I don't care how books smell either

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I have a cover made entirely out of Fruit Roll-Ups-- so my books taste as good as they smell!

Can you make me one outta bacon?

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I have a cover made entirely out of Fruit Roll-Ups-- so my books taste as good as they smell!

Might not age as well as paper

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I have a cover made entirely out of Fruit Roll-Ups-- so my books taste as good as they smell!

Well, yeah, but no berries were harmed in the making of my leather c... never mind.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by frankenbooks

Kathleen Parker...

"......I belong to that subgroup of individuals who smell a book before reading. (If you are not a book-smeller, we have nothing further to discuss.)..."

I agree with that much of what she wrote. It's a big reason of why I have never liked library books!

But since I got my jetBook Lite for Christmas, I have read 19 books plus many short stories and a few novellas, all of which were free. It's hard to compete with free!

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

It's hard to compete with free!

Yes, it is hard to compete with free. But it is also hard for a serious author to make a living if the only thing ebookers read are free ebooks .

I recently considered the problem of value in ebooks; that is, why we ebookers are reluctant to pay more than a dollar or two for an ebook yet we will buy more transient entertainments for a higher price and not blink an eye. I think it is a sensory matter, and I wrote about it in Valuing eBooks: Is it a Sensory Problem? on my An American Editor blog.

I know a lot of people discard the idea (and even more tell me I must be an idiot if I think that there could be any reason other than, say, the fact that there are no printing costs involved or that there is DRM as to why ebooks should be cheap, cheap, cheap), but I wonder if we grew up with certain unconscious expectations as regards books that we are unwittingly transfering to ebooks.

[ThomasMc]

Ugh. Sniffing binder glue and paper bleaching chemicals does nothing for me. I want to get lost in the content.

That people think smelling a book is important reminds me of all those people I've met who have bookcases full of impressive books they have never (and will never) actually read, they are just a decorating item to them. When I see that, I want to sneak into their houses when they are on vacation and read their books.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Yes, it is hard to compete with free. But it is also hard for a serious author to make a living if the only thing ebookers read are free ebooks .

I recently considered the problem of value in ebooks; that is, why we ebookers are reluctant to pay more than a dollar or two for an ebook yet we will buy more transient entertainments for a higher price and not blink an eye...

Richard, a couple of thoughts...

As you would expect, all nineteen authors of my read books are long dead. I imagine that all artists not involved with the trendy have a hard time competing with past masters. Ten years ago, I know that many jazz artists complained that nobody wanted to buy their CDs for $18.99 when they could get a Coltrane CD for $9.99.

Also, I've long wondered at why people will spend without blinking fairly large sums for a dinner at a chain restaurant or a night at the movies, yet wouldn't consider spending less money for what I consider better values like CDs and books. I have come to the conclusion that they are different markets. The people who spend the money for the meals aren't the same folks as the ones who buy what I consider to be the better values.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Richard, a couple of thoughts...

As you would expect, all nineteen authors of my read books are long dead. I imagine that all artists not involved with the trendy have a hard time competing with past masters. Ten years ago, I know that many jazz artists complained that nobody wanted to buy their CDs for $18.99 when they could get a Coltrane CD for $9.99.

Also, I've long wondered at why people will spend without blinking fairly large sums for a dinner at a chain restaurant or a night at the movies, yet wouldn't consider spending less money for what I consider better values like CDs and books. I have come to the conclusion that they are different markets. The people who spend the money for the meals aren't the same folks as the ones who buy what I consider to be the better values.

More engaging visceral experiences like movies and tasting delicious meals will usually have a higher perceived value than a static piece of text in digital format. It seems more worth it. Although I would argue that reading one book that can change your life is the better value, even if the chances of that happening are 1/100.

[brecklundin]

ebooks have a big advantage...they are hypoallergenic? ...kinda like the genetically modified hypoallergenic calico cats referenced on an episode of "Big Bang Theory"...which also makes a number of Kindle references over the years of the show.

On a serious side, over the years I have actually developed a more pronounced intolerance to the musty/molds or whatever allergens might encamp within our loved books over the years, especially poorly cared for used books and used books have always been my preference.

[nashira]

I was rearranging mums bookshelves in a slightly manic moment when I hadn't slept for over twenty hours last week (I did that in my room a few weeks before, actually, and nearly tossed the books out the window. Bad bibliophile), and the damn things nearly sent me into a coughing fit. XD

I like smelling leather. Good, well cared for leather. Old paper? Noooot so much.

[jblitereader]

<edit>

[afa]

I don't care much about the smell, but some covers certainly hold a certain appeal for me.

While most book covers are fairly generic, a good cover really adds to the experience, I feel. One example I can think of is fantasy author Joe Abercrombie.

Now, he's a terrific author, and his books are worth a read regardless of medium. But I really, really love the textured, parchmenty cover of his UK published editions. The look great, they feel great. Very unique. Even if paper books were to die out, we would certainly adjust to ebooks and get used to the idea that everything is now digital. We can live without printed books.

But I would miss them.

[jblitereader]

<edit>

[JSWolf]

Are we sure new books smell doesn't cause some sort of terminal disease? Until the study has been done, we should stay away from smelling new books.

[tponzo]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Yes, it is hard to compete with free. But it is also hard for a serious author to make a living if the only thing ebookers read are free ebooks .

I recently considered the problem of value in ebooks; that is, why we ebookers are reluctant to pay more than a dollar or two for an ebook yet we will buy more transient entertainments for a higher price and not blink an eye. I think it is a sensory matter, and I wrote about it in Valuing eBooks: Is it a Sensory Problem? on my An American Editor blog.

I know a lot of people discard the idea (and even more tell me I must be an idiot if I think that there could be any reason other than, say, the fact that there are no printing costs involved or that there is DRM as to why ebooks should be cheap, cheap, cheap), but I wonder if we grew up with certain unconscious expectations as regards books that we are unwittingly transfering to ebooks.

One of the things I expected/hoped for when I got my e reader was that books would cost less. I truly don't begrudge authors or publishers the right to make money, but the cost of producing e-books is less than the cost of producing tree books, so charging the same or similar price for both feels like price gouging to me.