Question: Can you really say you’ve “read” a book when you’ve listened to it? Does listenting count as “reading”—and does it work for a book club discussion?
Answer: Well, at least we get through the book! In a busy life, that counts for something.
On the other hand. . .we’re usually multi-tasking when listening, which means the book doesn’t have our full attention. Second, we read at our own pace: pause, ponder, re-read, or jot a note. Hard to do with audio while driving. Third, in a book discussion, it’s easy for everyone to turn to a particular passage on a particular page. Not so easy with audio.
Two other considerations: purists say a narrator’s voice can unfairly influence how we experience a work. And finally, it turns out our memories work better when reading rather than listening. That’s especially true for adults and older students (though the research isn’t definitive).
So not being a purist, my advice is to enjoy audio books whenever you feel like it—but read the printed version when it comes to your book club selection. (See LitLovers Discussion Tips.)