Book Loving Kiwis discussion
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A question: since I have access to about to be or newly released NZ titles (all genres) (and while I am still working), would it be useful if I were to list them in a thread in BOOK TALK? That thread could also be used to comment on those books - have read, about to read, know the author ... whatever you may like.
Well done Sandy for getting people talking. I will be back!Time is always a problem.
Money is too. I cannot afford to buy the books. The library takes forever and so the challenge is over.
Also it is hard to discuss a Kiwi bk when the author is part of the group. I'm old and picky, often I want to discuss very writerly things which need improving but a reader would not notice or worry about.
I find a lot of NZ writing flat, dull and passionless, or of the Vic school of writing which is so pretentiously 'literahry' where we must talk about this deep dark nasty underbelly of NZ as though it were unique to NZ and not commonplace throughout the world.
I often loath the MCs who are not people I want to emulate, or read about. Messy lives, dishonest living, drifting from one disaster to the next, or simply failing to make a choice, not for me. So often Kiwi novels lack pace, tension, a good solid plot and characters who face a problem and resolve it.
This makes me reluctant to tackle NZ books unless I know the author or the subject is fascinating.
Since it is monday in good old Vancouver - here is some monday funnies for everyone :)
Ella's Gran wrote: "A question: since I have access to about to be or newly released NZ titles (all genres) (and while I am still working), would it be useful if I were to list them in a thread in BOOK TALK? That thre..."Yes! That would be fabulous.
Mod
Time is always a problem.
"
Aaarrrggghhh, I hadn't even thought about the writers being on the group! I don't think that will make a difference though.
pdr, I know what you mean. I'm hoping the books will change. Films are starting to. I know I go to a short film festival & was thinking if I saw one more film about people in Swanndris tramping glumly through through the bush, before doing something Silent But Meaningful, I would scream. Now way more with genuine emotion or humour.
Ella's Gran wrote: "A question: since I have access to about to be or newly released NZ titles (all genres) (and while I am still working), would it be useful if I were to list them in a thread in BOOK TALK? That thre..."
That could be interesting. Other than GR, the only other place I get recommendations from (other than friends & family) is The Listener.
P.D.R. wrote: "Well done Sandy for getting people talking. I will be back!Time is always a problem.
Money is too. I cannot afford to buy the books. The library takes forever and so the challenge is over.
Also..."
I'm always happy to receive constructive feedback!
I too hate reading about the 'dark underbelly'. It's not my cup of tea, and I actively avoid reading anything like that. I had enough of NZ's dark undervelly when I used to work for NZ Customs.
I have to agree that a lot of NZ fiction, particularly historic fiction, has bleak storylines. Not just weather bleak, but events and outcomes are often so bleak it makes you wonder if we are a dull, sad, bleak (and sometimes angry) society living in a dull, cold and constantly raining country.Yes, times were hard for the settlers, but reading my GGrandmother's 'journal' along with newspapers of the day, life was far from dull!
Sorry Ace. Intended to reply and got sidetracked. NO, I'm not on FB. I doubt I could keep up. This is probably why BLK is so important to me.
Sorry Ella's Gran,
Another topic for your response if you wish. I would be really interested in others' opinions.
Let me state that I love Libraries and Bookshops. Back in the day of Friday night late shopping I would deposit my bottle scrounging money into my post office orange book account ( remember the days the amount was tallied and handwritten?) then head off to the cold, dark Library for 3 hours. I won't mention all the hours I've frittered away in Bookshops. So I have a deep abiding love for books but but but...
Is it just me or do others find that they read a lot faster on Kindle or their iPad than they read a beautiful book? If so why?
Another topic for your response if you wish. I would be really interested in others' opinions.
Let me state that I love Libraries and Bookshops. Back in the day of Friday night late shopping I would deposit my bottle scrounging money into my post office orange book account ( remember the days the amount was tallied and handwritten?) then head off to the cold, dark Library for 3 hours. I won't mention all the hours I've frittered away in Bookshops. So I have a deep abiding love for books but but but...
