It seems like everything we see as traditional is getting thrown out to make room for new technology and ideas. Does anyone remember the days when a Nintendo 64 had the best gaming graphics? How about when you couldn't use your home phone and computer at the same time because of dial-up? Okay, we can all admit that some of the changes were probably for the better, but sometimes I get the feeling we're taking it too far. Several locally owned bookstores have dried up where I live, as well as the bigger ones like Borders, because of a combination of a bad economy, e-books, and the fact that kids these days just don't read like they used to! People have told me to get a Kindle or Nook because they're so much better than reading plain old books, but I'm not gonna lie--I enjoy sitting down and opening up an old smelly book and having to turn the pages manually (gasp!). Isn't that easier on the eyes anyway? So here's my question for you, just out of curiosity: Do you think books should be read the old-fashioned way, or is it a good thing to be keeping up with technology through e-books?
No. It's called electronic ink and it's what makes the kindle so great. It's like looking at a page. I love my kindle, and I've been doing much more reading since I got it. I can carry it around everywhere, and download a new book in seconds. And my favourite part: I only make it past the first twenty pages in about 10% of the books I start. Amazon.com gives you the first twenty pages of every book for free! So everytime I open my kindle I can start reading almost every piece of popular fiction in the market. Only if I like it will I pay to read more. It takes all the inconvenience out of reading. And trust me once you use it for a few days, that feeling of real paper in your hands won't quite be the irreplacable thing it used to be.
Gotta say I agree with Joker. LOVE my kindle. So much. I like books, I enjoy books, but I must say I don't miss the paper all that much. I still read the paper kind (you can't get EVERYTHING on kindle). I don't do what Joker does though. If I'm interested in the blub, I buy it. Just like I would at a store. The free sample thing irritates me a bit. Yes, if you don't like it you don't have to buy it and that's great, and as a writer if you haven't got them by then you won't, but to me? It's like eating the grapes while you walk around the grocery store.... it just feels wrong
I see it more or less as flipping through a book in the book store. I never buy one without reading a bit of Chapter 1.
No, I don't think a book should go flat. I love the smell and texture of paper. I love the way I can open a book I haven't read in years, and find little memories stuck inside the pages. I love it even more when that memory is a $20 note I've used as a bookmark (which has happened more than once). I love reading a really engaging story, and looking down at the width of it, to see how much I've read and how much I have to go. And if that means I'm probably right or wrong about who the killer is I love going to second hand book stores, and scouring the shelves for hours on end, walking away with a ton of books, all for under $20. My record is 25 books for 18 dollars. Score! There's a 2nd hand bookstore vibe that I just adore. I have tried reading the first few pages of an ebook, but it isn't the same for me as going to a bookstore and opening a few books to see what I can find. A real book gives me a sense of discovery that I can't get from an e-alternative. That said, I know it's the future of literature, and all that. I don't blame other people for liking them. My Dad manages a drilling camp in the middle of nowhere in Australia, and he loves his Kindle because he can't get to a bookstore without driving two hours. But I love real books for now, and I'm too stubborn to change easily.
Lol Trish, but blurbs aren't the best way to judge a book. The proof is in the writing, not how the marketing guys put together a few catchy phrases to snag potential buyers. Good writers deserve to have their books bought, but the only way you'll know is if you read the first chapter. It cuts through the advertising gimmicks and showcases what the book really has to offer.
Blurbs are not good at all, in my view. I stopped reading them years ago. I no longer even glance at the blurb on the back when buying a book.
I know they're not. Like I've said a bunch of times, a lot of what I read is awful (probably a good bit of it for that reason) but I learn just as much from the awful ones that I buy, so for me it's still a win. I learn what NOT to do just as often as I learn what I SHOULD do. I don't have a problem with wasting a couple of bucks if the story truly sounds interesting to me, and I've found some great stuff that way I never claimed to make any kind of sense
I agree with Dizzy. I love the texture and smell of the pages, especially Scholastic books (their paper smells amazing) and also the texture of some unique covers. I love collecting great books and having a respectable bookshelf. I know it's silly and vain, but I like it when other people look at my bookshelf and see all my classic literature that I've read (or am... getting around to) and think I must be really smart. I also like having hardcopy books just because of how easy it is to look back at all the books I have read and will read. I know there's a "virtual bookshelf" on the Nook, but it's not the same. I practically only buy books second-hand. I might buy one or two books I'm dying to read from the store, but I've gotten 95% of all my books from thrift stores. I can be in and out in 20 minutes and have 7 books for a fraction of their original price. This is especially important to me because I like collecting books. My bookshelf currently would probably cost nearly $2000 with all new books, but instead I've spent under $300. A kindle might be easier to transport an infinite amount of books at one time, but I only need the one or two books I'm currently reading when I go on vacation or whatever. I will eventually buy a Kindle (probably whenever their next one comes out because it might have both color and a touch screen AND eInk) but mostly for academic purposes because Psychology involves a lot of PDF reading. Hopefully I will get my book published someday, and I'd like to buy both the hardcopy and eBook copy. I'm glad that people like the Kindle, I think it's a great device (others are good too), and I think it's done some great things for the writing industry. People buy books more because it is so easy to buy on a whim, and also it's so easy for people to self-publish these days, and even though that's not what I want to do personally I think that is a great option.
