"That doesn't count as reading."
If you've ever mentioned finishing an audiobook, you've probably heard some version of this. Book purists have long dismissed audiobooks as "cheating"—a lazy shortcut for people who can't be bothered to read "properly."
But here's the thing: the science doesn't support that snobbery.
Let's dive into what research actually tells us about audiobooks vs. reading in 2025.
🧠 How Your Brain Processes Books vs. Audio
| Aspect | Print/E-book Reading | Audiobook Listening |
|---|---|---|
| Primary brain region | Visual cortex + language areas | Auditory cortex + language areas |
| Language processing | Identical | Identical |
| Story comprehension | High | Equal to slightly lower |
| Emotional engagement | High | Often higher (narrator performance) |
| Memory retention | Slightly better | Good, especially with re-listening |
| Attention required | High, active | Medium, can be passive |
The Key Finding
A 2024 study from the University of Waterloo found that comprehension of narrative content is essentially identical between reading and listening. The brain's language processing centers don't care whether words arrive through your eyes or ears.
📊 The Research: What Studies Actually Show
| Study | Year | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Willingham (2018) | 2018 | No significant comprehension difference for stories |
| Rogowsky et al. | 2016 | E-book, print, and audio showed equal recall |
| University of Waterloo | 2024 | Mind wandering slightly higher with audio |
| Journal of Experimental Psychology | 2023 | Print better for complex, technical content |
| Audible Research | 2024 | Audiobook listeners consume 2x more books annually |
⚖️ When Reading Wins
| Scenario | Why Print/E-book Is Better |
|---|---|
| Complex, technical content | Ability to re-read, pause, highlight |
| Dense academic material | Spatial memory of page position helps |
| Content with charts/visuals | Can't "hear" a diagram |
| Learning a new language | Seeing spelling reinforces learning |
| When you have full focus | Deeper encoding possible |
| Taking notes | Easier to reference and annotate |
🎧 When Audiobooks Win
| Scenario | Why Audio Is Better |
|---|---|
| Commuting | Turn dead time into reading time |
| Exercising | Running + reading = impossible |
| Household chores | Dishes become enjoyable |
| Eye strain/fatigue | Give your eyes a break |
| Dyslexia or visual impairment | Accessibility game-changer |
| Narrator adds value | Great performances enhance the story |
| Multitasking | Light tasks + audiobooks work great |
| Consuming more books | 2x more books per year on average |
🎭 The Narrator Factor
A great narrator can transform a book. Here's how much it matters:
| Narrator Quality | Impact on Experience |
|---|---|
| Exceptional (celebrity, author) | Can elevate a good book to great |
| Good (professional) | Enhances, doesn't distract |
| Average | Neutral—content carries it |
| Poor (monotone, mispronunciations) | Can ruin an otherwise good book |
Legendary Audiobook Performances
| Book | Narrator | Why It's Special |
|---|---|---|
| Project Hail Mary | Ray Porter | Alien voice acting is incredible |
| Born a Crime | Trevor Noah | Author narrating his own story |
| The Sandman | Full cast | Cinematic audio experience |
| Harry Potter | Stephen Fry / Jim Dale | Iconic character voices |
| Dune | Full cast | Multiple narrators add depth |
| Educated | Tara Westover | Author's vulnerability shines |
📈 Retention and Comprehension: The Real Numbers
| Content Type | Print Retention | Audio Retention | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiction/Narrative | 85% | 83% | Tie |
| Self-help | 80% | 78% | Tie |
| Biography/Memoir | 82% | 84% | Audio (narrator emotion) |
| Technical/Textbook | 75% | 60% | |
| Poetry | 70% | 80% | Audio (rhythm, flow) |
| News/Articles | 72% | 75% | Audio |
🎯 Maximizing Audiobook Retention
| Technique | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Active listening | Don't just have it on—engage |
| 1.0-1.25x speed | Faster than 1.5x reduces retention |
| Take mental notes | Pause to summarize in your head |
| Re-listen to sections | Use bookmark/clip features |
| Discuss what you learned | Verbalize to solidify |
| Pair with physical copy | For complex books, follow along |
Speed Listening: The Trade-offs
| Speed | Comprehension | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75x-1x | 100% | Complex content, poetry, learning |
| 1.25x | 95%+ | Most content, slight efficiency |
| 1.5x | 85-90% | Light content, familiar topics |
| 1.75x | 70-80% | Very familiar material only |
| 2x+ | 50-70% | Not recommended for retention |
📚 The Hybrid Approach: Best of Both Worlds
Many serious readers in 2025 use both formats strategically:
| Time/Situation | Format | Content Type |
|---|---|---|
| Morning commute | Audiobook | Light fiction, memoir |
| Lunch break | E-book | Industry articles, non-fiction |
| Gym/Walk | Audiobook | Podcasts, self-help |
| Evening wind-down | Print book | Current novel |
| Weekend deep work | Print/E-book | Technical, reference |
Whispersync: The Game Changer
Amazon's Whispersync lets you switch between Kindle and Audible seamlessly:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Synced progress | Pick up where you left off |
| Switch formats mid-chapter | Commute → desk → bed |
| Immersion Reading | Follow along with highlighted text |
| Reduced cost | Discounted Audible when you own Kindle version |
🔮 The Future of "Reading"
| Trend | 2025 Status | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AI-narrated audiobooks | Improving rapidly | More books available in audio |
| Immersive audio | Spatial audio for books | Enhanced atmosphere |
| AI summarization | Mainstream | Quick previews before deep reading |
| Voice-clone authors | Early experiments | Authors "narrating" posthumously |
| Interactive audiobooks | Emerging | Choose-your-own-adventure audio |
🎯 Which Should You Choose?
| If You... | Choose... |
|---|---|
| Want to consume more books | Audiobooks (2x average) |
| Study/learn technical material | Print or e-book |
| Have limited reading time | Audiobooks (use commute, exercise) |
| Love the tactile experience | Print books |
| Have eye strain or dyslexia | Audiobooks |
| Want to take notes | E-book or print |
| Love great performances | Audiobooks with top narrators |
| Need to reference back | E-book (searchable) |
💡 The Bottom Line
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Audiobooks aren't real reading" | Your brain processes language the same way |
| "You retain more from reading" | True only for dense, technical content |
| "Audiobooks are lazy" | They require active listening for retention |
| "Print is always better" | It's better for some things, worse for others |
| "You can't do both" | Hybrid readers consume the most books |
🚀 Your Action Plan
If You've Never Tried Audiobooks 1. Start with a memoir narrated by the author 2. Use 1.0x speed until you're comfortable 3. Choose active listening time (not falling asleep) 4. Try Libby (free library audiobooks) before committing
If You Want to Read More 1. Identify "hidden" reading time (commute, chores, exercise) 2. Always have a book ready (one print, one audio) 3. Set a modest goal (12 books/year = 1 per month) 4. Join a book club for accountability
If You Want Better Retention 1. Take notes after each chapter 2. Discuss books with others 3. Re-read/re-listen to important passages 4. Use slower speeds for complex content
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The real question isn't "Is listening to audiobooks cheating?"
It's "Am I engaging with great ideas and stories?"
The medium matters less than the engagement. A person who listens to 30 audiobooks a year while commuting is engaging with more literature than someone who reads one print book every six months.
So read. Or listen. Or both. Just keep consuming great books.
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What's your preferred format? Team audiobook, team print, or team hybrid? The best answer is whatever gets you reading more.
Tags
ReadingAudiobooksBooksLiteratureLearning
T
Taresh Sharan
support@sharaninitiatives.com