Is it just me or do others find that they read a lot faster on Kindle or their iPad than they read a beautiful book? If so why?
S.K.Fischer wrote: "Sorry Ella's Gran,Another topic for your response if you wish. I would be really interested in others' opinions.
Let me state that I love Libraries and Bookshops. Back in the day of Friday night..."
YES! Absolutely do read faster on Kindle & iPad. I thought it was just me because of aging eyesight. Print books are often in a quite small type face and in various shades of grey ink. ebooks font and font size can be changed, and on iPad kindle app I can change tha background colour of the page as well. The 'ink' is definitely black! Some of the fonts used in print books I find difficult to read and have often had to give up.
My reading style on ebooks is more like it was when I was a kid and could read a book in two days. I love bookshops and libraries (work in one), and with a Father who was a bookbinder love good print books, but have to say ebooks enable me to continue being an avid reader. Even my Father worships the ebook and computers now that he is considered legally blind at the age of 89.
I wondered about print size and the wonderful backing light which allows my husband to snore on (without being disturbed by my reading lamp as I lean the iPad on the back of his head - he'll never know) but I also wonder if our brains are being reconditioned to read electronic print faster than print on paper. AND and ... in the process do we miss the subtleties of the authors intentions or the beauty of the words?
Mod
So what drove you to complete the book. Was it the percentage count down, time to end of chapter?
I'm definitely more inclined to read ANYWHERE on my tablet. I do read faster, change colour, backgrounds, brightness, fonts to make it work for me. Also, just so easy to 1-Click and immediately start reading any book you want.My library books scratch my blouse where the covers are torn, they are often heavy and can't be read in bed at night (SK, you're hilarious) in my relationship as my husband worries about the amount of sleep I'm getting. I read in the elevator, the bus/train, coffee shop, anywhere where I have at least my phone. I have audio, plus multiple apps for both .mobi and .epub formats.
In short, I definitely reader faster and more often.
Mod
But certainly an example of how a different reading medium changed one's habits.
Ellas Gran, so glad for your father too, thats awesome.
Lots of questions spring to mind. Convenience? Adaptability? Acessability? (Sp?). Novelty?
I presume thousands have made a study of this especially the publishers.
I presume thousands have made a study of this especially the publishers.
Mod
Yes indeed. I think my father would have loved ebooks. He had read his local library dry & was travelling to Mt Albert to get his books. He used to have a stack of about 20 by his Lazyboy.
We only discovered that Dad had cataracts when his reading of large print slowed to almost nil. Thank you NZ libraries for stocking large print books or was it jus Oamaru?
I'm still interested in this whole ebook as apposed to print and as apposed to audio ( thanks Ace. You reminded me while I'm cooking I listen to audio books and always absolutely desperate to see the words in print).
Ok that should read 'opposed'. Shame on me.
Mod
All of NZ I think. My own library has a reasonably large selection.
S.K.Fischer wrote: "Sorry Ella's Gran,Another topic for your response if you wish. I would be really interested in others' opinions.
Let me state that I love Libraries and Bookshops. Back in the day of Friday night..."
Besides being a bookaholic I think I might also be classed a hoarder - I still have my squirrel account passbook started in primary school along with my orange account that my grandfather started on 19 December 1948 (christening) with £5!
Ace wrote: "Ellas Gran, so glad for your father too, thats awesome."It is great and so much better than what was on offer for his mother when she could no longer read print. She had been an avid reader and really missed sitting in the sun room with her books of an afternoon. The only option was audio but that was limited to what the Blind Society offered - not a lot. So it ended up I would read to her on Sunday afternoons.
Lol and love the memory. Thank you.
Ella's Gran wrote: "Ace wrote: "Ellas Gran, so glad for your father too, thats awesome."
It is great and so much better than what was on offer for his mother when she could no longer read print. She had been an avid ..."
