So long and thanks for all the fish (Books)

[thistlechaser]

Though I had said I'd never buy a dead-tree version of a book again, when I was reminded that ms_manna's The Administration books had new original stories in them, I made an exception.

While I do so totally love the new stories, reading them in a physical book was just such a... lesser experience than I'm now used to. Simple things like being able to glance at the top of the page to check the time. Less simple things like being able to tap on a word to see what it means (I hadn't realized how often I do that, to confirm a word that I've learned through context alone.) And basic things, like text in an e-reader being so so so much easier on the eyes. The books were all large paperbacks, and I never like to break the spine on books, so I couldn't open the page fully straight. All these things I just never noticed when I only read physical books!

I mistakenly assumed all seven books had a new story in them, so I bought them all. While I'm more than happy to support a writer I like, I now have seven new books on my bookshelf. I no longer see my physical books with joy, they now just look like boxes of weight that will have to be hauled along when I move to a new apartment.

One day all books will become available as ebooks, and when that day comes, I will happily donate the last of my physical ones to the library.

I know some (most?) people still like physical books better, but if everything I want to read for the rest of my life comes out in electronic form, I'll happily never buy a physical book again.

Comments

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

I hear you. I love my Kindle so much. I'm planning on getting a tablet when tax season comes again and looking forward to reading magazines and the other things my Kindle can't handle so well on that. I'd be perfectly happy never having to buy a dead tree book again.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Tablets are so much fun! I wouldn't mind having a Kindle as well (smaller must be nicer for books), but I'm trying to resist buying one, since I have the Kindle app on my pad and that works fine.

I only read one book at a time, but it's just so amazing that I can bring all of them with me, wherever I go!

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

A tablet, while it might be able to display ebooks, really isn't the same. E-ink is so much better on the eyes. The e-ink devices are pretty one dimensional, though, good for reading and not much else. There are a few games, but it's not their forte, especially since there's obviously not color involved yet (my understanding is that the color Nook is a typical backlit screen, not e-ink).

I'm excited to be able to read my colorful parrot magazines on a tablet, but that's not the primary reason or use for one and I'll continue to do most of my reading on my Kindle. The smaller size and the screen being so much better for staring at for hours. I don't know if I can recommend getting one when you already have a tablet, though. As I said, they're very one-dimensional. The typical sized tablet is too large for me to hold one handed without pain, so for me personally having two devices will work, but for someone else, I don't know. If they were having eyestrain, maybe, which you're obviously not.

I'll stop my word vomit now.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

My biggest worry if I get a Kindle is that I'll never use my pad again. Unless I'm reading a boring book (and so let myself get distracted by the net or games), all I do is read on it. I love the pad dearly, but since I'm at a computer so much, I don't really need it. And yet somehow I still really like it, it's so cool!

The size is a real issue for long term reading. I do most of my reading in chunks of less than 30 minutes, but the rare times I read for longer periods, it hurts even my arms. (I try keeping its weight against my chest or stomach, just balancing it with my hands.) So you're right that that's a concern. Using the pad one-handedly would be impossible, unless I rested it on a desk. (But if I were at a desk, I'd be at my computer...)

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

That's actually pretty funny. I don't think there's many tablet users that would have that fear. I'm planning on using mine to be able to follow my kids around and still surf and be able to do things like watch TV while grinding crap in WoW and such.

Hmm...maybe get a Kindle and keep it at home? That's when you'd be reading for longer periods, right? I'm assuming you still do some of your work surfing on your iPad, so it'd make sense to keep it around for that, and then you'd have it at work for the reading too. Or, if you really use it for so little other than reading, maybe it would be worth it to just get the Kindle and then sell the iPad. Hauling around a smaller, tougher, $150 device would be less of a worry for me, I know, over something like your iPad. We're pretty sure what actually broke my first Kindle was my kids dropping a full 24 oz metal bottle of water on it from four feet up. It had survived numerous drops on its own just fine, with and without a case.

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

One day all books will become available as ebooks

Only if real books still exist! I had forgotten how awesome real books were until my copies of Fest of Crows and A Dance With Dragons arrived yesterday. Damn kids and your technology! It's like how everything has to be a damned touch screen now adays. Gimmie back my real keyboards and you can keep your shitty virtual ones! I REQUIRE TACTILE FEEDBACK!!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I like real keyboards much better!

Aw man, you got physical copies of those? I feel for your arms, having to hold the books to read them! ;)

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

Feast hasn't been bad in that department but it's relatively small compared to Dance. But I think Dance is still only like 3kg or so, that's not so bad. But that's also mostly because it's the hardcover version.

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

I'm so with you! The only thing that stops me from buying most books as ebooks is DRM. I still do write in my nonfiction books, so for non-recreational reading, I'll probably continue to buy a lot of paper books. But for recreational stuff? It's ebooks all the way :-)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, it's understandable to keep physical books around for that! Or keepsakes, or I supposed autographed ones (I wonder what will become of that once we have only ebooks!).

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I wonder, as ebooks gradually replace paper books in some cases, if in 10,000 years some archaeologists will come along and be puzzled over the "odd disappearance towards the middle of the 21st century of literacy from the historical record". :-)

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for other devices, but the Kindle allows you to write notes in your books. You can even set it up to share them with other people (though I don't know if you can set it up to share with specific people or just everyone, it's not something I've used much).

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I've got Kindle, actually! Thing is, though, I've got a pretty hardcore pen/paper notetaking/marginalia system for nonfiction and I've found that the Kindle's itty bitty keyboard just does not hold up!

Additionally, the actual act of writing stuff down--as opposed to typing it in--really helps me understand/retain information. So yeah, I'll prob. be sticking with paper for a while for that reason. :-)

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

omfg I love the administration @_@

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

You should get the books then! The new stories are just as good as the old. :D The books are rather expensive ($15 each for large softcover), but if all you want to see is the new stuff, then you wouldn't need to buy them all.

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

I do want to read the new stuff but $15 is kinda a lot :|. And I know I'd want to get the whole set just so it'll be complete ^^;;;

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I paid $100 before shipping for all the books (shipping was free through my Amazon Prime account, thankfully).

I think there were just three new stories. One long, one medium, one short. So that'd be $45 instead of $100.

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

Yipes.

I know, I just mean when I get it, even just the ones with the new stories I'm going to want to have the whole series to complete the set. I am weird like that xD;;;

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Nope, that's understandable! Hopefully you'll like them, when you do get them! :)

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

OT But this totally made me think of you haha: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/online_gaming

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

HA! That's so great. :D

[bastets-place.livejournal.com]

My biggest problem with buying electronic books is that 1. it can disappear without my knowledge and 2. sometimes it costs more than the paper book.

See also: favorite authors not being epublished.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

On the first point, if it vanishes, you just download it again (for free). I looked into what would happen if my iPad died and found out I could just redownload everything to a new one (or a Kindle). This is Amazon/Kindle, but I would assume the others are the same. (Plus I've never had anything vanish, I'd guess you'd need drive issues for that to happen?)

On the second point, yeah. And that sucks so badly. There's no way the ebook should ever, ever cost more, but sometimes it does.

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

Yep. Stupid publishers. Three of the biggest ones formed a group and took their books off Amazon until Amazon agreed to let them charge more than $9.99 if they wanted. Amazon caved, obviously.

[socksofjello.livejournal.com]

I think bastets_place might be referencing incidences like this. It's a rare thing, but a cause of concern for some.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I forgot about that. Yeah, I guess that could happen.