eReaders vs Dead Trees

[Simona]

Jane, I have never seen those books in an Italian bookshop; but if you can find one of them I'd try.Expecially since I suspect that you now more than a few Italian words :)

[Simona]

you KNOW more than a few words...sorry, I'm writing on my smartphone, which sometimes likes to take command of the conversation :p

[Bobby]

My 2 cents....I travel a LOT and have found great joy in an e-reader so I don't have to carry any more than I have to. I also download movies to watch and music to listen to when I'm on those 5 and 6 hour flights. Having said that, I still use my library relentlessly and also feel an obligation to buy books from local bookstores as well as a book store in Washington State that I have been loyal to for years. The feeling of a real book in my hands is a form of therapy, I believe. I feel I have found a balance and a logic in making use of both. Again, just my $.02.....keep the change!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I agree, Bobby. My e-reader is primarily for travel. At home I prefer to curl up with a solid book, mostly from the library, but I do patronise local second hand book shops and opportunity shops, and also the local new book shop.

[May]

Well said, Bobby. You speak for many of us. Will that make it a dime's worth???

[Bobby]

May wrote: "Well said, Bobby. You speak for many of us. Will that make it a dime's worth???"

Absolutely...if I can keep the change!! :)

[Lariela]

I'm probably going to always read dead trees. (Well, unless holonovels exist in my lifetime.)

[Liza]

Gretchen wrote: "I think part of the reason you might find books in one format and not the other is due to the ease of publishing. I think it's easier for an author to indy publish an eBook than a paper book. I hav..."
Hi Gretchen, I'm an indie author and these days it's very easy for even total tech-idiot (like me) to publish both an e-Book and a paperback. I agree with what Terri says that paperbacks are definitely making a come-back, since falling "out of fashion" when the e-readers were all shiny and new. Personally that's a great thing as I love a "real" book, but I also love the practicalities of an e-reader. However, diverging a bit here. I think many more indie authors publish only e-books as that's where they make their most sales, by far. Also, you barely make any money on a paperback sale, and sometimes you even make a loss (yes, hard to believe), if it's stocked in bookshops, due to the heavy discount bookshops demand. I hope that's answered your question? Cheers

[Laureen]

Liza wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I think part of the reason you might find books in one format and not the other is due to the ease of publishing. I think it's easier for an author to indy publish an eBook than a ..."

Oh Liza, so many positives and then the dreaded negatives. I will continue with my beloved tree novels regardless - I gave me kindle away to my daughter because it was hard and cold. Tree books are full of life. However, e-books have their place and I understand the convenience for travel. I just happen to be a touchy-feely person who loves the natural as possible.

[Liza]

Laureen wrote: "Liza wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I think part of the reason you might find books in one format and not the other is due to the ease of publishing. I think it's easier for an author to indy publish an ..."
Me too, Laureen!! And the smell too...

[Laureen]

Liza wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Liza wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I think part of the reason you might find books in one format and not the other is due to the ease of publishing. I think it's easier for an author to ..."

Yea!

[Jane]

Liza wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Liza wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I think part of the reason you might find books in one format and not the other is due to the ease of publishing. I think it's easier for an author to ..."

Me three. I don't even want a kindle. If it's kindle-only, I do without.

[Mark]

Lariela wrote: "I'm probably going to always read dead trees. (Well, unless holonovels exist in my lifetime.)"

Agreed. ;)

[Steph]

I havecto say I love the feeland smell of DTB, but space is an issue forcme, sovgeo on the Kindle bandwagon when it was first available!

[Kat]

I love my Kindle Keyboard so much, I'm considering to buy a second, used one just to make sure I can replace it with the same model if it breaks.

But nothing beats a paper book, only I can't afford to buy them all the time.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

It seems that when once everybody thought, and were made to believe by sellers of eReaders/eBooks, that electronic was going to turn tree books into a thing of the past, what is really happening is people are just adjusting to fitting both mediums into their lives.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. It can be both.

A few years back, that was not the message being put out there.
The message was tree books were going to cease to exist. And that they were for philistines who wouldn't accept future change.

[Kat]

Terri wrote: "The message was tree books were going to cease to exist. And that they were for philistines who wouldn't accept future change."

I own over 900 books. I'm a philistine! LOL

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Me too! :-D

[Laureen]

Kat, there are excellent 2nd hand and online bookstore plus Libraries turn over their old stock. I love going into old bookstores. If we don't use them, they will become obsolete (sad face). Please don't stop supporting the paper book.!

