Jane Austen discussion
General Discussion
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Reading - what is your style?
I've been looking for North and South for months (well, I don't get to bookstores every week. Or every month.), and I'd settle for just an old worn copy with all of its pages!
I prefer paperbacks, and I definitely want to own all the books I read, because I want to be able to re-read them whenever I want to. Plus, and I don't know why, I really want to feel that the books are mine. I could go to the library, but it wouldn't be the same. Unfortunately, this means that I don't get to read as many books as I would like. If I were rich, I would buy new books all the time =)
Sanna wrote: "I prefer paperbacks, and I definitely want to own all the books I read, because I want to be able to re-read them whenever I want to. Plus, and I don't know why, I really want to feel that the book..."
If I were rich, I'd be shopping for more books too! I have a great weakness for having to have a lot of new books "waiting" for me at all times - something to look forward to as one gets through the crap of daily life?
If I were rich, I'd be shopping for more books too! I have a great weakness for having to have a lot of new books "waiting" for me at all times - something to look forward to as one gets through the crap of daily life?
Sanna, I totally agree with you! If I like a book enough to read it once, I'll read it lots of time. And, since I never know when I'll want to read it again, I need to own it so it can be waiting for me. And I rarely buy a book that I haven't read-- unless I know the author and trust that I'll love it.And, Megan, can you imagine not having books waiting for you?! Nothing but Tv or electronic entertainment? That's my idea of hell on earth.
Karlyne wrote: "Sanna, I totally agree with you! If I like a book enough to read it once, I'll read it lots of time. And, since I never know when I'll want to read it again, I need to own it so it can be waiting ..."
Mine too Karlyne - I like movies, etc. but in the end, I like to be able to "see" the story and the characters through my personal view - not be told/shown "this is what it is." I like to have things my way, I guess! ;-)
Mine too Karlyne - I like movies, etc. but in the end, I like to be able to "see" the story and the characters through my personal view - not be told/shown "this is what it is." I like to have things my way, I guess! ;-)
Same for me, Karlyne, Megan, and Sanna. I feel that if I like a book I will buy it to keep and read again. I picked up the P&P in our bookstore that is ensconced within our library. So I get to read it anytime that I want. If borrowed I have to either read it quickly and not savor every nuance. That is what it's about, Lingering over the book, that is the aspect I enjoy about reading her works in particular.
Hey, Megan, it's not that I like to have my own way -- it's just that I'm always right, so I should have my own way! (giggle) And I hate, hate, hate! to be told how to think, which is why I rarely watch the news; I'm perfectly capable of drawing my own conclusions, so "just the facts, ma'am" suits me.And when it comes to fiction, I love discussing it (as we obviously all do here), but I'd hate to have anyone demanding that I agree with their point of view!
Karlyne wrote: "Hey, Megan, it's not that I like to have my own way -- it's just that I'm always right, so I should have my own way! (giggle) And I hate, hate, hate! to be told how to think, which is why I rarely..."
Exactly! I don't watch news either - it just makes me really angry. It is not the content (which also can make me angry) but the whole "hi your stupid and this is what this means" tone that is taken.
I too like my own conclusions. Everyone else is entitled to theirs also. The mileage may vary!
Exactly! I don't watch news either - it just makes me really angry. It is not the content (which also can make me angry) but the whole "hi your stupid and this is what this means" tone that is taken.
I too like my own conclusions. Everyone else is entitled to theirs also. The mileage may vary!
Same here. Especially when there is nothing that we can do about it anyway. Newscasters are mostly personalities anyway.
Robin wrote: "Same here. Especially when there is nothing that we can do about it anyway. Newscasters are mostly personalities anyway."
I believe the term is "talking head" ;-)
I believe the term is "talking head" ;-)
Robin wrote: "Yes, how true. Or air fluff."
I like that one!
I like that one!
Wow! What a great insult to use, as in, "You're just a talking head full of air fluff." Or "Have you ever thought about being something other than an air fluffed talking head?". I think that would be quite the conversation stopper.
I just thought that one off the top of my head. Like a cotton ball, full of fluff, that's all that they amount to. They get paid the big bucks to tell us what news is deemed worthy for them to report.
