What do we do BEFORE EREADERS?

tvuongpham · 09-14-2015, 12:55 PM

How many books did you have to carry around before your magical e-reader?

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/ne...hoto/500252135

Apache · 09-14-2015, 12:58 PM

That was me when I used to travel for a living. My suitcase would be full of books after 8 weeks on the road.
Apache

HarryT · 09-14-2015, 01:12 PM

"Before" was a long time ago. I've been reading books on electronic devices for 30 years.

Hamlet53 · 09-14-2015, 01:46 PM

Well when I was in college I carried a backpack around often with as many as five or six books in it. I'm talking thick, large, and heavy hardcover text books. Also in the backpack a number of spiral notebooks, pens & pencils, a slide rule (I'm old

), and before noon my lunch for the day.

Even after leaving college I would still always carry at least a couple of books. One book related to work and another not.

Now days I still read paper books when availability or economics make that the choice, but generally only one at a time.

theducks · 09-14-2015, 02:02 PM

I always had a couple of books or Analog issues in my Seabag.

HomeInMyShoes · 09-14-2015, 02:29 PM

I've always got a book in my bag with me, but like Hamlet53, its due to availability and economics. I will pick up a few at the library in one go as well. When I travel, I just don't read too much and only pack two books with me if my reading list is not electronic-friendly at the time.

ATDrake · 09-14-2015, 02:34 PM

I still carry around paperbacks and sometimes library hardcovers and graphic novels when I take public transit.

Much less often now, but if there's something that I just want to finish and I don't have in on my e-reader, well… I guess I'm getting some mild exercise lifting and holding the miniscule weight?

issybird · 09-14-2015, 02:56 PM

I read several books at a time, so I carry only an ereader and leave the pbooks to be read at home. I still do read pbooks even though I prefer ebooks; as others have said, some books aren't digital and with others the ebook price is more than I'm willing to pay.

crich70 · 09-14-2015, 02:58 PM

I would carry a book or two with me (at least) and of course notebooks for ideas. Plus sometimes I would turn the paper placemat (when I was sitting at a booth in my neighborhood restaurant) over and make notes on the back. Now I have my Inkpad and Notebook apps on the Kindle Fire for that. Easier to carry and I can read my writing later. lol.

Dusky Rose · 09-14-2015, 05:04 PM

Wow, I just realized how many years back I have to go to remember. I've been reading on electronic devices for about 20 years now.

In the 'before' days when my kids were little, I'd have two books in the diaper bag, and a few stashed in my car. One in my diaper bag would be in what ever series I'd be reading at the time. The second a 'stand alone' in case I lost the first or it was unreadable for some reason. Later, I'd have one in my purse, after we graduated from the diaper bag, and the rest in the car.

The ones in the car were usually stand alones, sometimes the next in the series after the one in my purse.

I get twitchy if I don't have a few with me, but now that they're digital I haven't quit shaken the need to have backups with me. I now usually have two devices I can read on at any time, which is why I like the bigger Iphone 6+ screen. It's my 'fall back' machine, since I'd rather read on one of my other ereaders in my purse.

Josieb1 · 09-14-2015, 05:42 PM

I got my first ereader in 2007, a Sony prs 505, for fan fic. Prior to that I read on a netbook or printed reams of paper to read. And carried multiple books everywhere!

cfrizz · 09-14-2015, 08:44 PM

I stopped reading paper in the early 200s due to small print, I switched over to reading fan fiction on the pc. I would copy and paste stories into Word that way I could increase the font size to what I was comfortable with.

I got my first Sony reader in 2010. I'm back to reading published books and I have converted my favorite fanfic to epubs so that I can reread those too!

Ereaders have gotten me back into reading again for which I am truly grateful.

BenG · 09-14-2015, 09:43 PM

What did I do before ereaders?
I read.

Jack Torrance · 09-14-2015, 09:58 PM

I was an early adopter to the smart phone but I used to always have a random paperback stuffed in every vehicle.

When I was in the Army(mid 80's) I used to always take 3-4 books plus magazines in my pack or hide one away in the Jeep. Since everyone was in the same boat it wasn't hard to find a fresh book on a long stretch in the field. I was stationed at a small post in Germany with only about 1000 people and we had an awesome book store for its size.

Though few books survived more than one or 2 trips to the field and most people never expected to get them back. I would grab a few from the day room and It was read, pass it on, sometimes until the book you were reading had lost its covers and possibly a page or two from each end.

Phogg · 09-14-2015, 10:49 PM

In my military years I was foot mobile.
Generally I carried three books with me in each cargo pocket.

When I would go home on leave I wood take books home in 105mm ammo crates.
These crates I used to floor my parents' attic.
When I was overseas I sent books home in seabags, which shipped at a flat rate.
My parents then tossed the seabags on the ammo crates in the attic.