I hope one day my grand/ great grand children will read to me. A lovely image Ace.
It is great and so much better than what was on offer for his mother when she could no longer read print. She had been an avid ..."
I hope one day my grand/ great grand children will read to me. A lovely image Ace.
S.K.Fischer wrote: "Lots of questions spring to mind. Convenience? Adaptability? Acessability? (Sp?). Novelty? I presume thousands have made a study of this especially the publishers."
Not only the convenience of being able to change print size, brightness etc., but also being able to take the book you are reading anywhere easily. I'm currently reading a print book with 559 pages and I can only read at the table because it's too heavy for my wrists to hold it - and no hubby to use the head for a prop! I don't think it is causing me to "miss the subtleties of the authors intentions or the beauty of the words as I've not missed the subtleties of the words of this author whilst reading
on this electronic media!! :) LOL
Loving the image of all men's heads propping up our reading material. Lovely comic strip.
Come on Guys. You're letting me get away with that?
I am so with you on many points. I'm usually reading a book on Kindle another on the iPad, a print copy and an audio. That is why I've found that the print copy loses out over time and I'm interested as to why.
Do you think you read faster on your ereading devices than you would with a printed novel?
S.K.Fischer wrote: "Do you think you read faster on your ereading devices than you would with a printed novel?"
Yes - I am certain I read faster on my Kindle/Kobo
Yes - I am certain I read faster on my Kindle/Kobo
My question is why does this happen as I have come to the same conclusion?
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing fascinating. Call it an inquiring mind...
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing fascinating. Call it an inquiring mind...
S.K.Fischer wrote: "My question is why does this happen as I have come to the same conclusion?
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing fascinating. Call it ..."
That is an interesting question, I am not sure why - I just do.
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing fascinating. Call it ..."
That is an interesting question, I am not sure why - I just do.
Melissa wrote: "S.K.Fischer wrote: "My question is why does this happen as I have come to the same conclusion?
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing f..."
Maybe it is because there are less words per page in ebook format.
I'm definitely not a techno nut or involved in making money out of this. I just find the whole thing f..."
Maybe it is because there are less words per page in ebook format.
O.K. This is getting freaky now.
Ace sent me a message with some research she'd done on Google. I'm not clever enough to link. Sorry. The page is ' read faster paper back vs electronic'.
Time to do some study or refer to others' studies.
Good luck.
Ace sent me a message with some research she'd done on Google. I'm not clever enough to link. Sorry. The page is ' read faster paper back vs electronic'.
Time to do some study or refer to others' studies.
Good luck.
S.K.Fischer wrote: "O.K. This is getting freaky now.Ace sent me a message with some research she'd done on Google. I'm not clever enough to link. Sorry. The page is ' read faster paper back vs electronic'.
Time to do..."
Reading on paper is faster than iBooks on the iPad - REALLY!! Not for me. Another thing I prefer iPad for is that I can knit and read without the pages flipping back (as on paperback); I don't lose my place so often; I only have to touch the edge of the screen with my finger and the page is turned.
Hey Lesley , go to google and put in the page. Sorry I don't know how to link the research but it's interesting although doesn't comment on speed but does suggest that by ereading we do not use our brains as much, which may fit with your knitting pattern! Love ya babe.
Kathleen wrote: "S.K.Fischer wrote: "...Is it just me or do others find that they read a lot faster on Kindle or their iPad than they read a beautiful book? If so why?..."I bought a Kobo not long after they came ..."
Personally I don't like the Kobo with a passion. I do most of my reading on the iPad these days because I listen to audio through it as well as read. I use the kindle mostly when I train travel, at the hairdressers or waiting interminable lengths of time in the doctor's waiting room - smaller and less obvious than the iPad.
Thinking about your Mum Kathleen, she might benefit from a book seat. I got myself one to prop the iPad up on when knitting and use it all the time for books too. Got one for Dad as well and he loves it. Here's the link to where I bought mine from -
http://www.ageplus.org.nz/index.php/p...
