*Contributed by Kayla King, Blog Manager & Staff Reviewer*
Dear Audiobooks,
I am writing this letter as a recent convert of yours. Up until the past few years, I’d never listened to an audiobook. Two and a half years ago, I listened to my first, Eleanor and Park, and was spoiled by its beauty. It took until this past year to become a regular audio enthusiast.
Now I’ve listened to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey read their funny and fantastic memoirs, spent time with Cadence and the other liars from E. Lockhart’s thrilling read, We Were Liars; the list goes on.
For most of my life as a reader, I thought it a betrayal to diverge from the real books I so loved. I tried to imagine leaving those printed words behind, and I couldn’t fathom such a thing. But alas, I’ve gotten busier, and my to-do lists have become longer. Listening to audiobooks keeps me reading, and completing necessary tasks at the same time. So there’s the practicality of listening to you, audiobooks.
Yet, there’s more. I’d forgotten how lovely and lyrical certain sentences sound aloud, and it was in Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore when I heard the word “calligraphic,” that I remembered the intricacies of language; the beauty. And in listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone I was swept into the wizarding world with all of the voices and magic I’ve come to know, the story so real in my head.
You, dear audiobook, have the same transformative power as real books, and sometimes, you bring the story even further to life. So here’s to you, audiobook! Thank you for helping me be the reader I’ve always been, while still accomplishing what I must. Thank you for bringing me back to the magic of words.
All best,
Kayla King
