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Time of India
15 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Do audiobooks truly count as reading, or are they just a shortcut?
It's a debate that comes up more often than you'd expect. Someone mentions finishing a book, then sheepishly admits, 'Well… we listened to it.' Immediately, there's a pause. Does that really count? Or is it somehow cheating? For a long time, we used to be on the fence about it. Growing up, 'reading' meant pages, paper, turning from one chapter to the next with your own eyes on the words. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Listening felt like a shortcut, almost like copying notes from a friend instead of writing them yourself. But the more we thought about it, and the more we tried audiobooks in my own life, the less that definition makes sense. The question isn't just about books, it's about how our brains work, how we experience stories, and even what we value in reading itself. How we define 'Reading'? At the heart of this debate is a definition problem. Reading traditionally means decoding written symbols with your eyes. But is that the essence of reading? Or is reading really about absorbing and understanding a story, an idea, or a set of facts? If the goal is to engage with the content, whether it's a novel, history, or a self-help book, then does it matter whether we saw the words or heard them? After all, people experienced stories by listening long before books were widespread. Homer's Iliad was recited aloud for centuries before it was ever written down. What science says about reading vs. listening? Research actually offers some clarity. Cognitive scientists have studied how the brain processes text versus speech. The results? For comprehension, the difference is surprisingly small. Whether we see the words or hear them, the same language regions in the brain light up. There are slight differences, of course. Visual reading gives you more control: you can slow down, reread a sentence, or study a graph. Listening tends to move at the narrator's pace, which can make some complex texts harder to digest. But in terms of remembering the main points or following a narrative, studies suggest audiobooks are nearly as effective as print. So scientifically speaking, yes, listening really can 'count' as reading. The unique strength of audiobooks But here's where it gets interesting. Audiobooks aren't just an alternative to reading; they offer experiences that print can't. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Think about voice. When a narrator brings characters to life changing accents, adding emotion, and pacing the dialogue, it adds a richness to the story. You might still remember listening to Trevor Noah narrate his memoir Born a Crime. His voice, his timing, the way he slipped between languages that wasn't just 'reading.' It was a performance. Could we have gotten the facts from the printed page? Of course. But the experience of the story was different, and in some ways, more powerful. Audiobooks also let us read in places where print is impossible: Driving, walking the dog, cooking dinner. Instead of choosing between reading and doing chores, you can do both. For busy people, that's not cheating it's survival. The cultural bias against listening So why do people still hesitate to call audiobooks 'real' reading? Part of it is cultural bias. We've long treated the written word as superior, more intellectual. Listening is sometimes dismissed as passive, easier, or less serious. But think about it. Was it 'less serious' when ancient communities gathered to hear stories aloud? Is a lecture less valuable than a textbook? In many societies, oral storytelling has always been the primary way knowledge is shared. The idea that only reading with your eyes is 'real' learning is a fairly modern, and very narrow, perspective. When audiobooks struggle Of course, there are limits. Some books are just harder to listen to. Academic texts with charts, poetry with line breaks, or books where you need to stop and think, these can be frustrating in audio form. Anyone who's tried to follow a complicated family tree in a fantasy novel while cooking knows the struggle. In those cases, print still has the edge. The ability to pause, reread, underline, or flip back a few pages makes a huge difference. Listening demands a kind of forward momentum; your mind can wander, and before you know it, the narrator has gone on without you. So maybe it's not a matter of which one 'counts,' but of which one fits the situation and the text. Personal preferences and learning styles There's also the fact that people process information differently. Some are highly visual learners; they remember what they see on the page. Others are auditory learners, they retain more when they hear it. For those people, audiobooks might actually be the better way to read. And let's not forget accessibility. For people with visual impairments or reading difficulties like dyslexia, audiobooks aren't just an alternative, they're essential. Suggesting that audiobooks don't 'count' erases a whole community of readers who rely on them. The emotional layer Here's something you might have noticed: Audiobooks sometimes forge stronger emotional connections. A skilled narrator can add nuance you might have skimmed over in print. Sarcasm, sadness, joy, they land differently when you hear them. if you might have once listened to an audiobook of To Kill a Mockingbird. The narrator's voice cracked slightly during Atticus Finch's courtroom speech. That crack stayed with me in a way the printed words never had, no matter how many times you read them. Doesn't that kind of impact count as reading, too? The verdict: Do they count? So, do audiobooks count as reading? We think the better question is: why are we so obsessed with this at all? The point of books isn't to prove we've done work; it's to engage with stories, knowledge, and ideas. If an audiobook helps you do that, then yes, it absolutely counts. Reading is not about how we take in the words. It's about what those words do to us once they're inside: the way they make us think, the feelings they stir, the questions they leave us with. Whether through our eyes or our ears, the destination is the same. At the end of the day, reading isn't a competition. Nobody's handing out medals for flipping pages versus pressing play. If anything, audiobooks expand the definition of reading, making literature more accessible, flexible, and alive. So next time someone asks if audiobooks count as reading, maybe the answer is simple: Of course they do. The real question is, what did you discover in the book? Because that's the part that matters.
