Remember the old days, when there were still some people who had not yet heard of e-books and e-readers? Well, sometimes I miss those days. See the comments below for further discussion of this topic:
I do love books with actual pages, but I also love immediate access on my Kindle. Most fiction I'm fine with on an e-reader, but if it is really good nonfiction, I'll buy a physical copy.
My problem with e-books really just boils down to the impact the innovation has had on brick and mortar bookstores. I miss being able to shop at half a dozen large and small shops on the same weekend and still have at least that many choices to visit the next weekend. So many bookstores are long gone now, and I find that sad.
But on the other hand, my eyes are in pretty bad shape these days and I do enjoy being able to fiddle around with the font until I can read it more comfortably. I would estimated that about 20% of my reading is via e-book - and i subscribe to a couple of magazines electronically, including the New York Times Book Review. As usual, the pros and cons have to be sorted out.
I'm an equal opportunity reader. LOL Prefer the printed page if I'm honest but also own both a Kindle and a Nook. And I have the Amazon app on my Samsung tablet which really does have a nice display page.
Cath, I can't tell you how many times an e-book reader has saved me from going stir crazy in some waiting room or long line someplace. I've even read entire books on my iPhone when really pressed. Right now my go-to e-reader is an Amazon Fire 10-inch that I really love - especially for those magazines I mentioned to Jenclair up above.
Interesting your rec of your Amazon Fire 10 inch. My Samsung is old now and I've been thinking of replacing it and an AF is one of the options I was thinking of. Especially as I now have Prime. So thank you for that.
You are right though in your comment to Jenclair about the impact of ereaders and ebooks on bookstores. I do try when I come across a bookstore to go and buy something (I never have any trouble finding 'something') to try and make up for it. I was at RHS Wisley last weekend and they had the most wonderful book section, huge, full of gardening books, travel, even vintage crime. So I had a nice time buying books I don't really need...
The 10-inch Fire is the perfect size to comfortably hold one hold page of a book at a time, plus it's large enough to watch the occasional video on, so I do use it a lot.
And what you said about having a nice time buying books you really didn't need is precisely why I miss having all those bookstore choices. Browsing a book selection electronically will simply never compare to the experience of browsing actual shelves in a shop. There are just so many more ways that physical books can catch your attention that I never browse Amazon or B&N without coming away wondering what I've missed. I always find something, but I'm never convinced that what I buy could not have been beaten by something I didn't even know existed - and completely missed online.
One of the best things about reading a physical book is their heft and that feeling of accomplishment you get from moving the bookmark from front to back as you turn those pages. There is nothing in an e-book to match the feeling you get when fan the read pages out with your thumb. Can't be duplicated by a machine.
And your battery joke is truer than you might think. I've had to quit reading in a book more than once to charge it up for reading time. That's generally OK with me because I almost always am reading at least five books at a time and can switch to something else easily enough - but when I have to stop at exactly the wrong point in the plot, that's not a happy moment in my life.
I do love books with actual pages, but I also love immediate access on my Kindle. Most fiction I'm fine with on an e-reader, but if it is really good nonfiction, I'll buy a physical copy.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with e-books really just boils down to the impact the innovation has had on brick and mortar bookstores. I miss being able to shop at half a dozen large and small shops on the same weekend and still have at least that many choices to visit the next weekend. So many bookstores are long gone now, and I find that sad.
DeleteBut on the other hand, my eyes are in pretty bad shape these days and I do enjoy being able to fiddle around with the font until I can read it more comfortably. I would estimated that about 20% of my reading is via e-book - and i subscribe to a couple of magazines electronically, including the New York Times Book Review. As usual, the pros and cons have to be sorted out.
I'm an equal opportunity reader. LOL Prefer the printed page if I'm honest but also own both a Kindle and a Nook. And I have the Amazon app on my Samsung tablet which really does have a nice display page.
ReplyDeleteCath, I can't tell you how many times an e-book reader has saved me from going stir crazy in some waiting room or long line someplace. I've even read entire books on my iPhone when really pressed. Right now my go-to e-reader is an Amazon Fire 10-inch that I really love - especially for those magazines I mentioned to Jenclair up above.
DeleteInteresting your rec of your Amazon Fire 10 inch. My Samsung is old now and I've been thinking of replacing it and an AF is one of the options I was thinking of. Especially as I now have Prime. So thank you for that.
DeleteYou are right though in your comment to Jenclair about the impact of ereaders and ebooks on bookstores. I do try when I come across a bookstore to go and buy something (I never have any trouble finding 'something') to try and make up for it. I was at RHS Wisley last weekend and they had the most wonderful book section, huge, full of gardening books, travel, even vintage crime. So I had a nice time buying books I don't really need...
The 10-inch Fire is the perfect size to comfortably hold one hold page of a book at a time, plus it's large enough to watch the occasional video on, so I do use it a lot.
DeleteAnd what you said about having a nice time buying books you really didn't need is precisely why I miss having all those bookstore choices. Browsing a book selection electronically will simply never compare to the experience of browsing actual shelves in a shop. There are just so many more ways that physical books can catch your attention that I never browse Amazon or B&N without coming away wondering what I've missed. I always find something, but I'm never convinced that what I buy could not have been beaten by something I didn't even know existed - and completely missed online.
I'm still a real book girl myself. I like being able to flip ahead, and flip back, and never worry about my batteries getting low. :D
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things about reading a physical book is their heft and that feeling of accomplishment you get from moving the bookmark from front to back as you turn those pages. There is nothing in an e-book to match the feeling you get when fan the read pages out with your thumb. Can't be duplicated by a machine.
DeleteAnd your battery joke is truer than you might think. I've had to quit reading in a book more than once to charge it up for reading time. That's generally OK with me because I almost always am reading at least five books at a time and can switch to something else easily enough - but when I have to stop at exactly the wrong point in the plot, that's not a happy moment in my life.