Week 10 Discussion Post: eBook and Audiobook

 I want to begin my post with the caveat that while I do read eBooks, I have never listened to an audiobook, so my answers may differ from those of my classmates who have.

Furthermore, as for the question about how not being able to hold a physical book affects one's knowledge of the genre, I am not sure I entirely understand this, but if I had to answer this question, for me, not being able to hold a physical book does not affect my knowledge of the genre. Does anyone have any other answers or reasoning behind their answers?

 

Looking at the question of how the medium, in this instance, eBooks or audiobooks, can alter appeal factors, in my opinion (and I could not find any evidence from the readings to support or deny my claim), the eBook format does not alter the storyline or characterization in the text. Although the reader can, for example, adjust the font size, said alteration does not change the characterization or storyline, just as large type books would not. However, eBook format can change the frame, which Mediatore explains “includes tone, mood, [and] atmosphere” (Mediatore, 2003, p. 320). According to Dunneback, changing the physical format of the pages in an eBook, assumedly through an action such as a reader changing whether they see only one page at a time or whether they see two pages, side by side, at a time, may “affect the tone of the story” (Dunneback, 2011, p. 328). Dunneback also explains that increasing font size though it may not change the storyline or characterization, does change the pace (Dunneback, 2011, p. 327). Increasing font size simultaneously increases the number of pages in the book or, at the very least, the amount of white space on the page, which suggests to the eye that the story's pace is slower than intended by and written by the author. 

 

As for audiobooks, many of the appeal factors change in the process of converting a print book to an audiobook. Beginning with pacing, for a physical book, the reader must consider the language, the amount of text on each page, and the genre, respectively. However, with audiobooks, the novel's pacing depends upon the narrator and how slowly or quickly they read (Mediatore, 2003, p. 320). Therefore, the same book could have a drastically different pace between the print copy and audiobook, which might disappoint readers and listeners. While an audiobook listener might not realize that the pacing of the audiobook does not match that of the print book, they may feel that the narrator is drawing the novel out, so to speak, without a logical reason. Of significance to pacing and characterization, among other appeal factors, “[w]hen portraying a regional accent, a narrator must consider both the geography and the historical period” (Cahill and Moore, 2017, p. 24) and “use[] proper pronunciation given the content of the book” (Cahill and Moore, 2017, p. 23). According to Cahill and Moore, with audiobooks, it can be hard to transfer images “such as maps, illustrations, and footnotes” (Cahill and Moore, 2017, p. 23), as well as “transitions between time and/or place” (Cahill and Moore, 2017, p. 23), which affects the appeal factor of the storyline. For those who listen to audiobooks, has anyone listened to a book that included these complicated elements? Are these elements narrated, and if so, what does this sound like? I imagine with maps or photos, the book's narration might be like that of alternative text, which screen readers read aloud for individuals with visual impairments. However, I may be incorrect in my thinking. One point the week’s readings highlighted about the appeal of characterization I had not considered is that “the audiobook reader’s voice should match closely with the character’s age” (Cahill and Moore, 2017, p. 23). I feel this argument is more relevant when considering younger children and less so when considering books for teenagers and adults because how an individual’s voice sounds can be influenced by age but is not determined by age.

 

Frame within the context of audiobooks, which Mediatore defines as “the feel or tone of the book the reader garners from the narrator” (Mediatore, 2003, p. 320), is another factor that may get misconstrued in the transfer from print to audio. However, if done correctly, the frame can positively impact the listener experience by adding to the work's authenticity. If the narrator adheres to the intended linguistic, including dialectical or cultural attributes of the characters, this adds credibility to the book and the narrator. For example, if the narrator is from the south or speaks another language other than English, because of their inflection, accent, and so forth, are more, for lack of a better word, natural or not forced.

 

References:

 

Cahill, M. & Moore, J. (2017). A sound history: Audiobooks are music to children’s ears. Children and libraries, 15(1), 22-29.

 

Dunneback, K. (2011). E-books and readers’ advisory. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 325-329. 

 

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with your ears: Readers’ advisory and audio books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-323.