Kindle hinders literary snobbism

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Introverts!

This is an honest question, probing that disturbing mind...

If you were reading in a cafe or park bench at lunchtime, and if Tim and I sat down beside you, all nice and friendly and smililng, and pointed at your reader while saying, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," how would you feel?

I ask, because this scenario is likely to happen. Would an introvert feel intruded upon, angry, glad to chat about a common interest, or backed into a corner by two happy extroverts? I'd like to know, because for one thing, I would never want to make someone feel threatened or anything.

In my extrovert mind... disturbing also... I would welcome such an intrusion.

I love it when someone approaches me while I'm reading on the K. Usually they are full of questions and are planning to get one, or another reader. They are thrilled at being able to actually use one, (I don't mind letting people handle my K, after i give a few 'guidelines' about how to hold without changing pages, home page, etc) and I love seeing the excitement on their faces as they begin to realize exactly what they are holding.

then, off they go, with yet another new tech device on their list of 'must haves'.........

[Alphapheemail]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

In truth, there's only one way to really know what someone is reading on a digital reader.

Ask them.

you know as a new yorker i am very hostile, but if someone asked me what I was reading I'd be more than happy to tell them. I am also a chronic peeper of other people on the subway trying to catch a glimpse of what book they are reading, and if they were on a ereader Id be even more curious! Too bad I am always assuming new yorkers hat to be bothered... =(

[Alphapheemail]

I will also like to add, that a fellow ebook reader friend of mine recently found out that i purchased a reader and as a gift he sent me all of the books on the Gutenberg project on an SD card as a nice gift which was a whopping +7GB of data. If I had all of those books in my house showcased, I would not come off as a literary snob but more of a literary hoarder.

We should embrace the digital age in lieu of ostracizing it because of its minimalistic qualities which prevents us from boasting.

[taosaur]

I don't know if anyone else uses the 'Virtual(Visual?) Bookshelf' app on Facebook, but it serves as both a showcase and a scrobbler, giving recommendations based on what you have read/are reading.

It's hard to say whether parking our personalities and preferences online is identical to showing off in your living room or more accessible or more isolating. In theory, it gives you the opportunity to connect to more people of similar interests, but whether that translates to more or fewer real world contacts varies from person to person.

[pboss]

Bookshelves are for branding now, even more than before. I had to put porn onto my bookshelf to free myself.

These days a person with a bookshelf at all, real or virtual, is too rare to hung up on details.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Introverts!

Extraverts!

Originally Posted by DixieGal

This is an honest question, probing that disturbing mind...

If you were reading in a cafe or park bench at lunchtime, and if Tim and I sat down beside you, all nice and friendly and smililng, and pointed at your reader while saying, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," how would you feel?

I ask, because this scenario is likely to happen. Would an introvert feel intruded upon, angry, glad to chat about a common interest, or backed into a corner by two happy extroverts? I'd like to know, because for one thing, I would never want to make someone feel threatened or anything.

In my extrovert mind... disturbing also... I would welcome such an intrusion.

Yes and no. Talking about a beloved gadget is perfectly fine, and I'd love tell people more about it. It's the risk of ending up continuing a conversation all through a train/bus ride, with someone I'm not really interested in talking to, I want to avoid. I'd have to concentrate about the conversation, think about what to say next and so on.

Conversation requires energy, and sometimes you just don't have so much of it to spend. Just being out in a crowd, with all the noise and movement can suck energy in itself.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by krisk

I can't imagine what would be the impetus for an author to decline e-publication. I know JK has said she is adamantly against it, but cannot understand why.

You haven't read any of her books, have you?
EVERYTHING in her books happens by magic. Even driving a car is reserved for "muggles". Magicians just travel throudh fireplaces using magical dust, or call special magical bus. When a magician absolutely can not avoid using a car he would use a magical car (or a normal but heavily enchanted one (but such magicians are considered very eccentric)) and simply tell it where to go.

Even the train that takes kids to the school is pulled by steam locomotive.

If her books are any indication of what she considers to be an ideal word Mrs. Rowling is a severe case od technophobe and luddite. Mrs. Rowling until now writes EVERYTHING in longhand and has people that type it for her.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I'm amused at this part:

Anne Fadiman, the author, was relieved to learn that her essay collection, “Ex Libris,” was not available on Kindle. “It would really be ironic if it were,” she said of the book, which evokes her abiding passion for books as objects.

