Book Talk discussion
Print or Digital?
It happens sometimes.I try not to make a habit of it, though.
I used to think I'd stick to print books but then I started reading books for authors on occasion and they usually offered ebooks. I used Adobe initially but then found out Amazon had the free app for pc and now have that along with about a hundred ebooks. I still tend to read a lot more print than digital but digital can mean some cheaper costs and a pretty easy storage format compared to my print books. Right now its a mixed bag on finding quality books vs a real glut of subpar ones (your books excluded from the bad ones of course)whether you read free ebooks or not. I haven't quite sunk into ebooks just yet due to the cost of the reader but i think I might down the road. I doubt if i'll ever give up print however there's something really great about the weight of a book in your hand I can't imagine getting with an ereader.
I used to be like you, Kealan. Then I got a chance to get a Kindle free through a customer satisfaction points plan at work. I truly was convinced that I would hate it. Fast forward to my receiving and trying out my Kindle. I have not read a paper book since. I tried to pick up a paperback, but I just couldn't deal with it anymore. I do have arthritis in my fingers and just holding open a paperback or carrying a massive hardcover tome- it bothers me.
I would never get rid of the books that I do have because I am down to the must-keeps. But I doubt I will be purchasing any more.
I went digital and like others I thought that I wouldn't like it. I resisted initially, but I became a believer immediately. I first bought a KOBO because Borders was selling them cheap. I then bought a tab recently to use the Amazon app. and watch Netflix movies. I upgraded to a touch KOBO (a very nice machine) because I have a hundred or so purchased books on there but I have added quite a few Amazon titles and have about 50 already. KOBO suits my reading style better but Amazon has more books and at a lower price so I go back and forth. To show how quickly I succumbed I bought my first e-reader in Dec. of 2010. I read 92 books in 2011 and only 2 were print. I have bought no new print books. Why? I read faster on an e-reader and I find it much easier on my old eyes. Plus I can purchase any book that I want to read in 20 seconds. Yes, I am that impatient when it comes to books....LOL
I have very little interest in an e-reader. I'm a bit old fashioned when it comes to books and I like being surrounded by physical books. I like having book shelves with beautiful hard cover editions adorning the walls.Likewise, there is something great about waiting in the mail for a choice first edition that you have purchased from a dealer... something that you have been searching for and searching for and finally found.
I remember the day when I finally saw a Midnight House edition of the Jean Ray short story collection go up for sale. Needless to say, I was beside myself when I won the auction for such a rare title. The wait for it to arrive was excruciating, but once read, I realized that every story was worth the agonizing wait.
I don't think downloading stories onto an e-reader can bring that kind of enjoyment for me. I certainly won't be one to begrudge anyone their literary pursuits with an e-reader, but it just isn't for me. Maybe that is just the Luddite in me talking... =)
This is a very common question. I saw Stephen King speak in Dallas and one of the questions from the audience to him was "e-reader or print". His quick response was "both" and then he said his daughter reads only print books and has no desire to own an e-reader. His son Joe reads everything off of his iPad. As for King himself he said both. He finds e-readers very convenient in that they hold many books and are easy on the eyes because you can adjust the font but he would never give up print books. In the end, he said, it is the story that matters, the rest is just the delivery system.
I am still holding out from getting a device for practical reasons. I have heard all the great pro's and very few cons with it but I still have a ton of print books to be read. If I get a Kindle, I will most likely ignore that pile in favor of the excitement at getting "freebies" or at least "cheapies" which will then rack up the good ole' credit card. I have a bunch of Kindle for PC books and haven't read a single one of them. I'd considered printing them out to make it more likely that I'd actually read them! I also like the physicality of paper books. You get twice the rush when you buy a book-once when you order it, the second time when you receive it. Try doing that with a device! I love exploring musty-smelling used book stores knowing that every spine brings with it the opportunity to find some as-yet undiscovered treasure. Finding paperbacks for a quarter apiece is still possible in your local thrift store, too!
