Went to a Bookstore Today

[sneakyspider]

I go to Barnes and Noble all the time - but only for the atmosphere and the coffee. If I buy books, they are always in ebook or audiobook format. I don't miss paper books at all.

[soulfuldog]

I've never been a huge fan of bookshops, and got as much enjoyment browsing for books on Amazon as in a shop.... so while redecorating this week, I have thrown out my bookcase, and gifted all my books to friends (including a few old favourites) with the rest being donated to a local charity shop.

I no longer own a single physical book (except for two signed non-fiction books that were gifts). I didn't enjoy the last couple of paperback books I read, so I am quite happy to be almost completely digital. Next up is my CD collection.....

[frogette]

Yesterday I borrowed a paper book from the library after so many months of reading only ebooks, started reading, and... proceeded to tap the margin to turn the page. Oops. I also had a urge to tap words I wasn't sure about to get a definition (as a non-native English speaker, I make a heavy use of the dictionary).

[PurpleStar]

I went to a bookstore last week and...bought books! Started reading one of them and after a day, got a major pain in my shoulder. Presumably it was from holding the book. It was a trade paperback. Well, now I'm reading the book on ebook and my Kobo Aura is so much more comfortable to hold. Guess I should stick with the ebooks.

[Tarana]

I was forced to abandon paper novels because of vision damage, I got over missing books about a decade ago. I still go to the used bookstore (cookbooks/craft books) and Barnes & Noble (Cookbooks, magazines, gifts). Most people I know who read do not use ereaders, so it makes gifting easy.

cannot take in any electronic equipment at all

I went into the hospital twice this year so far and the only thing I brought was an Ipod shuffle (I don't have a smart phone). It had one audiobook and the rest music to relax to. No reason why you couldn't do the same thing with a Sansa Clip or other inexpensive MP3 player. I would have brought my $50 kindle but the hospital air dries my eyes so bad that I just can't read. Let me tell you how hard it is to use your own artificial tears in a hospital.

[sharphamster]

This is my bookstore back home - named as one of CNN's Coolest Bookstores in the World - and as much as I love my readers, I love John King Books more.

The store has an estimated 1 million books in stock, with a large collection of rare and used titles. In a 2011 article from the online magazine Salon, the store was described as "one of the largest and strangest collections in North America".

The store has four above-ground floors open to customers. An adjacent building has a collection of rarer and notable items available for viewing by appointment only. The rare book holdings are the only cataloged part of the inventory and can be viewed and order by visiting rarebooklink.com

One of these days it's possible I'll go in for a browse and never come back out again.

[ETA] I see they have a letter from Albert Einstein to his mistress Margarete Lebach available, along with two letters from Mrs. Einstein to Margarete Lebach also.

"Be the first person on your block to own a genuine Einstein letter. Buy all three and really get into the whole Einstein soap opera."

Man, I love that place.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I don't think anyone would argue that there's situations (especially with regard to reference/research) that favor physical books. If you have a memory/mental image of how far into a book something occurs--and at what area of the printed page it falls on--"thumbing" is almost certain to get you there quicker and easier. Also, the experience of having numerous books open all around you when researching is hard to replicate with ebooks (unless you have access to many devices--and even then, it probably wouldn't be the same).

DiapDealer, an interesting question would be "is the same memory/mental image formed for titles that you read as an e-book"? Or are those situations where we favour a physical copy just a reflection of our own experiences, the memory imprint of act of reading that very book on our bookshelf?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Ankh

DiapDealer, an interesting question would be "is the same memory/mental image formed for titles that you read as an e-book"? Or are those situations where we favour a physical copy just a reflection of our own experiences, the memory imprint of act of reading that very book on our bookshelf?

Yes. I believe it is a reflection of our own experiences with THAT book. As far as mental images and ebooks go: I think my mind tried to form those images at first, but then I realized it just wasn't necessary to do so. I learned to highlight text, or to add bookmarks/annotations as I was reading if I had any inclination that I may want to reference something later. There was no further need for me to maintain a "middle-of-the-book/left-hand page/third of the way down" reference.

[Ankh]

No disagreement from me. None.

It is strange, we might easily be the last of the Mohicans, the last generation that will remember that familiarity of a book as an object.

It has been more than a decade since I picked and read the paper edition.

Except for my Bible. For that book, I never-ever felt a need to have it on the reader.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Ankh

No disagreement from me. None.

It is strange, we might easily be the last of the Mohicans, the last generation that will remember that familiarity of a book as an object.

It has been more than a decade since I picked and read the paper edition.

Except for my Bible. For that book, I never-ever felt a need to have it on the reader.

I have it on my reader along with some commentaries but often find myself using the one in the pew so as to keep up with the sermon. Electronic just isn't as fast as paper.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by sharphamster

This is my bookstore back home - named as one of CNN's Coolest Bookstores in the World - and as much as I love my readers, I love John King Books more.

I can imagine. If I lived next door to that, I would too . Sounds like an absolutely fabulous place.

[Quexos]

... come to think of it the only real downside in print books (for me) is the lack of an inner light so I can only (comfortably) read my paper books during the day as during the evening or night I would have to turn on big lights which I don't like doing.

[Shane R]

Paper is high technology. Just because it's been around for a long time, we're good at producing it, and because we're very accustomed to it doesn't mean that it's not a marvel.

I love dead tree books, though practicality now demands I purchase more of the electronic ones. But I still love wandering through the bookstore, touching, perusing, and wishing I had more time to spend with them.

[DiapDealer]

I've never been much of a book-petter myself. Never really cared about the envelope a letter arrived in either. Paper or file, I've only ever cared about consuming their contents.

[Cosimo]

I tried to go to a bookstore this past January. It wasn't there. Even the Starbucks was gone.

I finally managed to get rid of the last of my paper books. I do not see myself ever returning to paper. If I can't have it as an ebook I can do without it.

I also find I am spending much more than I ever did. Before ebooks I would stop at a bookstore about three times a month and usually with specific titles in mind. Now, I visit every day, sometimes several times a day. When I discover a new series I usually buy the first two or three titles instead of only the first. If I enjoy those first few books, I will go back and buy the rest. I never did this with paper books, it was always a one-at-a-time purchase.

Yes, I much prefer things as they are. No going back for me.