If I finished an audio-book, can I say I read it?

Generally speaking .... Yes, I think it is ok to say you "read it" if you heard it all, especially if you mean outside of academic/school setting (where it might or might not really matter).

Keep on reading! 

Rob

So, let's say you just listened to the complete audio book version of The Lovely Bones and your co-worker asks, "Have you read it yet?"

I don't think you need to explain that you listened to it, rather than 'read' it (visually impaired people don't clarify, why should you?) but if you don't want to go there, why not just say, "I'm familiar with it" and then turn the conversation to a discussion of your favorite part of the story?

Sure you can. I also believe that it is not honest, but the honesty issue probably only matters in school. In fact, if a friend asked you if you read it and you said that you did not but you listened to it, I can see your friend taking exception to your nitpicking.

I suppose that if you read a textual book out loud that you could say that you listened to it.

I'm so glad that we can have meaningful discussions like this when our country is going up in flames.

Just out of curiosity, what was it that caused you to ask this?

You did not read the book, someone read the book to you. Do you go around claiming to have read the lyrics of all the songs you've ever heard too? Ridiculous.

If you're asking if your experience counts, undoubtedly my answer would be yes.

I think listening to an audio book is an entirely different experience than sitting down and reading the book, but to say that one is better than the other would be a bit silly. Personally I tend to retain more if I read it as opposed to listening, but I'm sure there are people that find the opposite to be true. Some works, like Shakespeare beg to be read aloud, and I think you could gain a lot by hearing it.

If you're doing this for a class in most cases I would recommend actually reading the book and annotating the text. Personally I find it hard to quote passages and analyze text that is not in front of me. Heck if you have a unabridged copy of both the audio and written version you could do both simultaneously, now that would be fun.

Thanks to all for your answers.
There is no deep reason for my asking. I just think that it's an interesting question in the etiquette of the digital world in which we live.

I have a long commute to work (32 miles ~ 50km) each way, and listened to my first audio book (The Facebook Effect) in about 2 weeks.

It is a completely different experience from reading, I must agree. It was also interesting because the author narrated the book, and he speaks at the end of the narration about his experience doing so and the difficulties and challenges it presented to read it out loud and tell the story.

Thanks again for all your answers!

Best, Itay.

I think listening to it would be more apt. But that's just me.