I think it's the treasure hunt aspect of it that thrills me and even in a brand-new book store, I will find titles I didn't know I wanted until I set my eyes on them. I have discovered a love of entirely new genres this way. It's not as likely to happen with E-searches on Amazon since they will be busy tailoring their suggestions to your existing purchases. I could go on, but I think you get the idea on which camp I am in, for now, anyway.
Yup, it's pretty clear Sharon! : )I still like you anyway. : P
Kealan wrote: "The times are changing. Despite the fact that my books are more readily available in digital these days than print, I still don't own a digital reader, though I download books onto a Kindle app on ..."Print. Love paper.
Kealan wrote: "The times are changing. Despite the fact that my books are more readily available in digital these days than print, I still don't own a digital reader, though I download books onto a Kindle app on ..."
Kealan wrote: "The times are changing. Despite the fact that my books are more readily available in digital these days than print, I still don't own a digital reader, though I download books onto a Kindle app on ..."
Kealan wrote: "The times are changing. Despite the fact that my books are more readily available in digital these days than print, I still don't own a digital reader, though I download books onto a Kindle app on ..."
A book is sensual. Way more sensual and real.
Laren wrote: "A book is sensual. Way more sensual and real."Where's the "like" button?! You said it, Laren! :)
Yeah, great.Now I feel dirty touching my books.
Ah, yes, the sex doctor of the Third Reich.....
E-books seemed to me an answer in search of a question. And I wasn't interested in the question.Why buy books that Amazon could pull from your reader (it has happened)? Why trust that Amazon's format wouldn't someday be abandoned or outdated? Why trust that it would always be free to keep your books accessible? Why assume you won't be roped into endlessly buying new kindles the way you have to keep buying new computers and operating systems? Why abandon that lovely smell of new paper, that certain weird, primal pride that owning and holding a new book brings?
Then I got a kindle and was instantly converted. I equipped it with a Belkin light and a case that had a slot in it which fits over my fingers so I don't have to actively hold the kindle at all -- it just sits there on my hand by itself, no matter which way I turn.
Now I can read a book in any light and any position. I don't get stiff fingers or a stiff neck or shoulder keeping my body in the right position not to be comfortable, but to accomplish the task of reading. Instead, I'm always comfortable. I never have to worry about dropping my book and ruining the cover or bending the pages because I got sleepy or inattentive. I never have to squint, or worry about paper that is too transparent, or a font that is too small or light, because I can make the font as big and dark as I like.
I'm a very slow, considered reader. I mull over images and ask myself questions, like, "How realistic is that? Is there anything from my past, or the way I think, that's like that?" So I'm a slow reader, but really own what's inside after I read it. Now with the kindle, I'm not a slow reader anymore. The sheer comfort of using it adds much more than I would expect. It's a great pleasure to read so much more quickly now. It leaves me more time for living -- or just for more reading!
Plus, I've loaned and been loaned books on the kindle, which is great! And I've borrowed from the Amazon library too. It's a fantastic feature, and lets me share reading experiences with online friends.
And by now I probably have over 300 free books to read.
When I bought the kindle, I was pretty confident I would be returning it within the week. I only bought it for the free books, and figured it would be a way to save a lot of money in the long run. It definitely is. But I never thought I would be buying new books on it, or recommend the kindle to anyone, or even enjoy it much. Boy was I wrong.
One last thing -- I've thrown out well over a thousand books in all my moves down through the years. It broke my heart every time. I'm a re-reader. I need to keep my books. Now I can keep a thousand in my pocket. I may be moving overseas at some point, too. No more turning my home into a book warehouse for me. Though I'll still sometimes buy printed books, I'm definitely a full-bore e-book guy now.
I agree with everything you just said. Additionally, I can honestly say that with the ease of acquiring books on Kindle, and the wide selection, I have come to read works by authors that I count among my favorites but probably would never have discovered prowling the bookstores. Like Kealan as well as Glen Krisch among others. It is just so easy to try out new authors.
