Are you looking for a good book to listen to? The Audio Publishers Association (APA) has just announced the finalists for the 2007 Audies that are awarded each spring at Book Expo America (BEA). Listening to a book rather than actually reading a book has been given the term Reading Lite by hard-core-book-group members. The New York Times did a wonderful piece last summer entitled “Your Cheatin’ Listenin’ Ways” that told the story of the stunned silence that met one book group member when she “fessed up” to her book club that she had listened to the audio version of Rohinton Mistry’s “A Fine Balance” rather than read it. The article goes on to debate whether listening to a book selected for discussion isn’t the same as deciding to watch the movie version of the book rather than reading it.

Now even I know that’s just plain wrong.