We live in a very fast paced society. Even though

We live in a very fast paced society. Even though everything is more convenient today more than ever, people seem to have less time to do the things that need to be done. We teach are children that they have to fill every waking minute with some type of activity, and yet we get upset with them when they claim to be bored. We have become a society of people that cannot just sit.

Part of my crazy daily routine includes commuting two hours a day. I am making this sacrifice because I have a good paying job and our home is on a lake. I compromise and drive during the week so I do not have to drive on the weekends to get to the lake. One of the things that I have found to fill my commute is listening to books. I am always looking for audio book sales so I can buy something to listen to on my way to and from work. I like to buy the books because I do not always get to listen to them in a timely manner so I constantly had to run back and forth to the library. By watching for audio book sales I am able to pick them up for just a bit more than the reading version of the book.

When audio books first came on the market I thought they were ridiculous. It seemed to me that it was just one more way people would avoid the quiet. I also thought it would contribute to illiteracy. I am finding that I was wrong. Listening to the audio books increases peoples interest in books. My children have started to read more because of listening to some of my books with me. Also listening together helps stimulate some lively discussions about the book. For me the audio helps to bring the characters alive. I especially like the books that feature the author as the narrator. With the author reading the book you know that the emphasis will be placed on what the key words are. It is interesting that there are some audio books that I am not able to listen to because I do not like the narrator. I need to have a certain pitch voice to hold my attention and interest level. If the pitch is not right I find that I get irritated and my anxiety level goes up. My travel time goes much faster when I am listening to a book. I find that I arrive in much calmer spirits and traffic and poor drivers do not bother me as much as they used to.