Hey readers,
By this time, I think that you pretty much all know how much I like reading. Whether from printed books, ebooks, or audio versions, I enjoy discovering new amazing stories, new points of view to broaden mine every day. Yet, a few years ago I wasn’t that much into audiobooks... If you’re still there, here’s why you should give it a try.
“But I like to read every word on the page”
I know and me too. But audiobooks are a completely new experience to reading. With a nice voice and a good narrator, you won’t just hear the story, you’ll be a part of it. One time I was in the boring Parisian subway, half asleep on my way to school, and the second after I was standing next to Starr and Khalil in Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” story.
Not every book is made to be listened to and definitely not every narrator is good but, some are excellent and you should definitely try the experience. I promise you won’t regret it!
Where to start, which platform to choose?
Now, if you are convinced and you want to start your first audiobook you have multiple options. Personally, I use Audible, which has a nice interface and a subscription system. Every month I pay 9.99€ for a credit, which allows me to download one book, whatever its original price was. Like, recently I downloaded the « Sherlock Holmes: The Définitive Collection » which is 81 hours long and cost a good 90€ normally... for a fraction of that price.
Depending on the country you live in, you might have other options, like Audiolib in France.
5 recommendations for audiobooks to try today
There are many books I could suggest here, but I’ll stick to 5 in different genres.
If you like fantasy or romance, one of my absolute favorite narrators is Bani Turpin. She has narrated Children of Blood and Bone (by Tomi Adeyemi), the breath-taking The Hate U Give (by Angie Thomas), They Both Die At The End (by Adam Silvera).
If you like Self-Help, I would highly suggest finding the books narrated by their original authors, it adds a lot of depth to the listening (you feel like you’re listening to a podcast). My picks: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (by Stephen R. Covey), The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg or Deep Work by Cal Newport.
Finally, for amateurs of Science, I would highly suggest Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (trust me, it’s better to listen to it than to read it) or A brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.
Sapiens
A brief history of time
Disclaimer: links to Audible or other resources in this post are affiliated. If you choose to purchase, I’ll earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Last updated: 2 years ago