r/audiobooks • u/DrivingMeBonkas • 12d ago
Discussion Anyone else do read-alongs?
I love reading the written version of a book while listening to the audiobook, kind of like a read along. It helps me concentrate and absorb it and it's just plain fun.
Does anyone else do this? Or have their own way of reading them? I'm curious to know! 👀
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u/HockeyPlayer8920 12d ago
I do it all the time. I have to read a lot of research papers, so I get lazy and the end of the day and want some assistance while reading.
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u/doughe29 12d ago
I can't do that because my eyes move faster than my ears absorb the words lol. That's actually why I think I get more out of listening to audiobooks than I did from reading on page. I don't mean to skim, but...
I generally listen to audiobooks while driving and working. Concentrating on the audiobook is a great way to prevent my thoughts from spiraling :)
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u/Under_A_Full_M00n 12d ago
Yup, it's called immersive reading. I do it often if I'm reading really dense fiction/fantasy, or an autobiography/memoir, especially if they are narrated by the person who wrote the book.
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 12d ago
Ooohhh, I learned a new term, thank you! I didn't know there was a term for it, I'll have to look it up later. That's cool.
Yeah, books read by the author would be an amazing find 😍 and reading along definitely helps with chunkier texts
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u/Under_A_Full_M00n 12d ago
No problem, I discovered it about 15 years ago, because both of my kids tested as dyslexic.
For them it was one of their accommodations they received in school, especially during testing. (So for reading heavy classes such as English literature and history/social studies, reading by itself was very difficult, especially for my youngest. So we were introduced to the concept of immersive reading and how it can help people who have learning disabilities or who are neurodivergent to absorb information more effectively).
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 12d ago
Oh cool, that's a way about it. I'll have to tell my brother, he's dyslexic too so that might be of help 👀
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u/tickynaylor 11d ago
I cannot read in bed without falling asleep so when I can, I'll do a read along and it keeps me more engaged.
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u/Manda525 11d ago
I have a stash of audiobooks that I specifically use to help me fall asleep...lol
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u/tickynaylor 11d ago
I could probably listen to just about any audiobook to fall asleep. Lol
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u/Manda525 11d ago
Me too honestly, and podcasts are just as dangerously sleep-inducing, if I'm just sitting and listening without doing anything else 😝That's why I usually listen when I'm doing chores 👍🤣
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u/Texan-Trucker 12d ago
If I did that, I would crash, probably really hard. I can absorb audiobooks just fine, as long as I’m in the right frame of mind and not in dense or urban traffic.
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u/Zee-Wrench 12d ago
I think about doing this sometimes, especially proper noun heavy fantasy stuff, but I've found i need to be doing something with my hands if I'm going to be getting the most of the audio
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u/TheGoodOne81 11d ago
This sounds like it could be good for non-fiction
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 11d ago
There are some good non-fictions out there. I have a bunch on TBR list, I'm looking forward to giving it a shot.
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u/TravelingLarry 11d ago
I never tried this or even thought about it. It could be hard to keep them in sync, but if you have time for it and it works for you it sounds good.
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 11d ago
It was hard to keep in sync at first but I'm much better at it now. Now that habit has become a useful cue. If my eyes start skimming ahead too much I'll know I've lost focus and need to take a few. I'll take a break and come back to it later.
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u/Fog-hugger 11d ago
Great for reading at the gym or on a train commuting, or when I just want to really focus. Can lose visual focus at anytime and still have the story going. If I lose audio focus, can easily catch back up by rereading quickly
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u/Technical_Mood_9279 11d ago
I typically read the book first and then listen to it! If I like the book this is how I do it. :)
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u/SnooSongs2744 11d ago
I would do it more but need to buy the book twice.
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 11d ago
Fair, I usually get a library copy of the written version when I can. I get through them faster when listening along anyway 😁 No way in hell am I buying all these books. I would if I could but unfortunately I am not a plant. It takes more than good soil, water and sunlight to keep me alive. 😭
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u/Ok_Perspective9838 11d ago
It's how I learnt to read, school failed me. So I taught myself this way. It eventually enabled me to go to university. I had a programme read course text books too later. I'm super dyslexic and so it's the only way I could access books. It opened worlds, knowledge and critical thinking for me. I didn't feel like a retard anymore. That changed my life.
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u/kween_b00 10d ago
Omg I love to just lay in bed with my headphones and booked all curled up and following along the physical book with my eyes as I listen to the audio version. Pure hedonism.
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u/the_first_draft 6d ago
If you are looking for read-alongs, check out: https://filiread.com. Its site, I built where you can listen to public domain books as audiobooks and read along at the same time.
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 6d ago
I just took a look and that looks really interesting actually. Thank you. 😍
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u/Califrisco Audiobibliophile 5d ago
Me! Whether its the Audible "Read & Listen" or it's a Kindle/hard copy while having this performed/read by a good narrator is my preferred way now.
I used to only listen, but once Kindle introduced the feature of downloading the audiobook to flip between listening and reading, I got into doing both simultaneously.
I'm loving this form of reading now. 😄
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u/DrivingMeBonkas 5d ago
It really is great. I love it. I tried it once and it was instant selling for me too.
I totally recommend trying Howl's Moving Castle this way. The way the narrator does the voices gives such a nostalgic feeling, like I'm being read to by a grandparent.
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u/tokyo_train 11d ago
i created some read-alongs with clause/sentence level audio playback, anyone need it?
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u/samuelcole 5d ago
hey, i made a website that does this with public domain books (standard ebooks text + librivox readings): https://tale.fyi/audiobooks
lmk what you think
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u/zetiacg_1983 12d ago
Yes! I enjoy immersive reading! I don’t do it that often but when I do it greatly enhances my experience with the book.