The Summer of the Audiobook

Just hours after my summer began, the lifestyle change of “having free time” came as a bit of a shock. So, when someone I know who has very good ideas (my mother) suggested that I “read more this summer” and asked whether I had a book for the plane and subsequent weekend trip, I replied that I did not. I had not found the time to carefully select a book from the catalog of my 2013 Kindle Paperwhite (which was dead), nor comb through the various options around my house. 

“You can get a book at the airport,” she suggested. I said I would, mostly just to quell her good ideas. But then, I soon found myself sitting at gate B21 of the Boston Logan Airport with a delayed flight and three hours to kill.

My mother’s suggestion resurfaced in my mind as I stared at the wall of flashy book covers in the nearest Hudson News. Overwhelmed by the pressure to make the perfect selection from so many options, I nearly walked right back out. Luckily, as I turned to go, I noticed a stand featuring books by one of my favorite authors—Fredrik Backman. As it turns out, he had published a new book just months before. 

After scanning the inside cover, I walked out with a crisp hardcover copy of Backman’s “My Friends” and a pack of gummy worms. I was so immersed in the story during the flight that the jolt of the landing came as a harder shock than “having free time” did. Each of Backman’s novels leaves me wondering how he understands so much about the human experience. His words allow me to view life in a completely new way—through the eyes of his characters—while being entirely relatable. Throughout the weekend, I was enraptured in his world—a beautiful story about friendship, grief, paintings, and other concepts that survive the passing of time.

And that was the success of Good Idea No. 1: Get a book at the airport.

At this time, however, an issue arose: I was desperate for another Backman novel, but I knew the desire to continue consuming these hardcover books might be unsustainable for my wallet. Unfortunately, my library card had expired, and my Kindle still sat dead on my nightstand—its charger rendered obsolete by the rise of the Apple ecosystem.

My Hail Mary? Good Idea No. 2: Listen to an audiobook.

During the pandemic, I discovered that audiobooks were practically designed for social distancing. I would lounge in a hammock for hours with my headphones playing books from Hoopla, a streaming service that connects with libraries, where you can access audiobooks and eBooks linked to your library card. Before that, my family listened to the entire “Harry Potter” series on Audible during our annual road trips to Canada to ski. And even before that, we had “books on tape,” cassettes that we would insert into the player in the center console of our old car. So, audiobooks and I go way back. But, I just recently learned that Spotify started including audiobooks for free with a Premium subscription in 2023.

I then opened Spotify, yet instead of shuffling any of my playlists, I navigated to the search bar and typed in the name of who I have decided is my current top artist (hint: not a singer!). At my fingertips lay Fredrik Backman’s discography: recordings of his books narrated by a woman with a very soothing voice. 

I downloaded one that I had not yet read, “Anxious People.” For nine hours and fifty-four minutes spread out over the following week, the narrator’s calm tone followed me as I went about my day. My mind was constantly engaged, but my hands were blissfully free.

Then I unlocked Good Idea No. 3: Listen to an audiobook during nearly any activity.

I made hours of progress on a painting while hearing about what inspired a bank robber, and then why the bank robber’s epic fail was probably the second-best thing to ever happen to them. As I ran up the street, unexpected connections and heart-warming twists distracted me from a knot in my hamstring and played loudly enough into my earbuds to silence my panting. I used to always listen to the same hip-hop and rap playlist at the gym, but recently, I opted to listen to my book while pumping iron. It was the same in the car or on the train. Instead of Adele, I would choose Backman.

Book junkies and psychologists weigh the value of listening to an audiobook in comparison to reading. A 2010 study suggested that students who read an article retain more information than students who listen to it as a podcast. However, a 2016 study found no significant difference in comprehension between groups who listened to a non-fiction book or read it as an eBook. 

Psychologist Daniel Willingham wrote in the New York Times that a critical difference lies in whether the material is for “pleasure or learning,” different experiences that require different styles of focus. The latter is more successful when students can go at their own pace and re-read, a potential explanation for the 2010 study’s results. But the former is rooted in oral tradition and written plays, which can be easier to follow with a narrator’s intonation.

I admit that my selections for the summer are largely feel-good reads (listens?). When tackling a more information-heavy book or reading for a class, I always read it on paper. But the summer is for fun. I grew up listening to a pleasure book rather than reading it; my first memories of books involve them being read aloud to me by loved ones. I learned how to appreciate literature while sandwiched between my brothers on the loveseat where my mother read us “Little House on the Prairie” and my father read “Geronimo Stilton.”

So… Good Idea No. 4: Enjoy feel-good books during the summer!

I love that audiobooks are a supporting source of entertainment. They add to the enjoyment of other activities while resembling a companion who tells engaging stories and offers thought-provoking concepts. Audiobooks allow the world to feel less silent, and a listener to feel less alone. As they fill my ears, my mind creates vivid images that entertain tedious tasks—much like very structured daydreaming.

Willingham’s piece was in response to a question often asked of him: whether reading an audiobook is “cheating.” (He explains that no, it is not cheating, just a different experience.) I would like to clarify that this “cheating” is not my concern, and in light of Good Idea No. 1 that started this whole journey (“read more this summer”), enjoying audiobooks is simply a more accessible form of engaging with written content, and comes with bonuses. The most meaningful aspects of experiencing a book are still strong.

Reading for enjoyment does not have to be about comprehension, but rather, about feelings. If reading a book would elicit particular feelings for you, then an audiobook version would do the same, and perhaps more strongly, as there is voice intonation prompting a mental response. The voice changing for different characters and different emotions makes it easier to imagine them as the author depicted. Sometimes, the author even narrates their own books. Listening to an author read their book just as they intended seems far from “cheating” and contributes to an enhanced experience and higher level of connection.

Finishing an audiobook is just as bittersweet as finishing a paper copy. I feel the familiar slight disappointment, as if I spoke with someone captivating on the street and know I will never speak to them again after saying goodbye. 

I was pulling into a grocery store parking lot when “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman came to a close. After writing down a quote to remember, I sat there for a second, grasping at my final moments with his characters in their small Swedish town. In this case, it was certainly Backman’s talent that left me momentarily unable to snap back to reality, rather than the fact that the story came to me on audiobook. But if it were not for the audiobook, I would not have been able to so deeply immerse myself in the novel. Reading a hard copy would put the book back on my list of things I “could” do in my free time after my summer job started picking up. The audiobook form allowed me to tune in whenever I wanted.

Later that day, I started “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry as I ran on the treadmill. Her exciting tale of vacations, a search for meaning, and a developing love arc has been by my side this week.

Good Idea No. 5: Summer 2025 is the summer of the audiobook.

Clara Lake ’27 (claralake@college.harvard.edu) considers this her thank-you note to Fredrik Backman.