“There’s a little box on Amazon that reads ‘Tell the publisher I’d like to read this book on Kindle,’ ” she said. “I hope no one tells the publisher.”

Aren't ebook publishing rights something that's included (or excluded) in a contract? If she didn't want it published as an ebook, she had a chance to prevent it.

Well, gues what I just did.
I told the publisher ;-)
I really did

[markbot]

perhaps in future versions of the Kindle, they could have a small epaper display on the back of the device that shows the cover or title of the book. although, this still doesn't solve my bookshelf issue.

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by kacir

If her books are any indication of what she considers to be an ideal word Mrs. Rowling is a severe case od technophobe and luddite. Mrs. Rowling until now writes EVERYTHING in longhand and has people that type it for her.

I think you've read a bit too much into them. JKR is no JRRT in the luddite department. Most wizards don't know much about modern technology because they don't live interact with the modern world that much. The wizard economy seems to be primarily based on providing good and services to other wizards, often by use of magical labor. But Harry certainly isn't anti-technology. Also keep in mind that the Harry Potter books are set between 1991 and 1998, just as the Internet was transforming daily life for most muggles.

Remember that there's a whole department of magic dealing with muggles, as well as courses on it in school. Arthur Weasley, although something of a comic character not often taken seriously, is fascinated by muggle tech, a nd ultimately embraces and advocates the use of muggle medical advances. It's primarily the older wizards (who are often in their late 80s if not over 100) who seem more oblivious to modern technology, but they rarely badmouth it directly.

[fugazied]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Uhhh I buy mostly mass market paperbacks for my Sony...don't know what this chick is talking about.

And I like that no one can see my sovers. Some of those romance covers are embarassing. Plus no one needs to know what I'm reading.

That's a good point, when I bring a girl home she won't be confronted by rows of pulp fiction and mass market horror (Barker, Stephen King), because they are on my Kindle. Hidden from scrutiny!!

Also one major benefit of the Kindle is that it makes moving easy, no huge book shelves to lug around hehe

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by fugazied

That's a good point, when I bring a girl home she won't be confronted by rows of pulp fiction and mass market horror (Barker, Stephen King), because they are on my Kindle. Hidden from scrutiny!!

Also one major benefit of the Kindle is that it makes moving easy, no huge book shelves to lug around hehe

Heh, I'm moving hopefully within the month, and it's been brilliant not worrying about all of the damn books I've bought in the past year. I still have some leftovers from my pre-ereader days, but I got a big old stack going straight to donations to the library. I thought I'd miss them, but I was very very wrong. More room for my beautiful collectible books!

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

In truth, there's only one way to really know what someone is reading on a digital reader.

Ask them.

Heh, if you are Amazon, and they have a Kindle, you don't have to.

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by kacir

You haven't read any of her books, have you?
EVERYTHING in her books happens by magic. Even driving a car is reserved for "muggles". Magicians just travel throudh fireplaces using magical dust, or call special magical bus. When a magician absolutely can not avoid using a car he would use a magical car (or a normal but heavily enchanted one (but such magicians are considered very eccentric)) and simply tell it where to go.

Even the train that takes kids to the school is pulled by steam locomotive.

If her books are any indication of what she considers to be an ideal word Mrs. Rowling is a severe case od technophobe and luddite. Mrs. Rowling until now writes EVERYTHING in longhand and has people that type it for her.

Either that or she fears that her source of income will dry up and she'll be left with what little she's gotten up until now.<{mammon}

[krisk]

Originally Posted by kacir

You haven't read any of her books, have you?
EVERYTHING in her books happens by magic. Even driving a car is reserved for "muggles". Magicians just travel throudh fireplaces using magical dust, or call special magical bus. When a magician absolutely can not avoid using a car he would use a magical car (or a normal but heavily enchanted one (but such magicians are considered very eccentric)) and simply tell it where to go.

Even the train that takes kids to the school is pulled by steam locomotive.

If her books are any indication of what she considers to be an ideal word Mrs. Rowling is a severe case od technophobe and luddite. Mrs. Rowling until now writes EVERYTHING in longhand and has people that type it for her.

I've read all of her stuff and never got the sense she was a Luddite.