Andy Rooney does not like eBooks.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by Hoyt Clagwell

I remember the rant he did when books replaced scrolls. He was pretty pissed off.

Good one!: 2thumbsup

[chamekke]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Thanks for the transscript. Let's take it a bit at a time.

{snippety}

Summary: He doesn't think ebooks and ereaders are for him, but he's still found out about them, looked at ereaders, and got his first published book re-published as a free ebook.

That sounds like the actions of a pretty good chap, to me. Who knows? If he starts using an ebook reader, he might find he likes it. He doesn't seem to be totally opposed to the idea.

That's great, pdurrant - thank you. I agree that Rooney isn't actually being closedminded. At worst, he seems a bit ambivalent... even if he's buying into the canard that ebooks will eliminate dead tree books. (And that could be because he likes being argumentative, even when there's no argument.)

Basically, Rooney's shtick is half entertainment value, half nostalgia. It always has to be taken with a grain of salt, since I suspect he doesn't believe half of what he says.

But I do think he might have been more favourable towards the concept of ebooks if he'd been shown someone, say, like pietrocrazy's gran, who had "lost the ability to do the one thing she really loved, which was reading," until her life was transformed when she was given a Kindle DX. That is an awesome story.

[mlewis78]

I like Andy Rooney. I'd expect this of him, though, particularly since he hasn't read an ebook yet and has only seen the Nook. He did a piece a long while ago about computers and showed us his manual typewriter. If he lives long enough he may come around to using an ereader -- when he realizes how much easier it is on his old eyes.

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

He's a professional curmudgeon. He does a 5-minute segment at the end of a popular US news program in which he gets grumpy about some aspect of life. He's actually quite funny, right up until your personal ox gets gored. He gets paid (presumably quite well) for this, which makes me wonder what I'm doing so badly wrong.

Thanks Worldwalker - We have a chap called Jeremy Clarkson who does all the above (the "funny" bit? Well........... not too much, for me anyway) about cars, and aimed at your basic petrolheads, but a lot watch him because he is fairly outrageous.
His (expressed) feelings about women drivers, caravans, certain makes of car, older drivers...... you can see the sort of repertoire - the easy targets, really.

My son (20, Philosophy student) watches and gets a lot of fun out of it, but doesn't drive much, has no burning desire for any car type, agrees with (almost) none of his prejudices, and takes none of it seriously - but appreciates the effects it might have on some - prejudices confirmed, "must be something in it 'cos he's a celebrity/who he is", that sort of thing.

But, it does cater to a very specific mind set/subject that is thankfully niche oriented - thankfully, in my view - and, as you say, earns so much money it makes you question your place in the Universe, and other weighty matters !

Such as, does it really matter ?

On the other hand, there is the comedian Jack Dee, who I find a very funny curmudgeon, also earns a lot of money at it, and sometimes tackles the same subjects, in a much cleverer way, that has me (& wife & son) falling off the sofa.

Go figure, he said in quest for the vernacular.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Thanks Worldwalker - We have a chap called Jeremy Clarkson who does all the above...

I love Clarkson on Top Gear... I only recently discovered that he does print commentary as well. Someone should hand him a Kindle and see what he says...

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I love Clarkson on Top Gear... I only recently discovered that he does print commentary as well. Someone should hand him a Kindle and see what he says...

All of his books are available as e-books.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

All of his books are available as e-books.

Well, I guess that answers that.

[ficbot]

I think the other issue Andy Rooney didn't consider is that he's rich enough to afford a house where he has the space for all the paper books he wants. Not all of us are so lucky. I would absolutely not have the space for all my ebooks if they were paper, and given the cost of housing in my city, no hope of ever affording a home where I would.

[bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by Hoyt Clagwell

I remember the rant he did when books replaced scrolls. He was pretty pissed off.

You must read Nicholas Carr's book "The Shallows" - which is one of the current crop of books warning that electronic gadgets are affecting our ability to concentrate. He actually documents some of the controversy when writing was first invented (it would impair the ability of people to remember things) and when the printing press was invented (because now "everyone" would have access to religious texts and would no longer have to rely on the priests to teach them).

There is nothing new under the sun. But e-books are the least of our worries right now.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by ficbot

I think the other issue Andy Rooney didn't consider is that he's rich enough to afford a house where he has the space for all the paper books he wants. Not all of us are so lucky. I would absolutely not have the space for all my ebooks if they were paper, and given the cost of housing in my city, no hope of ever affording a home where I would.

I'm sure sooner or later we'll get commentary from people who live in 20'x30' apartments (and lucky they have 'em), telling us: "I sure wish I had a big library... but the space I'm standing in is it... my entire home. Thank God there are ebooks, so I can read more than the nine books I actually have room for... ten, if you count the copy of Brave New World that's propping up the short leg of my wardrobe."

Of course, once they get serious airtime, they'll make enough money to move out of the 20'x30', and get a house of their own...

[Worldwalker]

In a space that size, we had several thousand pbooks. No, we don't have much furniture that isn't bookcases.

[G J Lau]

Every time I see Andy Rooney these days, I feel like he is mailing it in. Like some athletes, he doesn't seem to know how to end his career. It's a shame if all people know or remember of him is these last couple of years. For a long time he was very good. But he has outlived his times and needs to hang up his guns.

[GA Russell]

Andy Rooney is retiring from 60 Minutes. This Sunday's show will be his last appearance.

He will continue to have an office where he will write books.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/...arances_b89348

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by G J Lau

Every time I see Andy Rooney these days, I feel like he is mailing it in. Like some athletes, he doesn't seem to know how to end his career. It's a shame if all people know or remember of him is these last couple of years. For a long time he was very good. But he has outlived his times and needs to hang up his guns.

Thats a shame you think that way. If he wants to continue to work he should be allowed to do so. Just because a person is in his last years doesnt mean he has to hang it up. I applaud him that he waited this long to retire.

Most people give up living life to its fullest in their 60's. They retire and take it easy. Screw that.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Andy Rooney is retiring from 60 Minutes. This Sunday's show will be his last appearance.

He will continue to have an office where he will write books.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/...arances_b89348

I'll miss the old curmudgeon. We should get together and buy him a Kindle.