Should audio books count towards a yearly reading goal?

[eliviac35]

I believe that they should be counted. You are still setting aside time to absorb that information, and with our busy lives, it makes it much more convenient to listen while completing daily tasks.

[Xenolyph]

Some people don't have the time to sit down and read. I listened to audio books a lot while I was commuting to school because I never had time to enjoy a good book outside of my schoolwork. There's nothing wrong with counting audio books towards a yearly reading goal because you are still experiencing the same story. It's just delivered in a different way.

[Henrytbab]

It should as long as one is able to grasp the concepts.

[Tommy Mayengbam]

Personally, no. I don't count listening to audiobooks as reading. Audio versions are great for utilizing workout or commute time effectively.

But I have never sat at my table and jotted down notes listening to an audiobook.

[Ceildric]

I suppose it depends on what one considers to be the purpose of reading (and therefore the purpose of a reading goal). In my opinion the purpose of both is to acquire knowledge (mostly in the case of non-fiction) and to experience stories (most in the case of fiction). It's not about exercising my eyeballs or fingertips per se. As such, an audiobook still counts as a book to me.

However, I would add as a caveat that, if a person is not paying full attention to the audiobook, I would question whether they really have absorbed the material. Listening to an audiobook while on a light walk, or during one's commute seems fine, but people I hear of listening to them during intense exercise or in the midst of work seem like questionable cases. The latter I would suggest shouldn't count audiobooks listened to in those situations, though it remains a personal choice.

[Amy Saunders 2]

I would count audiobooks in reading goals. You are still taking the time needed to complete a book. You are still getting the storyline. In our busy lives, listening to an audiobook is a great option to fit a book in to limited time. I prefer to actually read my books, but I have no objections to an audio counting towards a goal.

[João Ramos]

Of course, and why not? There are people with different abilities. If someone wants to listen to a book, whether for time or simply for personal taste, why not audiobooks?

[Alissa Nesson]

I don’t have reading goals because I just want to enjoy my books, but if I did have them I would count audiobooks toward my goal. It’s really just another way of absorbing the material.