The joy of audiobooks

11 Nov, 2025

I have added something to my creative time: I listen to an audiobook while crafting or doodling instead of turning on the radio.

It’s so good, it keeps my mind distracted while my hands create.

I have several sources for audiobooks to listen to: within my Kobo subscription and with libro FM.

It’s such a delight to listen to someone great reading an audiobook to you.

I already have so many favourites. Recently listened to the Hobbit read by Andy Serkis, which made it such an unexpected delight. He does so many fun voices!

I also loved listening to Bill Bryson reading At Home. The depth of his knowledge is amazing. I just love all the little facts of people’s inventions, and the glee with which he reads them.

Another favourite is The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. His voice is so soothing, though, it’s a good voice to fall asleep to. I’ve had to find my spot in the book so many times already :D

I’ve recently started to listen to an audiobook of one of my favourite reads last year: A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont. That book reinvigorated my love for spy novels, and now I want to read his second book, I needed to get back into the story, in audio this time.

And soon it will be time for my yearly listen to A Christmas Carol, read by Hugh Grant. It’s such a delight as well.

I usually listen at normal speed, unless someone talks too slow to my liking. I’m always amazed at BookTubers saying they listen to books at double speed. I tried it, and it made me so anxious!

Single speed is good enough for me.

The only issue with audiobooks for me is the narrator. Sometimes it’s so hit and miss. That’s why I love samples. Just closing my eyes, listening to someone new. I have loved some books more because of the narrator. On the flipside: I've stopped reading books because I "hear" the awful audiobook narrator's voice every time I read the story :D (I don't remember which books those were, but there was a book read by someone with a fake british accent and it was awful and I had to toss the book aside for a while until that awful voice was washed from my brain lol)

I also love it when audiobooks come with a whole cast recording. My favourite in that regard are the Winnie the Pooh books. I have listened to that audiobook so often because I just love Stephen Fry as Pooh :D

And I do consider it reading, by the way. I find the discussion on audiobooks not being reading so tedious. Just the fact that you are using another sense to take in a book doesn't change the outcome: you are taking in something someone else wrote.

#reading