USA Today
27-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Cozy up in the young adult reading lounge at Olde Towne Book Shop in Louisiana
Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way, and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities. Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert and unique book recommendations. This week we have co-owner Jamie Lewis of Olde Towne Book Shop in Slidell, Louisiana. What's your store's story? Olde Towne Book Shop is a cozy, women-owned bookshop located in historic Olde Towne Slidell, Louisiana. We offer new and used books and both in-store and online shopping experiences, making us accessible to readers nationwide. Opened in May 2024, OTBS is owned and operated by two authors with a mission to promote and improve literacy across southeast Louisiana while developing lifelong readers and writers. We pride ourselves on being a safe, inclusive space that celebrates everyone for who they are and who they strive to be. What makes your independent bookstore unique? While our shelves are packed with titles for readers of all ages and genre preferences, we also feature book-related products created by local artists: bookmarks, vinyl stickers, apparel, drinkware, crocheted reading buddies and much more. We partner with local small businesses to create memorable gifts for book lovers, including book bouquets made with fresh flowers and book boxes packed with a personal touch. Our author events and 'Featured Locals' shelf spotlights the talented writers in our region. We connect even further with our community through our monthly book club, writing circle, children's programs and other literacy-centric services. We're most proud of the events that support our mission to promote and improve literacy, such as our school sponsorship program that donates new books to school libraries. What's your favorite section in your store? My favorite section is our young adult lounge. It includes our inventory of YA favorites, signed novels, and new discoveries. We have an assortment of board games and activities to grab and play in-store. A large chalkboard wall invites young adults (and young-at-heart adults) to leave positive, personalized messages. Our goal is to provide this safe, dynamic space for after-school socialization and group hangouts. We're constantly adding to it to make it more inviting. What book do you love to recommend to customers and why? Lately, I've found myself recommending Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime" to several patrons. The way he mixes his natural humor with very real-life traumas while telling his story leaves readers captivated. It hits the heart in so many ways and is a hard story to forget. The continuation of "The Hunger Games" series has everyone of all ages excited. This series is so often the one that turns hesitant young readers into voracious book lovers, making it all the more special. What book do you think deserves more attention and why? "When You Had Power," the first in Susan Kaye Quinn's "Nothing is Promised" series. Hopepunk is a genre in speculative fiction that doesn't get much attention, but we need more of it, and Quinn writes it beautifully. The novel introduces us to a near-future world in shambles and the families who are working to rebuild it. As our real world becomes more dystopian, the fictional worlds to which we escape can be our glimmer of hope. Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important? Local, independent shops are important anchors to the surrounding community. We re-home secondhand books while introducing others to new-to-them authors and titles. We establish a personal connection with our patrons, enhancing the bookstore experience. By shopping at indie bookstores and taking advantage of services and programs, the community benefits most while keeping money in the local economy. What are some of your store's events, programs, or partnerships coming up that you would like to share? Summer's in full swing, and Olde Towne Book Shop's got events and programs for everyone. Since June 1, we've been celebrating "Genre Days." Save 20% on books from the featured genre of the day when you shop in-store and online. On July 12, author Dawn Chartier will hold a signing event to promote her latest paranormal romance, "The Fallen Guardian." On August 15, we're offering our fourth Paint Your Own Book Edges workshop. This easy-to-follow class guarantees you'll leave with a gorgeous custom special edition of your book of choice. A schedule of our monthly recurring events can be found on as well as our social media. These events include preschool story socials and other literacy-focused events for young readers, our Monday book club and morning silent book club, and our writing circle filled with authors and creative writers of all levels of experience.
