All About Books discussion
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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
Pink, maybe there is a hope that when A Little Life becomes available in England I too will be able to get it in Sweden.Amazon/Audible is the largest producer of audiobooks. I need them b/c of poor vision, so this is very important to me. For this reason I want the international copyright restrictions to be eliminated. IF I could read a paper book I could buy one and have it sent. Sure, I would have to pay for the postage but it would be available to me.
I've finished The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger’s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare’s First Folio . 3.5 stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chrissie wrote: "Pink, maybe there is a hope that when A Little Life becomes available in England I too will be able to get it in Sweden.Amazon/Audible is the largest producer of audiobooks. I nee..."
I don't believe there is an audiobook for A LITTLE LIFE, Chrissie. I was going to buy it the other day but I couldn't find it and ended up buying The Sympathizer instead, which BTW is supposed to be really good.
I have the ebook for A LITTLE LIFE, though. Can you read an ebook?
Chuck wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Can you read an ebook? "Chuck, only sometimes. I am going to go check out The Sympathizer. Chuck, that certainly does look good. Thanks for the tip. I didn't know a thing about it.
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Amazon/Audible is the largest producer of audiobooks. I nee..."
Yes, this is my biggest complaint too - for regular books, ok I can have them shipped overseas if I want to.
But for Audible to restrict content is annoying because it leaves me with no way to get those audiobooks! I can't get them at any price! Yes, I can listen to other books on my commute, but I hate not being able to read what I want. Lots of books already aren't available as audiobooks since they haven't been recorded yet at all or at least not in English. Further artificial restrictions chafe me!
Chrissie, for you it must be even more annoying! I know I can at least read those books in print eventually, but for you, it bars you altogether!
Yes, Greg, it annoys me very much. I tell myself to calm down and not get annoyed b/c I always DO manage to find books I want to read. BUT, I think international copyright restrictions to be eliminated. All books should be available to everyone, just as none should be banned.
Patricia wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Just finished this amazing book. Me Before You. I was invested in this the entire time and just loved it. 5 stars from me in every way. Can't wait to talk about this..."Yes it is, can't wait! I am very happy you are visiting your library for this Patricia.
Rahat wrote: "Gill and suzzane I am in love with this book too and Gill even I cried while reading this book! I want to read other books by this author too. Any suggestions on which one to read next?"Hi Rahat, I've only read one other, The Ship of Brides, and would thoroughly recommend. In love is the right way to put it!
Pink wrote: "I've heard lots about Me Before You but wasn't sure if it's the right book for me. It keeps getting so much praise, I've just added it to my tbr and reserved it at my library."I hope it works for you Pink, I've read a lot of hyped up novels, The Fault in Our Stars and The Girl on the Train and didn't feel the love. but this is better, so much better in every way!
Oh that's good to know Suzanne. To be honest I don't have high hopes, but I might be pleasantly surprised. Besides, it's good to read outside your comfort zone every once in a while, whether it's a gem or a dud.
Thank you Suzanne will check it out.
I finished reading Proven Guilty today. Below is the link to my review...https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@Chrissie This might help you.While no creative work is automatically protected worldwide, there are international treaties which provide protection automatically for all creative works as soon as they are fixed in a medium. There are two primary international copyright agreements, the Buenos Aires Convention and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (also referred to as just the Berne Convention) requires protection for all creative works in a fixed medium be automatic, and last for at least 50 years after the author's death for any work except for photographic and cinematographic works. Photographic works are tied to a minimum of 25 years. Cinematographic works are protected for 50 years after first showing, or 50 years after creation if it hasn't been shown within 50 years after the creation. The Berne Convention also allows for the rule of the shorter term, stating that "unless the legislation of that country otherwise provides, the term shall not exceed the term fixed in the country of origin of the work". Not all countries have applied this rule however.
The Buenos Aires Convention was a treaty signed by most North and South American countries, which allows for protection of all creative works as long as they contain a notice informing that the creator claims copyright on it. The Buenos Aires Convention also instituted the rule of the shorter term, where the length of the copyright term for the work in a country was whichever was shorter - the length of the term in the source country, or the protecting country of the work.
Pink wrote: "Oh that's good to know Suzanne. To be honest I don't have high hopes, but I might be pleasantly surprised. Besides, it's good to read outside your comfort zone every once in a while, whether it's a..."If you do please let me know Pink?! As for the comfort zone, I'm telling myself that too.. But I do find it hard to push the boundaries. Being here on GR has been great though, I've read heaps I wouldn't have otherwise :)
Just finished my first Hannah novel - The Nightingale. Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
B the BookAddict wrote: "@Chrissie This might help you.While no creative work is automatically protected worldwide, there are international treaties which provide protection automatically for all creative works as soon ..."
I am pretty sure all European countries have signed the Berne Convention, but this is not the issue. The problem is that some publishers restrict distribution to SOME books, NOT all, to certain markets! The publishing contract is based on an agreement between he publisher and the author. Many authors don't have the strength to make demands. I still don't understand why/how it could be better financially to either the author or the publisher restrict the distribution. This is particularly strange b/c it is related to ebooks and audiobooks which have no extra production costs.
Chrissie wrote: "B the BookAddict wrote: "@Chrissie This might help you.While no creative work is automatically protected worldwide, there are international treaties which provide protection automatically for al..."
