I do think that it’s harder to get ‘meaning’ from some texts through audiobooks, unless you are in the habit of constantly pausing and rewinding. With printed books, it’s easier and more natural to pause and dwell on something you just read, re-read the previous sentence or paragraph, flip back a few pages, make a note or too. This kind of ‘active’ reading is often helpful for understanding some books.

I am not saying it’s impossible to ‘actively’ listen to an audiobook, I think it is just less convenient (especially since many people put them on while doing other things). Likewise, not all printed book reading is ‘active,’ or even the default way of reading.

Don’t be afraid to try again but also don’t be too tough on yourself :)