Used to blast through podcasts on my train ride, but after a 45 minute delay last Tuesday in Chicago I finally gave audiobooks a shot

I always thought audiobooks were too slow and boring compared to podcasts. But when my train got stuck near the Clybourn stop for almost an hour, I ran out of podcast episodes and figured why not try the free audiobook app I had. Three chapters into a biography about building bridges and I was actually mad when the train started moving again. The narrator's voice just pulls you into the story in a way that multiple podcast hosts yelling over each other never could. Has anyone else found themselves switching sides on this whole audio format debate?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_black2d ago

Dude, that bridge biography sounds way more interesting than I would have guessed. I had the same thing happen when I got stuck on the Blue Line for an hour and a half, ended up listening to a book about mushroom foraging and was legit bummed when my stop came. It's wild how a good narrator can make you forget you're just sitting on a train.

claire_gibson2d ago

Try pairing your audiobook with a specific route or train car. Your brain will start linking the story with that spot, and after a few rides you'll actually look forward to delays.

taylor122d ago

ngl I used to think that was some kind of placebo nonsense, like your brain wouldn't really care where you're at while listening. but I tried it on accident last week when I had to take a different route home and now I'm hooked. I saved a specific book for that one specific train car and now my brain literally starts getting excited when I see the seats I always sit in. it's like that spot becomes a little portal to the story world and I'm not even mad when we hit a delay anymore.