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Trevor, come make SA great again
The reality is that in the US Trevor Noah is an immigrant. That may be the reason he's not taking jabs at Trump. Trevor Noah is known for his incisive commentary on race, politics, and global inequality. Yet some critics are questioning his silence, or at least lack of direct, in-depth discussion on one of the most controversial narratives to emerge from his native South Africa: the claim of a 'white genocide. "The term, largely propagated by far-right groups internationally, refers to alleged targeted killings of white South African farmers, often framed as evidence of a racially allegedly motivated campaign endorsed by the EFF and Mkhonto Wesizwe Party. The EFF with all its antics and 'kill the boer' sloganeering could not create a non-existent white genocide in South Africa. There are land reform discussions and efforts to address the historic inequalities of apartheid, but this is a legal and political process, not an effort to persecute or eliminate white South Africans. No credible international body (e.g., UN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International) recognises any genocide occurring in South Africa. The South African courts and institutions remain operational and continue to protect rights under a constitutional democracy. The "white genocide" narrative is often used to spread fear or justify political agendas, especially by far-right groups internationally. It's important to base conclusions on verifiable facts and credible sources. Still, rumours on farms remain a real and tragic issue, often rooted in broader socio-economic issues. Noah, who built his global brand on navigating the nuances of post-apartheid South Africa, has a responsibility to address the topic with more clarity. Given his unique platform and roots, Noah is in a prime position to unpack the facts and myths surrounding farm attacks. His avoidance creates a vacuum that extremists are eager to fill. Noah has occasionally referenced South African crime in interviews and his memoir Born a Crime, but has not addressed the 'white genocide' narrative by name. Whether this is a calculated editorial choice or a missed opportunity remains a subject of debate. Noah may be fearing the MAGA-Trump administration's anti-immigrant stance, a stance that may deport him back to Johannesburg at the drop of a hat. The reality is that in the US, he is an immigrant. That may be the reason he's not taking jabs at Trump. We may have to make peace with the fact that our beloved Trevor won't risk his currency in the US to correct the malicious propaganda about his home country, South Africa. Trevor, come on, make South Africa Great Again!
Business Insider
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Bill Gates' summer reading list this year is all about memoirs
"Chasing Hope" by Nicholas Kristof Gates said he's been following the work of Nicholas Kristof since 1997, when the veteran journalist published an article about children in poor countries dying from diarrhea. It changed the course of his life and helped him shape the Gates Foundation, Gates wrote in his blog post. "In this terrific memoir, Nick writes about how he stays optimistic about the world despite everything he's seen," Gates wrote. "The world would be better off with more Nick Kristofs." "Chasing Hope" came out in 2024 — after Gates finished writing his own memoir. However, Gates said he felt he had to include it on the list. "Personal History" by Katharine Graham Gates said he met renowned newspaper publisher Katharine Graham in 1991 on the same day he met Warren Buffett. Kay, as Gates affectionately called her, is best known for presiding over her family's paper, The Washington Post, during Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal. "I loved hearing Kay talk about her remarkable life: taking over the Post at a time when few women were in leadership positions like that, standing up to President Nixon to protect the paper's reporting on Watergate and the Pentagon Papers, negotiating the end to a pressman's strike, and much more," Gates said. "Educated" by Tara Westover Tara Westover's "Educated" debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list after its 2018 release. The tale of her upbringing, which included an unconventional father who banned her family from going to hospitals or attending school, led Gates to leave a 5-star review on Goodreads the same year it came out. Westover taught herself math and self-studied for the ACT despite not setting foot in a classroom until she was 17. Today, she has a Ph.D. in history. "I thought I was pretty good at teaching myself — until I read Tara Westover's memoir 'Educated.' Her ability to learn on her own blows mine right out of the water," Gates said in his review. "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah Comedian Trevor Noah released "Born a Crime," a memoir about his childhood in South Africa, in 2016. As a biracial boy growing up during apartheid, Noah was the product of an illegal interracial relationship and struggled to fit in. Gates said he related to the feeling of being an outsider. "I also grew up feeling like I didn't quite fit in at times, although Trevor has a much stronger claim to the phrase than I do," he wrote in his blog post. "Surrender" by Bono Gates shouted out the vulnerability in "Surrender" by musician Paul David Hewson, better known as U2 frontman Bono. The full title, "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story," sums up the 40-chapter autobiography that has each chapter named after a U2 song. According to Gates, Bono opens up about his upbringing with parents who "basically ignored" his passion for singing, which only made him try harder to make it as a musician. "I went into this book knowing almost nothing about his anger at his father, the band's near-breakups, and his discovery that his cousin was actually his half-brother," Gates said.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgetown school district defends book review process, says HB 900 caused changes