I have an iPad which I've used but I saw a Kindle for the first time today. I was surprised. Everyone talks about the eInk (or whatever it is called) like it is God's gift but it really is pretty cool. The contrast is amazing. It looks just like a printed page. Now that I've seen one, I really want one. Now to convince the wife...
I prefer actual books, though I do use my mom's Kindle from time to time. The good thing about having a Kindle is that it saves a ton of space (I currently live in a tiny apartment). Also, you can get a lot of great cheap/free books on the Kindle.
I have a kindle and while I do enjoy it, it hasn't replaced my affinity to actual books. I still prefer to read real books, especially hard-covers, and i love the smell and turning the pages and really do enjoy the whole experience. However, I do find the kindle to be extremely useful mainly for research reading. I have all the classics at the touch of my fingertips and can pull them all up anywhere and at anytime when I need to look up something. Books are also a lot cheaper than going to an actual bookstore and buying them, and for a book that I want to read specifically for research as opposed to enjoyment reading, not only is it cheap but with the kindle I can highlight and make notes to myself. It's great for traveling, keeps me updated on popular books and it's information at my fingertips without having the hassle to go to the library or bookstore. It's instant. I still buy hardback books for my personal collection if I truly fall in love with them and decide that I have to have it just like I always have. In the end, both. Also, did you know that most schools are wanting to have all text-books converted to electronic formats by 2015? At least in FL. I work at a university that also has two high schools, and the public school system wants to convert all the textbooks to electronic format. It's really hard to escape the latest trends in technology now. Kids these days have ipads, nooks, kindles provided for them by the schools themselves and its like you no choice but to assimilate into the mainstream. I still love my books, and I adore my kindle.
I got my kindle not only because it's cool, but out of self-preservation. I can't stand getting rid of books that I like (and there aren't many that I dislike enough to get rid of them). Consequently I have floor to ceiling bookshelves in my foyer (9 feet across) filled. I have 3 more of those upstairs in my bedroom - filled. My kids have 4 bookshelves in their playroom - filled. I haven't started on cookbooks.... I needed something compact. I need to go through what I have, but I love having them even though it makes me a little bit of a hoarder
I totally agree with the thread starter!! Even though I've never used a Kindle or whatever other gadgets there are, I don't believe it will be the same. Sitting in the sun or curled up on the sofa with a nice cup of tea, reading an old, new or second hand book. Flipping through each page and getting lost in it is one of the best things! I love walking into a bookshop and buying a stack of new books and adding them to my bookshelf. Although, my stack of unread books makes it harder for me to choose, what to read next lol. Old customs and traditions are vanishing fast and it's such a shame. I fear that books will no longer be available in hardback/paperback and only available as ebooks. I truely hope not!
I don't understand the appeal of reading something off a screen and I figure if you drop the device on something hard then there goes all your books right there.
Actually Amazon keeps a back up of all your purchased books under your profile on the site, so all you have to do is buy another kindle and you can have all your old books back at no charge.
Plus you can download the kindle e-reader to your computer and keep backups of all of them there too. So you can have all of your books on amazon, on your computer(s) and on your kindle. I'm much more at risk of losing a real one.
The Kindle is cool, but I prefer having an actual copy of a book. eBook may be cheaper, but there is just something satisfying about physically owning a copy. Video games are similar. The Nintendo 64 had a ton of fun games. I don't need super realistic graphics to enjoy the game, which is a glaring flaw in a lot of modern day games. I really don't need so much bloom in a game that the fuzzy carpets look shiny. Also, games like Goldeneye 64 were fun and took a long time to beat. When you compare them to Halo or Call of Duty you are paying more for a game that takes maybe 4 hours to complete. On top of that, the sequals don't feel so much like true sequals as they do an expansion pack.
I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I find I can't keep focused when I read on my laptop or PC (I don't have a Kindle, in fact, I didn't even know what it was!!). I can't curl up in bed and read comfortably from a lap top screen and there's something enjoyable about having a physical book in hand and being able to turn the pages. Do they have virtual book marks to keep the 'page' you're on now too? Books > ebooks
Even though I still prefer hardcopy books, both the Kindle and the Nook are excellent devices for leisure reading. Not only does it bookmark your place for you, but you can make notes and highlight in the text, among many other features. They are also very light and small and are easy to curl up with in bed or on a couch, as compared to a laptop.
I can't read books on my laptop or PC either. On my Kindle, on the other hand, it's a very nice experience.