09-14-2015, 12:55 PM	#1
tvuongpham Banned Posts: 183 Karma: 2826564 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kobo Aura, Kindle Paperwhite 2nd gen, Kindle KB (dead) PRS-T1, PRS 350	What do we do BEFORE EREADERS? How many books did you have to carry around before your magical e-reader? http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/ne...hoto/500252135 Attached Thumbnails

09-14-2015, 01:46 PM	#4
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	Well when I was in college I carried a backpack around often with as many as five or six books in it. I'm talking thick, large, and heavy hardcover text books. Also in the backpack a number of spiral notebooks, pens & pencils, a slide rule (I'm old ), and before noon my lunch for the day. Even after leaving college I would still always carry at least a couple of books. One book related to work and another not. Now days I still read paper books when availability or economics make that the choice, but generally only one at a time. Last edited by Hamlet53; 09-14-2015 at 01:48 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Why so many ereaders???	Tony1988	General Discussions	83	12-19-2011 10:40 PM
New to eReaders	WaxyMary	Introduce Yourself	3	10-08-2011 11:17 AM
3G Ereaders	BaenSidhe	General Discussions	1	07-23-2011 04:53 PM
Hi ereaders	ronm	Introduce Yourself	6	03-10-2011 11:53 AM
New to ereaders etc	fibee7	Introduce Yourself	10	03-24-2010 08:36 PM

09-14-2015, 12:58 PM	#2
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	That was me when I used to travel for a living. My suitcase would be full of books after 8 weeks on the road. Apache

09-14-2015, 01:12 PM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	"Before" was a long time ago. I've been reading books on electronic devices for 30 years.

09-14-2015, 02:02 PM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,037 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I always had a couple of books or Analog issues in my Seabag.

09-14-2015, 02:29 PM	#6
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I've always got a book in my bag with me, but like Hamlet53, its due to availability and economics. I will pick up a few at the library in one go as well. When I travel, I just don't read too much and only pack two books with me if my reading list is not electronic-friendly at the time.

09-14-2015, 02:34 PM	#7
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	I still carry around paperbacks and sometimes library hardcovers and graphic novels when I take public transit. Much less often now, but if there's something that I just want to finish and I don't have in on my e-reader, well… I guess I'm getting some mild exercise lifting and holding the miniscule weight?

09-14-2015, 02:56 PM	#8
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,277 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I read several books at a time, so I carry only an ereader and leave the pbooks to be read at home. I still do read pbooks even though I prefer ebooks; as others have said, some books aren't digital and with others the ebook price is more than I'm willing to pay.

09-14-2015, 02:58 PM	#9
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I would carry a book or two with me (at least) and of course notebooks for ideas. Plus sometimes I would turn the paper placemat (when I was sitting at a booth in my neighborhood restaurant) over and make notes on the back. Now I have my Inkpad and Notebook apps on the Kindle Fire for that. Easier to carry and I can read my writing later. lol.

09-14-2015, 05:04 PM	#10
Dusky Rose Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 2565288 Join Date: Aug 2015 Device: Kobo Aura One, Ipad mini retina, Kindle Voyage and Fire	Wow, I just realized how many years back I have to go to remember. I've been reading on electronic devices for about 20 years now. In the 'before' days when my kids were little, I'd have two books in the diaper bag, and a few stashed in my car. One in my diaper bag would be in what ever series I'd be reading at the time. The second a 'stand alone' in case I lost the first or it was unreadable for some reason. Later, I'd have one in my purse, after we graduated from the diaper bag, and the rest in the car. The ones in the car were usually stand alones, sometimes the next in the series after the one in my purse. I get twitchy if I don't have a few with me, but now that they're digital I haven't quit shaken the need to have backups with me. I now usually have two devices I can read on at any time, which is why I like the bigger Iphone 6+ screen. It's my 'fall back' machine, since I'd rather read on one of my other ereaders in my purse.

09-14-2015, 05:42 PM	#11
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,084 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra Colour, Libra 2	I got my first ereader in 2007, a Sony prs 505, for fan fic. Prior to that I read on a netbook or printed reams of paper to read. And carried multiple books everywhere!

09-14-2015, 08:44 PM	#12
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,569 Karma: 36389706 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	I stopped reading paper in the early 200s due to small print, I switched over to reading fan fiction on the pc. I would copy and paste stories into Word that way I could increase the font size to what I was comfortable with. I got my first Sony reader in 2010. I'm back to reading published books and I have converted my favorite fanfic to epubs so that I can reread those too! Ereaders have gotten me back into reading again for which I am truly grateful.

Advert

Advert

09-14-2015, 09:43 PM	#13
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	What did I do before ereaders? I read.

09-14-2015, 09:58 PM	#14
Jack Torrance “Here’s Johnny Posts: 186 Karma: 3863056 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Overlook Hotel Colorado Device: Kindle DXG - 9.7 iPad - iPhone 12PM - Macbook Pro	I was an early adopter to the smart phone but I used to always have a random paperback stuffed in every vehicle. When I was in the Army(mid 80's) I used to always take 3-4 books plus magazines in my pack or hide one away in the Jeep. Since everyone was in the same boat it wasn't hard to find a fresh book on a long stretch in the field. I was stationed at a small post in Germany with only about 1000 people and we had an awesome book store for its size. Though few books survived more than one or 2 trips to the field and most people never expected to get them back. I would grab a few from the day room and It was read, pass it on, sometimes until the book you were reading had lost its covers and possibly a page or two from each end.

09-14-2015, 10:49 PM	#15
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	In my military years I was foot mobile. Generally I carried three books with me in each cargo pocket. When I would go home on leave I wood take books home in 105mm ammo crates. These crates I used to floor my parents' attic. When I was overseas I sent books home in seabags, which shipped at a flat rate. My parents then tossed the seabags on the ammo crates in the attic.