Stop Saying Audiobooks Don’t Count
The idea that audiobooks are somehow “cheating” or don’t count as real reading has been floating around for years, but according to a recent Harvard Gazette article, that belief is due for a serious reality check. “Audiobooks Don’t Really Count as Reading? Think Again” dismantles this outdated mindset with a mix of neuroscience, education research, and a much-needed shift in perspective.
At the heart of the argument is a simple but powerful truth: your brain doesn’t really care whether words enter through your eyes or your ears. Research highlighted in the article shows that the same core language-processing systems are activated whether you’re reading text on a page or listening to it being narrated. Once you’ve learned how to read, comprehension becomes less about the format and more about how effectively you engage with the material. In other words, listening to a great audiobook isn’t a shortcut, it’s just a different door into the same room.
The article also takes aim at the long-popular (and largely debunked) idea of “learning styles.” While people may prefer reading or listening, there’s little evidence to suggest that one method leads to better understanding than the other. This is a key point: preference is not the same as effectiveness. By clinging to the idea that traditional reading is inherently superior, we risk dismissing a format that can be just as rich, immersive, and intellectually stimulating.
Where this really starts to matter is in how we define literacy, and who gets to feel included in it. The stigma around audiobooks can discourage people from engaging with books altogether, particularly those who struggle with traditional reading or simply don’t have the time to sit down with a physical book. Audiobooks open doors: they make stories more accessible, help build vocabulary, and allow people to absorb complex ideas while commuting, exercising, or doing everyday tasks. That’s not a compromise, that’s an expansion.
Ultimately, the article argues for a broader, more modern definition of reading, one that focuses less on the medium and more on the outcome. Are you understanding the material? Are you thinking critically? Are you connecting with the ideas? If the answer is yes, then it counts. Full stop.
In a world where storytelling continues to evolve across formats, it might be time we let go of old hierarchies and embrace a more inclusive view of what it means to “read.” Because whether it’s ink on paper or sound in your headphones, the goal is the same: to learn, to feel, and to be transported.