay attention to pacing, the voice's warmth, and how the narrator handles different characters. If the voice grates on you, no plot will save it — find a different book or a different edition. A full-cast production, where different actors voice different characters, can be a revelation for dialogue-heavy stories.

Master the Speed (but Don't Rush)

Most audiobook apps let you adjust playback speed, and learning to use it is a rite of passage. Start at normal speed. As your ear adapts, you may find 1.2x or 1.5x feels natural and lets you get through books faster without losing comprehension. But do not chase speed for its own sake — a beautifully narrated book is meant to be savored. Slow down for the ones worth lingering on, speed up the breezy ones.

Pair Audio With an Activity — but the Right One

The magic of audiobooks is pairing them with tasks that occupy your hands and eyes but not your mind: driving a familiar route, washing dishes, folding laundry, walking, gardening, exercising. Avoid pairing them with anything that demands real attention or other language — you cannot follow a plot while writing an email. Find your "automatic" tasks and you will discover hours of reading time you did not know you had.

When You Miss a Section

Everyone's mind wanders during an audiobook, and you will occasionally surface to realize you missed the last five minutes. This is normal. Most apps have a "back 30 seconds" button — use it freely. With experience you will get better at staying present, and you will learn which environments are too distracting for the books that demand focus.

Audio and Print Are Better Together

You do not have to choose. Many readers keep a print or ebook going for focused evening reading and an audiobook going for their commute and chores, doubling their throughput. Some books support "whispersync"-style switching, letting you move between listening and reading the same title without losing your place. Treat the formats as complementary tools, not rivals.

The Bottom Line

Audiobooks are real reading, and they are the single best way to add hours of books to a busy life. Start with an easy, well-narrated story, always sample the narrator first, pair listening with mindless tasks, and do not be afraid to rewind. Do that, and the time you used to lose to traffic and dishes becomes the time you finally get through your to-be-read pile.