[Jane]

I own maybe 200 -- space issues -- so I weed often, giving away ones I know I won't reread or don't like.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm about to do a clean out. There is a small community run library in a local town. About 6 minutes away. It isn't a library as we know them. It is a little building run by volunteers where you can get coffee and cake, see displays on local history.

They also take book donations for a book nook they have, where they lend out books to locals. I suspect, since it is an honour system and there is no recourse if you don't bring the book back, that they have a regular amount of books that never return.
They had an ad in the local paper saying they need more books donated. So I'm going to cull my books. Get the numbers down and provide my community with more books in the process.

[Ace]

Nice one Terri. When we moved to Hong Kong 2 years ago we donated all of our newish books to the Brisbane Libraries and the olders to St Vinnies. Now when I look around our little apartment, I'm wondering how we have so many books again !?!
Our next home will be a boat, so it will be digital books only unless they are sailing/navigation volumes.

[Simona]

very nice. I'd bring some of mine if you lived a bit closer, Terri :)
I can't abide throwing away books but I can give them to new and affectionate owners.

[Simona]

And, what kind of boat, Ace?

[Gretchen]

For a while I was donating my old books to the public library. The problem is they had to reject so many of my books because it costs too much money for them to accept donations. Isn't that one of the craziest things you have ever heard? The library had to fork out something like $5 for every donated book they had to put in the system. Buying books new is easier because they don't have to pay to put them in the library system. Whatever that means.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I donate mine to Australian Red Cross, Salvation Army, or, when the pile gets out of control, to the local historical society for their quarterly book sale. :)

[Ace]

Thats crazy Gretchen.

Simona, we think we will go for a catamaran. Google "Catana 471 for sale" this model would be ideal. You live in Italy? We will be sailing by one day :) Also I'm currently reading My Brilliant Friend which is set near Naples - around 1954 :)

Margaret they must really appreciate your support at the Historical Society.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Ace wrote: "Thats crazy Gretchen.

Simona, we think we will go for a catamaran. Google "Catana 471 for sale" this model would be ideal. You live in Italy? We will be sailing by one day :) Also I'm currently r..."

In more ways than one, Ace. The historical society is a major source of my reading material. Everything is well priced. Books that have been culled from the library cost $1, anything donated by anyone else is $2. :D I usually spend $20-$30 each quarter with them.

[Simona]

oh wow, Ace, that's gorgeous. I do live in Italy but unfortunately not close to the sea.
Another (new) member of the group, Nazzarena, lives in Sardinia: do go there, in Arcipelago di S.Maddalena. You can't do wrong. :)

[Simona]

ARCIPELAGO DELLA MADDALENA
I hate my smarphone, it always thinks it knows better!

[Ace]

Sounds beautiful Simona, will definitely check this area out. I think we will spend a fair bit of time exploring the coast but have never been to italy so we will go inland too. So much history to explore.

[Gretchen]

Simona wrote: "ARCIPELAGO DELLA MADDALENA
I hate my smarphone, it always thinks it knows better!"

I really hate when my smartphone thinks it's smarter than me. I swear it hits send well before I ever mean to.

[Jane]

Gretchen wrote: "For a while I was donating my old books to the public library. The problem is they had to reject so many of my books because it costs too much money for them to accept donations. Isn't that one of ..."

I'd imagine the $5 is to pay for the cataloger and physical processor. If books the library buys come from a vendor such as Baker & Taylor, the books can come cataloged.

[Laureen]

Terri wrote: "I'm about to do a clean out. There is a small community run library in a local town. About 6 minutes away. It isn't a library as we know them. It is a little building run by volunteers where you ca..."

Terri, that is wonderful. I applaud you.

[Laureen]

I donated my prised books to the Council Library but then learnt that they only keep books published in like the last 5 years. I was devastated. My less favourite books I donated to nursing homes.

In future I will do more research. I love the sound of Terri's little second hand book store. I want to be able to give my books to a concern that provides a service for avid readers who can't afford new books.

[Nazzarena]

Here I am! We are surrounded by wonderful sea in Sardinia. I live 20 km from the west coast and we have beaches that... well, check this out:
http://www.campingisaruttas.it/wp-con...

To stay IT I have to say that I am thinking of donating my books to the local prison, but I feel like I'm going to lose my children...

[Ace]

Nazzarena wrote: "Here I am! We are surrounded by wonderful sea in Sardinia. I live 20 km from the west coast and we have beaches that... well, check this out:
http://www.campingisaruttas.it/wp-con......"

