Read with your ears and turn downtime into storytime.

OVERVIEW

If you’ve ever wished you could read more books but just can’t find the time, you’re not alone. That’s exactly where audiobooks—and more specifically, Audible—step in to save the day.

In today’s fast-paced world, multitasking is the norm. With Audible, you can “read” while commuting, working out, or even doing the dishes. No hands? No problem. No time? Audible helps you make time.

📱 What Is Audible, Anyway?

Audible, a company owned by Amazon since 2008, is the largest producer and provider of audiobooks in the U.S. and around the globe (Amazon, 2008). Think of it as Netflix—but for books. With a subscription, you get access to thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and original content created exclusively for the platform.

🎯 Why People Love Audible

1. Convenience on the Go

Let’s face it, reading a physical book isn’t always practical. Whether you’re driving or folding laundry, audiobooks make it easy to dive into a new world without flipping a single page.

2. Boosting Accessibility

For those with visual impairments or reading challenges like dyslexia, audiobooks can be a game changer (Wolf, 2018). With Audible, stories become accessible in ways traditional books can’t always provide.

3. Supercharged Learning

You don’t just hear a story—you absorb it. Studies show that listening to audiobooks can help improve vocabulary, pronunciation, and even comprehension (Korat, 2009). Bonus: the brain processes spoken and written language similarly, so yes, listening does count as reading (Gernsbacher, 2015)!

🚀 Audiobooks Are Booming

Audiobook sales have been growing rapidly year after year. In 2022, over 71,000 new audiobook titles were released in the U.S. alone—a 6% jump from the year before (Audio Publishers Association, 2023). And Audible has a lot to do with that. From celebrity-narrated memoirs to immersive, full-cast productions, Audible Originals are changing the way we experience stories.

🤔 But Is It All Good?

Not entirely. Audible has faced criticism for dominating the audiobook market and for its payment structure to authors and publishers. Plus, while the monthly subscription is great for avid listeners, it might not be the best value for casual readers.

🎉 Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking to read more, learn on the go, or just relax with a great story, Audible makes it incredibly easy. While it may not replace the feeling of holding a book in your hands, it certainly adds a new, flexible dimension to how we enjoy literature today.

So go ahead, hit play. Your next favorite book might just be waiting in your headphones.

Read Book Reader, come home by clicking below:

Read More at: Jass Insights

📝 References

Amazon. (2008). Amazon.com to acquire Audible.

Audio Publishers Association. (2023). Annual Sales Survey.

Gernsbacher, M. A. (2015). How the brain accommodates reading and listening. Scientific American Mind, 26(2), 32–37.

Korat, O. The effects of CD-ROM storybook reading on Israeli children’s early literacy as a function of age group and repeated reading. Educ Inf Technol 14, 39–53 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-008-9063-y

Wolf, M. (2018). Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World. Harper Academic