I agree with everything the both of you just said!I was sure I would hate my Kindle but now I cannot imagine life without it.
If it were suddenly rendered inoperable I would probably have a heart attack.
That's why I keep books as a backup....
Chris wrote: "I agree with everything you just said. Additionally, I can honestly say that with the ease of acquiring books on Kindle, and the wide selection, I have come to read works by authors that I count a..."I've found that too. Just in the last month I've been introduced to three new fiction authors I'd like to follow, all of whom I've gotten into by buying a kindle book, and two of whom I've already bought and read second books from. In not much longer, I've found five new non-fiction authors to follow. And I've had at least a taste of some more who I might follow through short pieces. I wouldn't have found any of those authors without a kindle.
Liking it so much really took me by surprise. I wasn't prepared to. But now I've read more books in the last two months than I had in the last two years, and I cancelled Netflix when I found myself going from streaming maybe ten movies a week down to rarely more than one (if that).I don't know if you've tried your girlfriend's kindle yet, but watch out! It might just reel you in ...
Charlene wrote: "I agree with everything the both of you just said!I was sure I would hate my Kindle but now I cannot imagine life without it.
If it were suddenly rendered inoperable I would probably have a heart..."
I know what you mean. I would probably be ridiculously bummed out and immediately hop in the car to drive very unsafely to Staples to pick up another one. I would not respond to the loss of my kindle proportionately.
Kealan wrote: "Marc: I have tried it, and have read a few short stories on it. I like it, but I'm not yet ready to make the move from print to digital in terms of reading preference."Well, everybody's different. I'm still visiting the library regularly and occasionally scouring the local used bookstores. And I find books I really need to study are better in print form. I like to underline in a few different colors in a way that really breaks things down, and paperclip and put post-it notes on pages. A kindle book isn't as tactile and visual that way.
Used to be print exclusively but have a Nook Color now and 95% of what I read today is digital. The convenience of immediate download availability can't be beat. It's enabled me to read a lot of your work in a short period.
I'm with Marc. Adore my Kindle and digital reading. I have read more books on my Kindle since Christmas than I have read in the past five years. Hope to never have to buy a print book again. ...Cat :)
That looks like my shelf! Except the top row is all King hardcovers. Other than that, it could be the same. : )
A couple of apartments ago, I had five huge bookcases, much bigger than that, some with books stacked two deep and more laid across the top of the book rows, and more piled up on top of the case. I really do re-read a lot, so it was wonderful, but I'm not going to do that to myself again unless it's in virtual form. I don't want it to look like I live in a book warehouse anymore.
Oh multiply that bookshelf by two and then fill two Rubbermaid tubs and a few full size boxes and you'd have my print collection.
Kealan wrote: "A book warehouse would be my idea of Heaven."I had a date come back to my place and she said the living room looked like a warehouse. I would never have noticed, or cared, myself. My male friends didn't give a damn either way. None had ever found it worth mentioning. It took someone else's eyes. A woman's eyes.
I felt like a woman-no-longer-a-girl might feel on seeing her date looking in disbelief at all her stuffed animals, unicorn statuettes, and all the rainbows painted on her walls.
Trying to move that many books to a new apartment was also an eye-opener.
Speaking only for myself?I find shelves like that sexy. I might want to move in!
Have you ever seen pics of I dunno, rich people, with row after row of these beautiful books and you can tell, just by looking at them, that they've never even been opened? Those types of shelves? Definitely, UNSEXY. : )
I don't like to think of all of the books that I have gotten rid of over the years. One thing I like about digital is I never have to get rid of a book again.
Charlene wrote: "Speaking only for myself?I find shelves like that sexy. I might want to move in!
Have you ever seen pics of I dunno, rich people, with row after row of these beautiful books and you can tell, j..."
Yeah, where every book has the same height, binding and gold letters arranged horizontally on the spines?
