Let’s cut to the chase: reading is hard. Not like hard hard, but “I-have-kids-and-a-job-and-no-time-to-sit-in-silence-for-300-pages” hard. Enter audiobooks: the glorious loophole that lets you “read” while mowing the lawn, folding laundry, or pretending to care during school pickup.
This isn’t a guilt trip about not reading more. It’s a survival guide for squeezing stories into a dad’s life that’s already stacked higher than a Costco cart before a three-day weekend.
Why Audiobooks Rule (And Paper Books Drool)
I became hooked when I realized I could deep-dive into a spy thriller while scrubbing a toilet. Instant addiction. Why? Because I’m finally getting stories into my life again—and doing it without sacrificing time, sanity, or muscle cramps from holding a book at eye level.
Multitasking Magic: Stories for the Overbooked
Let’s face it: our lives are a three-ring circus of chores, work, and “Dad, can I have a snack?” moments. Audiobooks let you:
- Listen while driving, walking, gym-ing, pretending to work…
- Feel productive while folding socks (yes, that counts).
- Escape, even if your escape route is the garage with headphones in.
The Narrator is Everything (Seriously)
A good narrator can turn a decent book into an all-out binge-worthy event. A bad one sounds like your high school math teacher reading The Iliad. No thanks.
Look out for:
- Narrators who act, not read. Voices, accents, emotion—the whole nine yards.
- Bonus: you’ll find yourself stalking favorite narrators like they’re celebrities. Totally normal.
Try New Stuff (Without Regret)
Audiobooks are low-pressure ways to try:
- Genres you’ve never touched before (sci-fi? noir? cozy mysteries with talking cats?)
- Authors you’ve heard of but never had the time for
- Books in other languages (for the overachieving dads out there)
Worst case? It sucks. You move on. No bookshelf shame. No sunk cost panic.
End the Day with a Story, Not a Doom Scroll
Picture this: you’re lying in bed, your kids finally asleep, and instead of doomscrolling TikTok until your brain turns into applesauce, you hit play on a killer audiobook.
Boom. Instant decompression:
- It’s like watching a movie, but you can close your eyes.
- Bonus: it won’t recommend 47 more shows you’ll never finish.
How to Get Started Without Losing Your Mind (or Wallet)
Look, don’t overthink it. Pick an app, hit play.
Dad-tested favorites:
- Libby – Free with a library card. Good for trying stuff without commitment. Like dating, but for books.
- Audible – Monthly credits, big library, shiny exclusives.
- Audiobooks.com – Same vibe, different flavor.
Pro tip: Start with Libby. Zero risk. Zero regret.
Final Word from the Garage
If you’ve ever said, “I’d read more if I had time,” congratulations—your loophole is here.
- Start with something fun.
- Don’t read what you should—read what keeps you hitting “next chapter.”
- And if someone recommends a book that “changed their life”? Cool. You’re just trying to survive Monday, not achieve enlightenment.
So go on—hit play, and welcome to your new favorite way to “read.”