I read a variety of genres and book types at any given time. I like the compactness and lightness of paperbacks but the durability and print size of hardbacks. Tradebacks are a wonderful compromise. I'll have the heavier books by my nightstand and the lighter books to throw in my purse to read on the bus and subway. I am very visual and love the illustrations and artwork in manga and graphic novels. While I enjoy audiobooks especially when there is an expressive reader I tend to favor the traditional written page so I can reread a sentence I don't quite catch the first time. I can understand why people like Kindles and other ebooks since they are lightweight but I do not think they have enough contrast for my taste. I rarely pencil in a note in the margin but I will often want to put a tab on a page to mark a passage that is information I think I may want to refer back to.
Sheila, be careful of those heavy books by the bed! My mother fell asleep and dropped her book on her face; she developed a lovely black eye to explain to everyone. Of course, this is the same lady who broke her toe when a package of frozen pork chops fell out of the freezer on to her foot....
Funny Karlyne. Keep the heavy books on the floor near the bed and the paperbacks on the nightstand. So if paperback falls, at least it won't hurt as much as a hardbound book.
Thank you Karlyne and Robin for the safety tips.
no problem there was a comic in the local library that showed someone lounging on the beach with a paperback shielding his face from the sun and split screen same person with a kindle nothing to shield him from the rays.LOL
And can you use a kindle in the bathtub? Wouldn't there be a risk of electrocution?!
oh yes, that is a factor and also no laptops in the tub either.
I believe bookmarking is a feature of Kindle. And it runs on a battery so I'm sure dropping it in the bath isn't the same as something falling in that is plugged in. A laptop could be plugged in.Needless to say, I push Kindle as that is where my book is most available, but I understand the love of the book in hand.
Patg
Patricia wrote: "I believe bookmarking is a feature of Kindle. And it runs on a battery so I'm sure dropping it in the bath isn't the same as something falling in that is plugged in. A laptop could be plugged in.
..."
You can bookmark, highlight and make clippings on the Kindle. It is run by a rechargeable battery. You charge it like a phone. I am assuming soaking it would be a bad idea.
..."
You can bookmark, highlight and make clippings on the Kindle. It is run by a rechargeable battery. You charge it like a phone. I am assuming soaking it would be a bad idea.
Yes, then I don't know how you would dry it. Too messy in my estimation.
Yeah, my grandson tried to flush mommie's cell phone; it didn't dry out much.... Wasn't too good for the toilet, either. What is it with boys and flushing? (well, everything except what's supposed to be flushed!)
Pat, The kindle hasn't been a good fit for me BUT I put the app on my laptop and love it. I believe there's a Kindle app for almost any digital device. It isn't the way I want to read all the time but sometimes it's just the way to go.
P.
It is like some of us who don't even have cellphones yet, or digital cameras yet, I will not be on the latest wave of gadgets just yet.
I don't even know what half of them are, let alone how to use them! I find that what I want to use I can figure out fairly quickly, but the rest of it sort of goes flying over my head.
same here. I just want a camera that I can shoot pictures, not on a phone, mind you, plus I don't want to have to program things into anything. Modern Technology is not for me. I can easily work a computer now that is a feat in itself.LOL
P wrote: "Pat,
The kindle hasn't been a good fit for me BUT I put the app on my laptop and love it. I believe there's a Kindle app for almost any digital device. It isn't the way I want to read all the tim..."
I have a Kindle and love it. I got it the end of April of this year and have read 49 books on it since then. I like that I have to READ and can't skip around through the book and read ahead (a bad habit of mine with paper books). I think I am reading better on a Kindle. I also put Kindle on my Mac laptop and haven't used it much. However, I discovered this weekend that a book I am reading that has illustrations is in color on the laptop and is amazing to look at. I will be finishing that book on the laptop!
The kindle hasn't been a good fit for me BUT I put the app on my laptop and love it. I believe there's a Kindle app for almost any digital device. It isn't the way I want to read all the tim..."
