Posted on 04/25/2021 12:25:16 PM PDT by SamAdams76
Much hullabaloo was made of being able to read books electronically, such as on Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc.
For a while, I became an ardent adopter of the concept. I would download my books to read electronically. For a few years, I would do most of my reading this way. But it never did feel the same as the tactile experience of reading a physical book.
I'm one who like to flip back a few pages to re-read or to reference the maps and what not in the beginning of the book. It was always cumbersome to do this electronically. Technically you are able to move around the book in electronic fashion but for me, it was always a clumsy affair. You end up fussing around with it for way too long while running down your battery.
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. But now I'm back on the train to work with a physical book and my Kindle is gathering dust in my laptop case along with the thumb USB drives that I have basically stopped using as well.
Call me old-fashioned but I just like the book experience better.
I find it difficult to curl up with a good Kindle.
I buy everything on kindle.
When I had to travel a lot it was nice being able to pack an entire library on my iPad. Plus, if I was reading a series of books I could just press a button to download the next in the series from my hotel room. Also, I like the Kindle Unlimited which allows me to check out 10 books at a time for a small monthly fee.
Bonus, I don’t have to pack up hundreds of books and lug them around when I move.
I do however like the text divided like an open book so I always turn the tables in landscape mode so the text looks just like a book layout.
I used to buy hardcover books that I wanted to keep and paperback books that I just wanted to read. After I got my first Kindle, I stopped buying paperbacks but continued to buy hardcover books.
Then a couple of years ago I lost nearly all of my books (50+ years worth) in a flood. Since then I have only purchased eBooks.
I had a Kindle for when I travelled a lot. I also purchased a few books that I figured I’d read once, if even that. Haven’t used it in years. Give me a real book anytime.
Not me I love the ebooks.
I have used Amazon Kindles for years, but I turn off the Internet update function as soon as I get them and never buy ebooks from Amazon. I either download free ebooks or buy them from other sources (usually in .pub format). I convert them to Kindle format and upload them from my PC to my Kindle using a free program called Calibre.
I highly recommend Calibre to anyone who has ebooks.
My frau used audio books when she was working in Jefferson City MO and flying onto St Louis or KC.
I cannot do audio books. I prefer real books for my history library but, if I can get a $40 for $10 on kindle I will do that. I also tryout scifi fi series on kindle. I do not highlight books or write in them but have tabs sticking out all over. Usually I need a decent map up on my phone or have the board wargame map available as most history book maps are not good.
I doubt I will ever read an e-book. I can imagine that I would be in a critical scene and suddenly the computer goes down. That happens to me just about every time I try anything new. I have been reading books since age 5. Never disappointed and have 4 large book cases full after giving away at least a ton. Books I like I reread over and over. Love the classics. I kept most of my religious books from college & seminary.
Did my master’s thesis on digital vs print comprehension. The information is out there, only Big Tech and Teacher’s unions don’t want you to know the truth about the damage digital interactions do to children’s brains in particular and leaning in general.
We could not be doing more to prevent learning than what the education establishment has been doing for decades. I believe it’s part of the great reset, and that it is absolutely intentional.
Digital is good for information. Print is more effective when you really need to understand something.
I’m a nutcase, my family says for actually having a personal library of maybe 1000 books - mostly Sci-fi, sci-fi art books and astronomy. A lot still wrapped in plastic wrap (lot of OOP (now rare) Babylon RPG stuff that goes for 5 to 10x purchase price on eBay - nice for 10 year old books)
If the books you are reading are important - please be aware that your vendor can erase your library at will, or, by changing your software, make saved volumes unreadable.
I’m less concerned than I used to be about concealment and long term storage of firearms.
I’m VERY concerned about preservation, storage, and God help me concealment - of books.
Eventually, our descendants will have to rebuild.
I doubt I will ever read an e-book. I can imagine that I would be in a critical scene and suddenly the computer goes down. That happens to me just about every time I try anything new. I have been reading books since age 5. Never disappointed and have 4 large book cases full after giving away at least a ton. Books I like I reread over and over. Love the classics. I kept most of my religious books from college & seminary.
————-
A lot of decent hardcover books I want go for well over $1000 (astrophysics and astronomy). The kindle versions: $10
Consider making it permanent. I did away with tv in the house 25 years ago. My life improved dramatically.
I had a massive collection of hardcover books, including several first editions, that I collected over 50+ years. I lost them all (and pretty much everything else) in a flood in 2018. Of all the stuff we lost, I miss the books the most.
I once obsessively bought sf and fantasy books at used book stores. I still have some that I haven’t read after 20 or more years.
I also read my Kindle. The original Kindle gave me a headache, but the newer ones are fine. I tend to buy conservative themed books (such as Kurt Schlichter’s Turnbull novels) as books, since Amazon could one day decide to cancel the Kindle versions. So do I really “own” my Kindle books? Not sure. I have them on a SD card that I can remove from the device - would that protect them from the commies? Again, not sure.
Peruse later.
I do both, but I prefer “real” books. I read a lot of history, and often have to flip back and forth to see maps. Also, I have some books on the Napoleonic Wars that have beautiful color plates that need to be savored and revisited during a read.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.