I love reading. The problem is…I’m not very good at it. Reading is a lot of work for me. Sure, you give me a mindless novel and my attention will be rapt…but even then, I move pretty slowly. I was probably 23 or 24 before I read my first non-fiction book that wasn’t required by school. But then I got an iPod, and everything changed.
I started listening to podcasts. It started with some of my favorite preachers, then NPR shows I never could seem to catch on a regular basis, but that wasn’t enough. That’s when I came upon Audible. John Maxwell introduced me to business and leadership books, and Malcolm Gladwell gave me a taste for psychology and sociology. For a few years I had the two book a month subscription, by which I ventured into theology and history.
Having developed a taste for nonfiction, I have found myself reading (even with my eyes) fiction and literary non-fiction most of the time. While, I still devour an embarrassing number of Star Wars novels, my interests have broadened.
These days I don’t listen to much music. Each week I listen to about 10-12 podcasts and at least one audiobook a month. I’m not bragging: if nothing else, it’s testimony to how nerdy I am. But I am thankful, because audiobooks have given me a chance to do more of something I love: learn.
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