That retired librarian changed my mind about audiobooks vs reading

I used to be one of those people who said audiobooks don't count as reading. Like I'd get annoyed when someone in my book club said they listened to the book instead of reading it. Then Margaret, this retired librarian who joined our group about 6 months ago, brought up something at our meeting last Tuesday. She said listening vs reading uses different parts of your brain but both get you to the same story. She had this calm way of talking about it, like she'd seen a hundred arguments just like mine over her 30 years working. Then she said 'idk, maybe the gatekeeping is more about our own hangups than about how people enjoy books.' That line really stuck with me. Now I listen to maybe 1 out of every 4 books for our club and I don't feel guilty about it anymore. Has anyone else in this group had that shift in thinking about audiobooks?

3 comments

3 Comments

stone.jesse21d agoMost Upvoted

Margaret sounds like the kind of person who could talk me into anything, even broccoli-flavored ice cream.

smith.jordan19d ago

Wait hold up, you guys keep saying "broccoli-flavored" but I think you mean broccoli ice cream thats actually made WITH broccoli right? Like blended into the base. Because "broccoli flavored" would be some weird artificial chemical taste and nobody would fall for that. Margaret is better than that. She'd sell you actual broccoli ice cream made with real broccoli and somehow convince you its a superfood smoothie bowl. Big difference between fake flavoring and the real thing. Thats why her powers work - she deals in reality, just twists how you see it.

brookep6221d ago

Honestly, I saw this video once where a lady convinced her whole family to eat bug protein bars by just calling them "high protein snack bars". So yeah, I totally believe Margaret could sell broccoli ice cream. She's got THAT energy.