S.K.Fischer wrote: "Hey Lesley , go to google and put in the page. Sorry I don't know how to link the research but it's interesting although doesn't comment on speed but does suggest that by ereading we do not use our..."Need to use my brain for knitting as well as reading. Been doing that since I was around 12 years old! Can do only reading when I'm in bed - have to do it there before I can fall asleep & been doing that all my life. Ahhh old habits eh?
It also may be I read faster electronically as that's what I do at work - report reading (dull but necessary); cataloguing; database reference work ...
I don't know how to link it, but I just opened google.com.au which is my prefered.Then I tried to type in as many of the keywords that I could think of in our discussion.
'read faster paper back vs electronic'
I haven't fully researched it yet as I'm getting ready for work, but it seems to indicate on initial glance that in order to retain more of what we read we should be reading paper books!
Sorry. Didn't express myself properly. Yes, yes from what I've just read on Google we can knit as well as read but our empathy and comprehension is not the same as if we were holding a paperback in hand. Also ( and alas for me reading my lighted iPad in bed) we have a deeper sleep after reading a paperback than an e-reader, less depression too.
Ace wrote: "I don't know how to link it, but I just opened google.com.au which is my prefered.
Then I tried to type in as many of the keywords that I could think of in our discussion.
'read faster paper back..."
Thanks Ace. You're keeping us on our toes.
Then I tried to type in as many of the keywords that I could think of in our discussion.
'read faster paper back..."
Thanks Ace. You're keeping us on our toes.
DISAGREE, DISAGREE, DISAGREE! ☺Top of the class in comprehension at school and indulged in knitting while reading even then! Let' not talk about math though eh?
I agree with Ella's gran - while I don't knit, I do usually read and have a cup of tea at the same time.
That being said, the feel of a paperback book cannot be recreated.
That being said, the feel of a paperback book cannot be recreated.
O.K. What the so called research is indicating is that e- reading does not engage our brains or relax our brains as much as printed matter. When tested we do not have the same comprehension of what we have read nor the same empathy for the material as we would have if we held the printed matter in our hands.
I am not agreeing or disagreeing but I have observed that I read e- reading much faster than traditional print and when it comes to writing a review I do prefer a printed novel in my hand for referral.
I am not agreeing or disagreeing but I have observed that I read e- reading much faster than traditional print and when it comes to writing a review I do prefer a printed novel in my hand for referral.
S.K.Fischer wrote: "O.K. What the so called research is indicating is that e- reading does not engage our brains or relax our brains as much as printed matter. When tested we do not have the same comprehension of what..."
That is not surprising - although I am a fan of ereading on occasion I do notice that I am not as focused as I would be while reading paperback.
That is not surprising - although I am a fan of ereading on occasion I do notice that I am not as focused as I would be while reading paperback.
And maybe this is why we read faster with e-reading than we do with a printed novel.
I think we are getting somewhere albeit in a truely unscientific way.
I think we are getting somewhere albeit in a truely unscientific way.
Weirdly I read a lot faster on the kindle. I'd never really thought about it before. But hmmm, food for thought!In exciting news today, Stuff posted a great article about my book, which was lovely to see online and in the local newspaper!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local...
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I just assumed my library wouldn't have it yet. I'm going to my first Friends of the Library meeting this Thursday. I may suggest it, but am probably just going to listen the first time.
& going back to my not wanting to give A NZ writer a low rating.
This year (& this is probably down to being on GR) I actually had some reading goals - & one of them was to try to only read books that are for me 3* & above. I like reading a good snark review as much as anyone, but don't like writing them. Can't always get it right of course, but I'm trying.
My other goals were
Read Emma (that was inspired by a terrific review on GR) Done.
Read at least one book a month by my favourite author. Done (of course! :D)
Read more NZ books. Done!
I have been given Chappy by Patricia Grace. Super excited to read, but when can I fit it in?