jstnpotthoff
jstnpotthoff t1_je8anf3 wrote
Reply to comment by Smooth_Service8931 in Is it okay to reach out to your favorite authors? by Smooth_Service8931
I don't think anything could ever beat a handwritten letter.
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je87q4h wrote
Reply to comment by serralinda73 in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
This was a relatively well thought out response. And the last two paragraphs make a compelling argument.
Two points:
- I didn't make any judgments on audiobooks. I only stated my opinion that they are different and it's actually quite confusing to me that it was interpreted by multiple people that I was somehow implying they're inferior when I explicitly stated that I wasn't judging people who listen to audiobooks.
- This isn't r/stories, and movies also tell the same stories, but nobody suggests that watching movies are the same as reading (although I can imagine there are discussions here about movie adaptations, and that I can see where there could be a place for that softens my opinion even more). The fact that there is an r/audiobooks for the discussion of specifically audiobooks is great. I wish there was a thing like that for....books...that are read with eyes. I would have assumed that should be r/books. (Which is also why I conceded that I would also accept a separate r/booksyoureadwithyoureyes.)
The reason you couldn't tell whether I've listened to audiobooks is because it didn't at all matter with regards to the point I was making. I have listened to a few audiobooks and enjoyed them. At least one of them I did go back and forth between reading and listening while on a road trip. A couple I have both listened to and read separately and it was just a completely different experience both times.
It's unfortunately become clear to me that when people say, "omg you have to read this book. It's awesome. I just finished listening to the audiobook." I have to immediately discard it because many books really are just a lot better in audiobook format. (Which makes how offended everyone got assuming I was somehow belittling audiobooks even more ridiculous.) I just wish it was clearer: "hey, I just listened to a great audiobook and I think everyone should give it a listen" would be a better way to put it. A great audiobook often does not mean a great book and vice versa.
I appreciate the discussion (though your response would have been better received without the first paragraph).
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je824up wrote
Reply to comment by CrazyCatLady108 in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
That was exactly my point. There is an r/audiobooks. And there is not an r/booksyoureadwithyoureyes.
The discussion I was not interested in is "Are audiobooks better/worse than print or ebooks?" (Which is basically what the FAQ thread is).
I will admit that based on the responses I got, it was just going to turn into that argument, but I was actually interested in others' opinions. And I don't actually know of a subreddit that is better suited for such a discussion.
I'm dismayed you disagree.
jstnpotthoff t1_je7zf2f wrote
Reply to comment by Responsible-Bunch316 in Simple Questions: March 28, 2023 by AutoModerator
Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman is a great book. I'm sure there are others.
Edit: I just saw that it's #1 on the list linked to in the other comment. I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed it.
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je7vpgd wrote
Reply to comment by CheeseMakingMom in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
Are movies books?
I'm not trying to sound glib. I can agree that the sentiment that "the story is what's important." I just haven't heard anybody argue that even the most faithful movie adaptation is similar to reading the book.
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je7urlz wrote
Reply to comment by ViniVidiVelcro in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
I never even implied that listening to an audiobook is in any way inferior to reading a book. I have listened to a few audiobooks and enjoyed them. But reading those same books was a different experience.
And your entire paragraph about the narration enhancing the certain books (the same way watching a play might) only goes to prove the point I was making.
Any joy you had that was squelched has far more to do with your projections than anything I actually said.
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je7ss3g wrote
Reply to comment by CrazyCatLady108 in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
I actually did both of those things and didn't see any discussions about why or if they should be separated into separate communities.
And even if there were, as long as it wasn't last week, there is a benefit to further discussion.
jstnpotthoff OP t1_je7rlgs wrote
Reply to comment by Samael13 in Listening and reading are not the same by jstnpotthoff
I'm not saying they're not identical. I'm saying they're not even similar.
Submitted by jstnpotthoff t3_12667ed in books
jstnpotthoff t1_je7bitc wrote
Reply to Thoughts on Forrest Gump? by Purple1829
It was one of the worst books I ever finished (along with Tell All by Chuck Palahniuk). I can only imagine that the audio is what saved it.
jstnpotthoff t1_jdxpm94 wrote
Reply to Which book/author suggestion automatically invalidates other suggestions/lists from that person for you? by [deleted]
Totally agree with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Blake Crouch is the one for me. Incredibly interesting plots, not good writing.
And now that I've read some of the other comments, let's throw in Stephen King, James Patterson, or basically any author that pushes out a book a year.
jstnpotthoff t1_jdogcfg wrote
Reply to I need an explanation by Mandalorian326
I don't have an explanation, but I experience the same thing. Some combination of impatience and anticipation. Are you, like me, basically never satisfied with what you're currently doing?
jstnpotthoff t1_je9isyt wrote
Reply to comment by Radulno in Is it okay to reach out to your favorite authors? by Smooth_Service8931
Many publishers have a mailing address for their authors for fan mail. If you can't find one, you could just mail it directly to the publisher's address, addressed to the author, In Care of: Publisher's Name.