I don't understand it either, because there are lots of people who are willing to spend their money, but they're not going to wait when they can just point their browser at google.
Chuck, I don't understand what you are saying with the line "there are lots of people who are willing to spend their money, but they're not going to wait when they can just point their browser at google.". Wait for what? I am thick-headed tonight.
Chrissie wrote: "Chuck, I don't understand what you are saying with the line "there are lots of people who are willing to spend their money, but they're not going to wait when they can just point their browser at g..."I thought you were talking about books being released at different times in different places. I see that all the time. Books are often, but not always, released earlier in the UK than they are in America. (Sometimes it's the other way around.) I can't see how that helps publishers in the modern era. I can see how it might hurt their bottom line, though, in the age of the Internet. Once a book is released anywhere in the world, you can bet it can be found on the Internet very soon, often with just a simple Google search.
Mod
Unfortunately not so much for audiobooks that are only available on Audible (many audiobooks) because it blocks you from purchasing and downloading those based on your region. :(
Maybe someone needs to cosy up to a publisher and ask them why!
Greg wrote: "Chuck wrote: "Once a book is released anywhere in the world, you can bet it can be found on the Internet very soon, often with just a simple Google search..."Unfortunately not so much for audiobo..."
I think you'd be surprised.
From a book collector's point of view, collecting the first edition, first run of a book is important for future value, so, for example, when I was collecting, I would buy from whichever country published first between the US and the UK. In this case, the publishers want to put out the first edition and would not want the release date to be the same. If a book were to win the Man Booker Prize and i had purchased the UK first edition, first print hardback it would immediately become worth more than I paid for it, but a US copy printed second would not be worth as much.
Chuck wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Chuck, I don't understand what you are saying with the line "there are lots of people who are willing to spend their money, but they're not going to wait when they can just point t..."No, I was speaking of books that are quite simply NOT available in Europe. Nothing to do with when. That was Pink who made the statement that different books are available at different times in the US and England.
Chrissie wrote: "Chuck wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Chuck, I don't understand what you are saying with the line "there are lots of people who are willing to spend their money, but they're not going to wait when they ca..."I didn't realize that was happening! But it's the same difference pretty much. Either way it's futile to try to restrict books anywhere the Internet is available; people will still get them. You'd think publisher's would do all they could to license the books there so they could make money off of 'em.
Another way around that is to use a proxy server.
My latest read The Third Wife, a pleasing read for me, 3.5 stars. My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I love Coco Chanel's design and perfume. I find her a fascinating woman. I recommend that you either read Mademoiselle Chanel or Coco Chanel: An Intimate LifeMy review of the former: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of the latter: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North, which I really enjoyed. I might have given it five stars, except I thought it was a bit slow and disjointed to begin with, but from about the half way point, I became really engrossed in the story. And I've just discovered it works as a book written by someone under thirty for my bingo challenge! Four stars from me.
Good to know Shirley, I have that one on reserve at my library to read next month.
Shirley , Glad you like The First Fifteen lives ...I bought it on a kindle daily special not long ago and now I'm glad I did well with the bargain. I'll have to move it up .
I just finished The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. I read it in school back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and really like it and wanted to do a reread to see if I still thought it was good. It's a candidate for one of my f2f book clubs. I did still like it and thought it was a 4*.
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Ann, I read that a couple years ago and remember liking it.
Another good audiobook narrated and written by by Jeremy Siepmann. This one is: Beethoven. I love hearing about the composer's life events as you listen to the music he composed just then. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Ann wrote: "I just finished The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. I read it in school back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and really like it and wanted to do a reread to see if I still thought it wa..."Ooh, hi Ann. Now I see there's someone in this group who's a bit older than I am!
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LOL: you are young!
Finished Where They Found Her https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...So many good mysteries out right now.
I have just finished The Robber Bride, 5 stars. These women will stick with me for a while, loved how their stories wove in and out of each other's
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Is this the one that had the dream interludes Evelyn - one for each of the three women? I remember finding the book fascinating when I read it ages ago.
Gill, yes, the dinosaurs and I are older than everyone.LauraT, I feel young inside it's just the outside that seems to disagree!
Yes Greg, although more reminiscing than dreaming.
Just finished The Marble Orchard. It was really good. I can recommended it for fans of noir and/or literary fiction.
Ann wrote: "Gill, yes, the dinosaurs and I are older than everyone.LauraT, I feel young inside it's just the outside that seems to disagree!"
Only just, though, Ann!
Just finished The Children Act, which is the second book I have read by Ian McEwan. Very good - takes some skill I think to write a book that gets under your skin so expertly and in just over 200 pages. Four stars.
Chrissie wrote: "I love Coco Chanel's design and perfume. I find her a fascinating woman. I recommend that you either read Mademoiselle Chanel or Coco Chanel: An Intimate LifeMy re..."
Chrissie, I read and enjoyed Mademoiselle Chanel last month. I never really knew much about her except for the little black dress and her perfume. I admit I was shocked by some of her choices in life.
Suzanne, I loved Me Before You! I stayed up until 5:30 am to finish it. While trying to sleep after the first day reading it I was obsessing over the title lol! I know now.
Shirley, I'm adding The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August to my TBR list.
Read Co Co Chanel but have not read Mademoiselle Chanel yet, but will soon.Finished Migratory Animals
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I'm sure that these restrictions will be lifted in time.