As an avid reader, nothing compares to reading books in print as opposed to listening to audiobooks.

I try to read something for enjoyment before going to bed every night. It’s not always possible, but when it is, I prefer to reach for a book off my shelf rather than an audiobook.

For me, it’s exciting to mark pages that I might need to refer to or that have made an impact on me in some small way. I understand the need for audiobooks, especially on a long car ride home or while cooking or cleaning, but at the end of a long day, nothing compares to opening up the pages of any masterpiece created by C.S. Lewis.

I also find that sharing print copies is a sentimental gesture and appreciate when I can hand a book off to a friend or family member to enjoy just as much as I do. That gift is something impossible to do with an audiobook.

To be honest, my schedule could probably benefit from reading from audiobooks as opposed to traditional books. I make time in my day to listen to at least two podcasts and could easily replace both with audio books. There’s just something about re-reading old annotations, seeing the progress you’ve made on a large novel, and having your favorite author fill the space of your bookshelf that makes physical copies much more enjoyable than listening to a narrator through a speaker.