It often comes as a surprise to those that don't know me all that well that I am a big reader. Although I have my preferences, I will literally read anything that's available rather than sit staring at the TV. Yesterday was my birthday and as Melissa mentioned in her most recent blog post that my gift...and this is the SECOND time she's given me one.....was a Nook (which is a Barnes and Noble E-reader for all you luddites out there !).
Given my penchant for reading, this'd seem to be a very appropriate gift and there's much I like about the e-book concept. After watching her use her's/mine for the past couple of years I can certainly see the convenience factor; when she's done a book she downloads another one and she can do this no matter what time it is. There is also the matter of cost; after the initial purchase of the Nook, e-books are usually cheaper, often considerably so, than print editions of the same book. I expect using this thing'll save a lot of paper, especially when it comes to buying "throw away" pocketbooks, of which I have a God's plenty stored in boxes all over the place right now ! For those that travel a lot, like I used to do, I'm sure e-books would save pounds of weight and a bunch of space in overnight bags.
But.....and this is a BIG but for me.....there's always been a bit of magic about the whole book buying experience that's completely lacking for me with e-books. I'm not much for most kinds of shopping but I can spend a lot of time (and drop a lot of money) in a good bookstore, especially good regional bookstores of which there is a dearth in this part of the world. There's also something about opening a new book and anticipating the next page that's also lacking for me with e-books. And I flat out can't imagine sharing my favourite books....the one's where the pages are dog eared because I've read them so many times....with anyone on an e-reader.
I am sure I will enjoy my new Nook and in fact I'm looking to break into the box and download something later tonight. I'll try to keep everyone updated on how this Luddite enjoys reading via a 21st century medium !
Carrots
5 days ago
4 comments:
I read almost exclusively on my iPad, and G has a Kindle. I used to feel exactly the same way you do about purchasing, handling, and displaying books, but e-books are SO MUCH EASIER. (Especially real e-readers - if I could do it over, I'd have a Kindle instead of an iPad!) The only genre I really still enjoy on paper is cookbooks.
I'm mainly a SF/F nerd, but I read a good bit of history and biographies of adventurers and popular science as well. You?
but it is the feel of the paper.....
I'm a bit of everything but historical fiction, the kind written by James Michener or Leon Uris never fails to grab my attention.
I don't have an e-reader yet and understand your mixed feelings about them. I think you can have it both ways - I would use the reader for most things but buy a physical copy of a favorite author, unique book. or something that I feel would add to my collection. I feel like my books say a bit about who I am, and I would like them to be representative. But certainly not every book I read falls in that category, those ones I think I'd be fine to read on a reader.
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