I have a Kindle and love it. I got it the end of April of this year and have read 49 books on it since then. I like that I have to READ and can't skip around through the book and read ahead (a bad habit of mine with paper books). I think I am reading better on a Kindle. I also put Kindle on my Mac laptop and haven't used it much. However, I discovered this weekend that a book I am reading that has illustrations is in color on the laptop and is amazing to look at. I will be finishing that book on the laptop!
I guess there are some advantages to being tech savvy.
Ok, tech question here: how heavy is a Kindle? (yes, I confess, I've never seen one in real life)
I think they aren't too heavy. Saw one in a Burger Joint, a man was reading a Kindle. Didn't examine to see it up close. I think it is bigger than a cell phone, and you can program what types of books you want to read. I personally rather just pick and choose books at random, nothing programmable. I also have tried reading Austen online but nothing quite beats the book in your hands.
They are amazingly light. 8.5 oz [approx 1/2 lb] the amazon kindle site will tell all.
P wrote: "They are amazingly light. 8.5 oz [approx 1/2 lb] the amazon kindle site will tell all."
They are very light and not hard on the hands. I especially like the built in dictionary which is very easy to use. I find myself hitting the bottom right corner of the page (where the button is to use the dictionary on the Kindle) even when I am reading a paper book. I like being able to look up a word without moving another muscle!
They are very light and not hard on the hands. I especially like the built in dictionary which is very easy to use. I find myself hitting the bottom right corner of the page (where the button is to use the dictionary on the Kindle) even when I am reading a paper book. I like being able to look up a word without moving another muscle!
Robin, I don't understand what you are thinking when you say 'program a book'. Downloading a book to a Kindle is the same as reaching for a book on a shelf. There it is, you have gone to an eStore instead of a B&M and bought one. Once you have it, then it becomes easier to read than the paper version. Don't like the print size, change it. Don't like the backlighting, change it. All to suit your individuality, no more having to take what's offered, fix it to suit yourself. I like to think of eReaders and their capabilities as one of the tiny new things to truly free the mind. I tend to be a futurist freak, as some of you know, and have always enjoyed projecting things hundreds of years down the road. But now I find these things are coming in half-decades. Very thrilling. JMHO.
Patg
I just heard it uttered in that fashion, not trying to debate on this. To each his/her own on their reading media whatever that may be, at least we are all still reading, right?
Right, was not looking for any debate, just wanted to be sure you didn't have any misconceptions. Believe me, after being married to a 'programmer' for 45 years, the wording catches my eye.Read anyway you want, just read and encourage others.
Patg
Just curious, all you tech savvies, how does Kindle handle out-of-print books? A lot of my favorites are.
If you mean Project Gutenberg, no problem.
Karlyne wrote: "Just curious, all you tech savvies, how does Kindle handle out-of-print books? A lot of my favorites are."
There are lots of free versions of out of print books on Amazon, Project Gutenberg, Free Books, Many Books and lots of others. I really like Girlebooks. It is a lovely site and they putting out versions of some classic books - and lots you haven't heard of but that are well worth a look - that are formatted beautifully. There are an amazing amount of ebooks on the internet for free - boggles the mind and leaves one with that horrid feeling one will never get to read them all - not enough time!
Of course, there are versions on Amazon you can pay for if you need to spend money! ;-)
There are lots of free versions of out of print books on Amazon, Project Gutenberg, Free Books, Many Books and lots of others. I really like Girlebooks. It is a lovely site and they putting out versions of some classic books - and lots you haven't heard of but that are well worth a look - that are formatted beautifully. There are an amazing amount of ebooks on the internet for free - boggles the mind and leaves one with that horrid feeling one will never get to read them all - not enough time!
Of course, there are versions on Amazon you can pay for if you need to spend money! ;-)
I can't wait to name drop, Megan! The next time someone asks me if I've read something, I'll just say, "Oh, I'm waiting for Project Gutenberg [etc] to bring it out on an ebook." Of course, my friends will snort their coffee out of their noses at the whole idea, so that makes it doubly good!
Jane Austen
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I'm currently on the hunt for a great hardcover of North and South by Gaskell, but I just can't seem to find a hardcover that meets my standards, considering how much I love that book!