After directing librarians to pull more than 100 books at two high schools for review, the Georgetown school district announced this week that at least 33 of the titles can remain on the shelves. The district will also recommend Monday that 25 more titles be made available for checkout, a spokesperson for the district told the American-Statesman. Among those cleared are Trevor Noah's 'Born a Crime,' Margaret Atwood's 'The Testaments' and Douglas Stuart's 'Shuggie Bain,' according to the list the district provided to the Statesman on Thursday. The rest of the books are still pending review for age-appropriateness and literary merit. They were singled out as part of the district's implementation of House Bill 900, a 2023 state law prohibiting "sexually explicit' and 'harmful' materials in school libraries, Digital Services Director Kim Garcia said at a school board meeting Tuesday. The announcement comes after the district threatened to discipline a Georgetown High School librarian who had refused to pull 150 copies of books for review. The librarian, Susan Cooper, said she felt the sweep violated students' First Amendment rights. 'GISD has gone beyond HB 900 requirements and is using the law to remove books it finds inappropriate,' Cooper said during public comment Tuesday. Garcia and Georgetown school Superintendent Devin Padavil rejected Cooper's characterization of the change as a 'book ban.' 'We are not banning books,' Padavil told the audience at the school board's Tuesday meeting. A committee of seven people — high school teachers, three secondary librarians and two district administrators —makes the final determination on each title, according to Garcia. They are reviewing all the titles that a vendor, Follett, had rated 'Adult' with 'Mature' themes, except those used in past Advanced Placement English literature exams, as the Statesman previously reported. 'The idea of mature themes consists of a range of topics,' Garcia said. 'As such, our review process consists of looking at the books in our collections to make sure they are age-appropriate and have literary merit.' She said the new selection criteria will also apply to new purchases. Titles still in the queue for review include the 'Court of Thorns and Roses' fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas and 'It ends with us' by Colleen Hoover. In public comments, Cooper criticized the school for using artificial intelligence to help evaluate the library materials. The district defended it as a tool to facilitate research. 'Ms. Cooper is not accurate in implying that AI is being used to determine whether a book aligns with policy,' Georgetown district spokeswoman Melinda Brasher wrote in an email Thursday to the Statesman. 'Rather, it is being used as a tool to inform the committee about content that may not be age-appropriate. These books can then be prioritized for a more complete review, which includes reading the book in its entirety and reviewing it alongside a rubric, before making a determination.' All titles are still available for checkout at Georgetown High School, but a number of them will remain absent from the East View High School library catalog and shelves until the review is complete. 'We are hoping that within weeks, perhaps months, that we are able to bring (the review) to a conclusion,' Padavil said. Since the Statesman first reported on the directive to remove the books for review on March 27, more than 1,200 people have signed a petition urging Georgetown High School to "come to a solution on the issue" of book bans. 'It's not the board or the committee's place to decide what should or should not be in our libraries,' Brooke Thomas, a Georgetown High School junior who created the petition, said at Tuesday's meeting. "Ms. Cooper has not only stood up for the students, but also the parents of Georgetown High School." Thomas read out some of the books on the review list, describing why they were important to her. Rupi Kaur's 'Milk & Honey' 'makes you feel less alone,' she said. "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire tells the story of "injustice and prejudice." Padavil thanked Thomas for providing administrators with her feedback. 'Student voice is very important to us,' he said. 'It takes a lot of courage to come up here and advocate for what is right, so thank you.' Four of Thomas' friends, all Georgetown High students, also attended the meeting to support Cooper and oppose any book removals. Martha Winters, a Georgetown resident who attended the meeting, said none of the books should be removed from the shelves. "We have First Amendment rights. We have a right to read what we like," Winters told the Statesman after the board meeting. Speaking of students, she added, "If they're not exposed to various forms of literature, then where are they? They have nothing to compare to." In her public comments, Cooper invited the board and audience members to meet with her one-on-one at the school library to view the campus' collection. "I just hope the district does the right thing and sends all the books back and basically starts from scratch, and stops trying to push this through the easy way," she said, adding, "We'll see what happens." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Georgetown school district returning some books to library shelves
