It’s still story time

Who says that only kids get to have stories read to them?

I used to think that audio books were only for blind people or truck drivers. Once you’d graduated to reading on your own, I thought, story time was over. I’m so glad I finally saw – well, heard – the light.

One holiday many years ago, an audio book-loving friend gave me an audio book of a Christmas Carol, and although I’d never listened to audio books, I figured that it might be something to listen to while curled up in front of the fire or putting together puzzles after the presents had all been opened. And what a treat it turned out to be. I was hooked.

There are plenty of benefits to audio books. They free up your hands, and allow you to move around – maybe taking on household chores or completing a puzzle. They can be enjoyed by many people at the same time and audio books unplug everyone from staring at a screen – which we could all use more of.

Best of all though, audio books take you right back to childhood, with the comfort and warmth of having someone read you a story. You can even hear the same story over and over, and never get any complaints.

With everything, quality is king, and some stories just aren’t written to be read aloud. Too pensive, too action-packed, too much description and you might be better off with a paperback. But get the right story – and the right reader (Stephen Pacey, every time) – and you’re in for a good time.