One Stupid Mistake Audio Review

I have “listened” to the audio book twice. It is my belief that the audio book format is best suited for the content of this book. The narration of the book better serves the listener because the listener is “hearing” the book, thereby must actively practice one of the main themes of the book. Reading this book in paper form may prompt the reader to cognitively process the content in a different or more complex fashion, and may not perceive the flow of the content as well as the audio book lays it out.

The story telling aspects of the book are simple and straight forward, and are a very effective way to illustrate the concept or concepts found in each chapter. The narrator is very effective in taking his own life experiences, which are believable and significant from his perspective, and easily asks the listener to recall and relate to examples of one’s own life experiences which provides the personal perspective to each listener. Stories are best heard, which is why the audio book is again a more powerful way to deliver the messages found in each chapter.

The bell serves well as a natural bracket to the concepts, thoughts, and exercises found at the end of each of the chapters, and as a prompt for attentiveness. Because the tone of the narration is very calming and encourages self-reflection, the tone of the bell could have been at least 50% softer and had an even more harmonious effect when combined with the narrative.

One could easily embrace the transformative approach of the audio book in a month’s time, and easily lends itself to listening on commutes between home and work, or any other 30 minute journey. This is how I listened to the book, contemplated each story, and processed “thoughts for the day”. For me, the driving experience always served as an opportunity to hit the reset button, and to reflect and put things in their proper, centered, perspective. This is especially true in travels between work, appointments, errands, and home.

From a marketing perspective, I would be placing the predominance of my resources on the marketing the audio book even though the written form lent itself to the creation of the audio format. The title of the book has relevance to everyone, since we all have made mistakes, and would thereby attract an audience seeking to learn how to minimize one’s own mistaking behaviors. It is also more likely that people will listen to the audio book more than once. Most people rarely read a book twice in this day and age. It would be logical that an audience that is seeking their own “self-help” transformation of their life would be attracted to this audio book.

-Mark A.

Charlie Seraphin