Ok, well Nazzarena, that is very very beautiful coastline, so I will plot a course for those coordinates as soon as we buy our boat :)

[Eileen]

Gretchen wrote: "For a while I was donating my old books to the public library. The problem is they had to reject so many of my books because it costs too much money for them to accept donations. Isn't that one of ..."

The public library where I live has a group of volunteers who take in the donated books and then re-sell them, with the income going to the library. Paperbacks are 50 cents, hardbacks are a dollar usually. When my kids were in high school I used to go there when they needed old classics for English class. Why spend $10 for a new copy of Romeo & Juliet when I can get it for 50 cents?

[May]

How absolutely beautiful!!! Thank you for posting this. I may have to come back to it again and again through this New England winter!!

[Nazzarena]

< OT >
It's funny... I always want to run away (hence my love for books) but I'm aware I live in a paradise, or sort of: wonderful landscapes, interesting history and archaeological remains, nice weather most of the time, not to mention the food... I'm blessed.
< / OT >

[Simona]

Lol

[Ace]

If you live in the UK, Amazon offering a free book (from a small selection) if you download the Kindle app.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/?ie=UTF8&am...

If you are already registered and you buy a book you also qualify by getting a promo code which you can use to redeem your freebie.

Runs till March. No, I do not work for Amazon.

[Patricia]

I just traded my first Kindle for a paperwhite & I love it! I have Lord of the Silver Bow on Kindle, so looking forward to reading it with the group. I also have a Nook tablet & love being to get books from my library on Overdrive. That said, do I still buy paper books? Absolutely! I just ordered some books from B&N with a Christmas gift card, & also ordered 2 books from AbeBooks. I'm addicted; I know.

[Paul]

I've used a Kindle since my wife upgraded to a Kindle Fire and gave me her old Kindle. I have busy life (!) like everyone else, and I receive a free email from BookBub every day with e-book bargains, $0 to $2.99, from literature categories I have selected on my profile with them (historical fiction mostly). If I click on the link in the email, it takes me to Amazon or B&N or other vendors I have pre-selected as well. There I can read reviews or just purchase. I also check out books my Goodread groups are reading and recommending. Every shelf (14) in my 3-bedroom house is full of the paper books I've collected over the past 65-70 years, and I still buy bound books, like Follett's last trilogy on the 20th Century and Iggulden's Ghengis book, which was not available as an e-book. So, I Iike both, but use BookBub to cut down on shopping time.

[May]

As much as I read & love my Kindle, nothing beats reading a printed book & passing it onto a friend who will enjoy it as much as you!!!

[Kimber]

I agree May. I love to hold and smell and look at printed books but I do find myself missing the instant dictionary and Wikipedia functions on my Kindle.

[Ace]

Kimber wrote: "I agree May. I love to hold and smell and look at printed books but I do find myself missing the instant dictionary and Wikipedia functions on my Kindle."

Same here Kimber, it's so convenient, although I read on a tablet which can be distracting to have the whole Internet at my fingertips. GR is the most distracting :)

My next paper book will be Dreaming the Eagle which has good reviews and Terri and Jane have awarded 4 stars. Looking forward to it. It's an old paperback falling apart, so it will be going to book heaven after I finish :(

[Leslie]

Paul, My bookshelves are full (and we have floor to ceiling ones in every room), and the path to my local library is well-worn. That said, I am an Overdrive fanatic. Since I retired I'm finishing a book everyday or two. My local library doesn't carry everything I want, and I can't afford my habit. HOWEVER, for $40.00 a year I now belong to a large library complex in a nearby county. That has saved my bacon! The books don't feel as good or smell as nice, but ebooks are a blessing. Have you tried Overdrive with your local library?

[Paul]

Leslie wrote: "Paul, My bookshelves are full (and we have floor to ceiling ones in every room), and the path to my local library is well-worn. That said, I am an Overdrive fanatic. Since I retired I'm finishing a..."
Thanks, Leslie, I'll check on the Overdrive option, but right now I have 4 unread books on my Kindle and 5 unread on my desk, a shelf, by my recliner, and on my nightstand. Plus, I'm doing my annual re-reading of one of my favorite author's books, Walker Percy's Lancelot. Umm, maybe I'm declaring bookshops and libraries off-limits till I get that number down to 2 or 3 unread. No, maybe 4 unread.

[Bobby]

May wrote: "As much as I read & love my Kindle, nothing beats reading a printed book & passing it onto a friend who will enjoy it as much as you!!!"

Not sure about the Kindle, but on the Kindle Fire I have loan capabilities to their Fire.....IF they have one.