Reading books or listening to audiobooks?

I’ve listened to many adaptations of books, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an audiobook. Wait, I take that back: years ago, I listened to an audiobook of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” because it was being read by a well-known actor (I forget who), and I was interested in knowing how he’d read it. It was fairly dull. I far prefer reading an actual book.

  I prefer reading books, but occasionally I'll listen to an audiobook if the author has an interesting voice or accent that adds to the ambience of the story--Frank McCourt's memoirs, for example, or Kathryn Stockett's The Help, whose audiobook version featured several different actresses using variations on Southern accents. David Sedaris' books always sound better narrated by Sedaris himself, and Tom Hanks' recent short story collection, Uncommon Type, was fun to listen to when performed by Hanks himself. The Book of Joe About a Dog and His Man was also enjoyable when narrated by its author, the inimitable Vincent Price.

I can't listen to fiction btw. Non-fiction audiobook is fine because it's like someone talking about something rather than painting a mew world with characters & etc I'd rather patiently read about.

Reading.

I usually read a book but sometimes i just can't stomach reading or watching and i have to close my eyes and listen. it is easier and more convenient to get a regular book in book form.

Both. My job entails a lot of driving and music gets stale. So I love my audiobooks in the car. And when doing yardwork. Lets me read when I can't actually read. I can't do audio for history books so I use audio for light fiction, Stephen King, John Grisham etc. My mother in law was an avid reader who lost most of her vision due to macular degeneration. I think she would have lost her mind without audiobooks. And I actually think I take in more with audio. I read King's Dark Tower series three times before I listened to the audio and noticed things I never noticed with print.

Audible

The format I go to is Youtube. I generally prefer books but I will sometimes "reread" something on audio. It makes a big difference if the reading is done well. There is a group of volunteer readers collectively known as "Librivox" that has a lot of old classics on Youtube. You have to give them credit for doing it free but most Librivox readers are quite inferior to the professionals. The best of those, in my opinion, was Edward Hermann. I believe he is deceased but he was definitely my favorite. I can recommend his readings of the unabridged "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged".