[asmb] Book Club discussion
Book Chat - General
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What's your preferred book format?
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But we don't have any digital books here at all.
Paperback.Although I got a Kindle for graduation, so I'm getting used to the digital format. Call me old-fashioned though, but there's nothing more satisfying than to look at your bookshelf and see a complete series sitting there.
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But we don't have any digital books..."
If I still used hard copies of books it'd be paperbacks for me as well, hardbacks are just too large and like you said, more expensive.
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Although I got a Kindle for graduation, so I'm getting used to the digital format. Call me old-fashioned though, but there's nothing more satisfying than to look at your bookshelf and ..."
How are you liking the Kindle?
Being a eBook reader, I do miss having a collection to actually look at. It's weird because I have the books, but for some reason I'm tempted to buy hard copies of them or at least of the ones I really love.
Jamie wrote: "Lolo wrote: "Paperback.Although I got a Kindle for graduation, so I'm getting used to the digital format. Call me old-fashioned though, but there's nothing more satisfying than to look at your b..."
It's really great, I think. You can download directly from Amazon and since Amazon has like, every book ever, it's amazing.
I'm the same way. I always have people telling me just to use the library, but I have this thing where I just HAVE to buy the book and keep it. I know a few of the books I've downloaded I'm going to end up buying cause I liked 'em so much.
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A few are my science books, which are always expensive.
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I'm currently using an old PALM for my reading needs, but hopefully I'll get a B&N nook here in a few weeks. Being able to carry around a library is really awesome. Not having to go to the bookstore/library to find a book is awesome as well. Plus there's all those classics that are completely free now so you an get a ton of stuff without spending any money. It's all around wonderful.
I have to constantly tell myself it's a waste of money to buy the books I've already got an eBook version of. :D
Forgot to mention, I only like eBooks for fiction. For my philosophy and any other nonfiction I get hard copies. I'm not sure what it is, but for things that are for studying I feel I should have a physical copy of.
Although I love to have a hardback or paperback in my hand, I would like to start collecting more eBooks. My library is starting to be a pain to move when I have to relocate. Also, I have this Delicious Library app for Mac that I would like to use more.
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I'm old school, I prefer a good hardcover book.I don't mind woodworking either, so building
a bookcase or two extra is kind of a bonus.
I actually write all over my digital books too.. highlighting and stickies and comments...I also agree with you on hardback verse paperback.
I have always wanted a real library in my home..a whole room full of books on built in bookshelves....
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Yeah, I can imagine it would be rough on books to be carrying them around so much. Hardback makes sense for that. You don't mind having to shell out the extra money for them?
You did mention the reading room - along with your trophy wife and three PhDs. :D
Taking notes in books isn't so bad with electronic books, there are note and bookmarking options galore. Also, I've never read an eBook on the computer so I'm not sure how that'd be - I'd imagine it would suck though.
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Ah, yeah, building shelves for the books would be nice too. I've got a little experience building stuff and it's definitely fun. The cat tree my roommate and I built is definitely awesome.
You don't find reading hardbacks difficult because of their size?
Books. Need the smell and feel of paper. I swear the copy of Dante's Divine Comedy on the shelf right now is like catnip. It smells of library dust and happy. If I could live at the tornado shop huffing books, I would.Not a purist when it comes to what type of binding though. I get what's the cheapest and sometimes digging in the discount bins, the hardcovers are cheaper.
I did invest in some canvas book-totes for porting softcovers around though. The smallest one is mass-paperback sized while the largest one is standard hardcover. Zip shut and they protect the book even from light water [if I dropped things in the river, they'd be gone obviously but getting caught in the rain isn't a super book-kill emergency:].
omg. grad school. yeah.. I just did a research internship... and so many articles and highlighting.. but sometimes it is so much more convenient to mark everything up the old way... gives me a reason to bring out all my colored pens and highlighters and stickies..Honestly I would rather have hard covers... no matter the price. I have never sold back a book in my life and prefer the new untouched ones to used. They also do not require backing up...it's just paying the movers to haul them up and down stairs every time I need to relocate..
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Books do have a nice smell, though mostly when they've been around for a while. Fresh book smells are too... chemical smelling. The ink is just too much. Give those suckers some time to air out though and they really do have a neat smell.
Those canvas covers sound awfully handy, and they are canvas which makes them infinitely more awesome.
In order:1 - Hardback
2 - Trade Paperback
3 - Mass Market Paperback
4 - eBook
5 - Audiobook
Jamie wrote: "@kattBooks do have a nice smell, though mostly when they've been around for a while. Fresh book smells are too... chemical smelling. The ink is just too much. Give those suckers some time to air ..."
The Divine Comedy one smells like vintage 1953 at least. :D It's scent is subtly different from the 1956 Best of Science Fiction but it's hard to tell what it's age is because it doesn't have a publish date. Published in NY and came from a private library when they died. Smells like happy library - wood shelves, indirect sunlight to keep from fading, leather-covered neighbors on the shelf. I have happy smelling books mixed in the book case and that seems to cut some of the new ink stink.
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@JamieYou're going to have to tell me if you like the Nook. :) I hear some great things about it. If I hadn't gotten the Kindle, I would have bought the Nook for myself.
I think one of the best things about eBooks are the prices. They're cheaper because of the whole not having to use paper and print and what not, not by a whole lot, but it makes all the difference in the end I think.
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Oh me too, with the rolling ladder to get to the top shelves. who cares what the rest of the house is like as long as I can have my massive library. lol
I like hardcovers best and prefer to check those out from the library. When buying books I sometimes have to be practical and buy paperbacks. My bookshelves are a mix of hard cover, trade paperbacks, a few special editions, and plain old cheap paperbacks. I only have a five foot full bookshelf in the bed room and a small four foot one in the living room.....hardly worth mentioning. Then there's the bookshelf in the spare room. :D
No ebooks for me either. I don't have a kindle or reader and I don't like to read on my computer.
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skin of my enemies, however the edges always get smudge.
So when im running low on enemies i have to go with paperback. mainly cause that is what is mostly available, and cheapest. I have yet to try any ebooks. Up until recently the only way for me to read an ebook was on my computer, and sitting at my computer just reading gets old. I now have a smartphone, and Im thinking of downloading the Kindle app. I'd love a kindle or nook, but i think a part of me would miss the feel of the paper. that and you can always tell how much someone likes a story by the state of their books. My most favorite books have creases in them, dog eared pages, and in some of my clumsy moments coffee or soda stains.
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I think a lot of the problem people have with eBooks is that they have usually only tried reading things on the computer... which is just painful. Though it also just comes down to tastes. If you do start reading on your phone you could also keep an eye on Barnes and Noble's site. They have really cheap sales plus keep doing a free book each week I believe. There's also this site and ProjectGutenberg that have a hell of a lot of free, legal books. They are mostly classics on PG, but on here there are some modern books as well which is nifty.
There is something to be said about the condition of the book. Though I always endeavored to keep my books in perfect condition when I had them. It is pretty neat to see someone with a well worn book though, it does show the love.
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Even an armadillo?
@Harry
What if it was on one the ereaders with the digital ink? Those things seriously look like real book pages.
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Heh, that has happened a few times for me. Mostly because I read right before I sleep. I don't mind falling asleep reading a book though, I always remember where I left off (what was happening) so it's not such a big deal. I'm imagine with a hard copy of a book though it'd be a pain if your page didn't catch on something.
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Even an armadillo?"
are ya kidding me, they are already deadly animals, in my hands it would be the equivalent of have a weapon of mass destruction.
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I am the same way, I love the feel of the paper beneath my fingers. It almost makes it a tangible connection between you and the world of the book.
Although there would be times that I'd like the convience of reading an eBook i think. But i have yet to try it, so i dont know.
@Jamie...how can you read laying on your side?? that just seems uncomfortable. I always read either laying on my back or stomach if im in bed.
I can also say i've never fallen asleep while reading a book. Its just not possible, as long as im reading i am engrossed and in the story. there have been times where i was so tired i had to put the book down to go to bed cause i was retaining anything. the next time i picked up the book i'd have to go back a few pages and start again.
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Heh, well, there have been times when I am super tired, but also want to read so instead of going to bed like a rational person would do, I read. It's those times where I find myself falling asleep. The weird thing is, I find myself remembering where I left off better if I fall asleep than if I pick a place to stop reading. o.O
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JK wrote: "reading things on the computer... which is just painful"This is a concept that makes no sense to me, and I seem to be the only one. I spend that vast majority of most of my days staring at my computer screen and it doesn't bother my eyes in any way.
I read Mistborn: The Final Empire as an eBook (only because it was free) on my computer in one sitting and had no problems with it whatsoever. I think all y'all must have your face to close to the monitor or something...
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Dian wrote: "I do try to keep good care of my books, but with paperbacks after so many readings the covers can get a bit worn..."The thing that I've started doing to my paperbacks is binding the spines. I noticed that a lot of libraries reinforce the spines of paperbacks and decided to do that for my own on the cheap. I just get some clear shipping tape [the stuff that's usually wider than the average paperback spine anyway]. I pull enough so that it would go slightly over each end of the spine and then lay it centered along the spine so there's a bit hanging over the front and back cover. Then I use the handle of a scissor to carefully rub the tape flat along the spine, then carefully over the spine pressing down the parts of the tape on the actual cover parts themselves. Flattening very carefully the entire time with the scissor handle to keep bubbles from forming and then just trimming the bits hanging off the book spine's ends. Gives the book a little extra strength in the spine and holds the covers on through all but the most rough of handling.
My paperbacks are mostly in great shape, even after numerous reads.Granted, this is likely do to the Nazi-esque ways I take care of them. I only open the book enough to read it, an no more. Nothing bothers me more than a creased spine in a book. It is one of the reasons I never buy used books. I also don't let anyone else touch any of my books, because I know they will screw them up. I've actually seen my mom intentionally crease the spine of one of her books before and I almost screamed at her.
I only wish I was this way about my books when I was younger. My copy of Pet Sematary is fuuuuuuuuuudged up.
[asmb] Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Pet Sematary (other topics)Mistborn: The Final Empire (other topics)
I'd have to go with eBooks myself. For some reason I just can't get into a hard copy of a book. I'll make it a little ways in, but then just quit. I can open up the same book in digital form and I'll get through it easily.
So, what's your preference?