I've seen them come as an upholstered board you can prop up in a shelf, where the "book" part is only an inch or two deep -- the spine and just enough of a hint of pages to fool the eye.
I have watched people buy books "by the foot" to fill bookshelves in their home.Even as a kid when I went into a house and saw row after row of Readers' Digest Condensed books, I was horrified.
Chris wrote: "I have watched people buy books "by the foot" to fill bookshelves in their home.Even as a kid when I went into a house and saw row after row of Readers' Digest Condensed books, I was horrified."
*shudder* Chris, that is truly HORROR.
Charlene wrote: "Speaking only for myself?I find shelves like that sexy. I might want to move in!
Have you ever seen pics of I dunno, rich people, with row after row of these beautiful books and you can tell, j..."
Charlene, I've never seen this side of you before. Very interesting! :)
HA! In case you haven't noticed Gator, I seem to have a thing going on forA) Irish writers
B) Overloaded bookshelves.
You should be up to date now! ; )
Kealan wrote: "A collection should be sentimental, not ornamental."That's not politically correct. They're called "Asians" now.
Kealan wrote: "Then you'll never have to worry about this...https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/..."
Good one, Kealan. I have one just like it, and that's after giving away mountains of books to the local library. Yea, Kindle!!!
oh nooooooooooo.....Sounds like you have your own library. Bless my Kindle. :D
Before I got my Kindle I created a sort of Zen concept of reading for myself. I bought myself one bookshelf and came up with a rule that I could only hold that many books at one time. If I needed more room I had to read something. After I finished a book if I liked it I would give it to a friend or relative that would like it and told them that if they liked it to pass it on to another person who would like it. If I didn't think that I knew anyone that would like the book I took it to Half Price and used the money to get something else. Basically I stopped acquiring books and treated them as to be enjoyed and passed on. I sort of had to do this because in our house we had filled up numerous bookshelves, long, low cardboard boxes under the bed with paperbacks, totes for kids books, and 3 large metal tool shelves filled with books two rows deep in the garage. With 5 kids we had accumulated so much stuff (not just books) that it was staggering so we decided to clear out 75% of our stuff, and that included books. It felt so good to have room everywhere in the house and e-books give me a way to cheat because I can accumulate books, keep them all, and still not take up any space.
I have to go bookcase shopping. One of mine just imploded. Don't buy Sauder, they're made out of pressed oatmeal....
If I decided to go back to reading actual books, I might need to review this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xmTTz...
I'm definitely a fetishist when it comes to bookshelves. I like them strong enough to climb on, with backs that aren't that vinyl-coated cardboard crap either. I used to get good ones at a place called Plummer's Furniture, I think. Not like the plumber who fixes your drain, but with two M's. They were the only large furniture store in the vicinity that refused to get on the internet, which was pretty silly. But they made really solid, simple but good-looking bookshelves that were worth paying a premium for over the usual garbage.
The one bookshelf that I still have loaded (the rest of my beloved books are in boxes in the cellar) are bowed down in the middle. Know what I mean? It looks like it's going to collapse at any time! It must be a Sauder. : )
Our main bookshelves are built into the wall. They are not going anywhere. The other one is a step bookshelf and it's pretty solid. Filled to the brim, all of them.
Charlene wrote: "The one bookshelf that I still have loaded (the rest of my beloved books are in boxes in the cellar) are bowed down in the middle. Know what I mean? It looks like it's going to collapse at any time..."Shelves that bend in the middle make me grouchy! Very irritating!
To Hell with the trees!
Kealan wrote: "An invasion of silverfish may have me second-guessing my refusal to part with my books."An ounce of prevention, Kealan.....
Kealan wrote: "An invasion of silverfish may have me second-guessing my refusal to part with my books."Oh that's a bummer!
Ewww. Something similiar happened to me, except in my case it was mice. : (
I still have my print books, and always will. The Kindle allows me to fill the gaps in my collection if I can't do so physically.