Language & Logic

Why I Wrote About Audiobooks vs. Reading
This topic caught my attention because people argue about it all the time — in class, online, and especially on BookTok. I’ve listened to audiobooks and read physical books, and the experiences always felt different to me. When the NYT Student Opinion prompt asked whether audiobooks “count” as reading, I wanted to explain why I think the two experiences shouldn’t be treated as the same thing. This essay is my take on what reading really requires and why listening, while great in its own way, belongs in a separate category.

Many people say audiobooks are just another way to read, but I disagree. I do not think listening to an audiobook counts as reading. The two experiences might share the same story, but they ask very different things from your brain. Reading requires active focus and direct engagement with the text. Listening feels more like being told a story than actually reading it yourself. That difference matters, especially when we talk about what it means to “read” a book.

When I read a physical book, I am the one doing the work. My eyes move line by line. I have to slow down and process the structure, the punctuation, and the author’s exact choices. If something is confusing, I reread it. If something is meaningful, I stop and think about it. This effort is part of what makes reading valuable. It builds patience and attention. It strengthens vocabulary. It trains the brain to stay with the writing. Listening does not ask for the same level of commitment.

Audiobooks also allow multitasking in a way reading does not. People listen while walking, cooking, cleaning, or scrolling. You cannot do any of those things while reading a book because reading demands your full attention. The fact that audiobooks fit so easily into background moments shows the experience is not equal. It is much easier to drift or miss small details when a narrator is carrying you through the story. With a physical book, if your mind wanders, your eyes stop moving. You immediately know you have lost focus.

Another important difference is control. Reading lets you set the pace. You choose when to pause, when to reread, and how fast to go. An audiobook sets the rhythm for you. The narrator’s voice adds emotion, timing, and emphasis you did not create yourself. That can be enjoyable, but it also means the experience is shaped by someone else rather than your own interpretation. It feels closer to listening to a performance than reading the text as the author wrote it.

Audiobooks are valuable for many reasons. They make stories accessible and help people who struggle with reading. They are convenient, and they can be fun to listen to. But they belong in their own category. Reading is a specific skill that involves direct interaction with printed words. Listening is something different. Enjoyable, yes, but not reading.

Author’s Note
I know this topic can be controversial because many people love audiobooks, and I do too — especially on long car rides. But writing this essay helped me understand why reading feels more active and personal. Reading forces me to slow down and interact with the words myself. Listening is easier and sometimes more entertaining, but it doesn’t challenge my brain the same way. Posting this piece here is my way of joining a bigger conversation about how we experience stories and what it really means to “read.”