One of my favorite pastimes, when I was younger, was browsing the bookshelves in the library. I remember the first time my mom took me there to get my library card, and I was in awe, a place with a countless number of books at my fingertips. My eagerness for the anticipated new reads was always apparent as my parents drove me to the library. I was filled with pure joy when researching my next set of novels and checking out the physical copies. That, my friends, is how my fondness for books was born!
However, as I grew up and pursued my career, reading purely for entertainment fell to the wayside. But a few years ago, I gingerly got back into it, reading one or two physical books a year. As my passion for reading was rekindled, I became curious about audiobooks. Even though I had more inclination toward physical books because I find the medium more accessible, I gave audio a try. At the time, I was not aware of all the different audiobook platforms, so I tried Audible, which is associated with Amazon. The beginning was painful because I was frequently distracted and found myself rewinding back constantly. It was frustrating, but the more I did it, the better it became.
Now, I have so much respect for audiobooks and their convenience. Since it’s on my phone, I can listen to a book anywhere. The majority of the narrators are fantastic, and I am always impressed with how they get the tone and accent just perfect for a particular excerpt. But, of course, it is even more incredible when the author narrates. So recently, I’ve been listening to the audiobook while I follow along with the physical book – this pairing combination is my favorite because I’m completely immersed in the story and enhances my reads.
As I do more research, I have discovered many audio platforms, and a wonderful one is Libby. Libby gives you access to your local library’s digital collection of ebooks and audiobooks, and to connect, all you need is a library card – easy peasy. I plan to transfer to Libby later this year when my Audible subscription ends.
So readers, what do you prefer, physical books, audiobooks, or both?
Bookish Naija Gal 
I used to be the same way with solely reading audiobooks, but I think it was around high school when I started dabbling in audiobooks to keep myself occupied during the long ride to school (since I went to a technical high school for a year) in the early mornings. Since then I’ve been listening to audiobooks when doing small tasks don’t really require brain power, but I still enjoy going back to a physical book once in awhile (though with the pandemic, I’ve been reverting to ebooks instead).
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Ah, yes, ebooks are a medium I’ve yet to try! It is interesting how our likes and dislikes wax and wane throughout different stages of our lives. Thank you for sharing your experiences with other mediums and how your love of literature has adapted to your life circumstances.
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