do you still read paper books?

[murg]

Originally Posted by chookie2

Some I have paid up to $400 for and some are very rare and date back to 1800s,

If you hold onto them, at the very least leave a note for your son of the expensive ones, so they don't get thrifted...

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Demingy

I think you meant endorphin rush. We also don't have any used book stores nearby. I've thought about donating most of my pbooks to a local thrift store, but for some reason can't bring myself to do so. Seems crazy considering I've changed over to ebooks almost exclusively and have waaaaay more than I could possibly read in a lifetime.

yup endorphin. I have donated almost all of my paper books, but there are many kitchen appliances (my other addiction) taking up space in my home.

Helen

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by chookie2

"We also don't have any used book stores nearby. I've thought about donating most of my pbooks to a local thrift store, but for some reason can't bring myself to do so. Seems crazy considering I've changed over to ebooks almost exclusively and have waaaaay more than I could possibly read in a lifetime."

Me neither, it is a 3 hour drive for a secondhand or good new bookashop although some thrift shops nearby surprise me sometimes with print treasures. I am trying to cull my print book library but it is hard to get rid of old friends and references I may refer to again and again. I asked my son what he would do with my books when I die and he said he will send them all to a thrift shop....gave me palpitations indeed. Some I have paid up to $400 for and some are very rare and date back to 1800s, so now I am trying to decide if selling them to someone who will appreciate them is better than dying while still owning them...decisions decisions....getting rid of some may just kill me!!

Tough decision. Sounds like your son will sell them either way and if he is not a book aficionado why should he keep more than one or two as a memento?

But... if you enjoy their presence enough you should keep them, and it is possibly not that easy to find a buyer.

Maybe in a bored moment look for a buyer or a museum that would definitely appreciate them. Libraries are not a good place to donate this kind of quality to.

And as a previous poster said, make sure he knows they are worth a few bucks. Have them appraised if it is not too expensive.

Helen

[burnafterreading]

i used to own only physical books of all kinds - from simple $10 paperbacks to large $80 coffee-table books (Fender, Gibson, Marshall, GrooveTubes). i gave them ALL away to my local library, and now i only own less than 10 physical books - the rest are all electronic.

the only way i'd buy a physical book is if it's a good reference or self-improvement book, one that i'd lend to a friend or family member, or one that's got quizzes in it so that i'd use a pencil or make a copy of the quiz page (like some relationship-fixing books)

the price, however, makes it hard to buy an ebook - they're too expensive considering that they're not readily resellable or lendable. if an ebook costs $9.99 and a physical book costs $10, i don't buy either. if i absolutely need the book then the nod goes to physical - but that's probably because it's the type of book i mentioned above.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by burnafterreading

i used to own only physical books of all kinds - from simple $10 paperbacks to large $80 coffee-table books (Fender, Gibson, Marshall, GrooveTubes). i gave them ALL away to my local library, and now i only own less than 10 physical books - the rest are all electronic.

the only way i'd buy a physical book is if it's a good reference or self-improvement book, one that i'd lend to a friend or family member, or one that's got quizzes in it so that i'd use a pencil or make a copy of the quiz page (like some relationship-fixing books)

the price, however, makes it hard to buy an ebook - they're too expensive considering that they're not readily resellable or lendable. if an ebook costs $9.99 and a physical book costs $10, i don't buy either. if i absolutely need the book then the nod goes to physical - but that's probably because it's the type of book i mentioned above.

I understand where you are coming from, but I opt for the convenience.
I only sold or traded pbooks when I wanted to get rid of them and I can lend someone one of my readers.

I switched to mostly library books 20 or 30 years ago because I had shelves of books and boxes of books and piles of books. I heard "Boy you sure got a lot of books" frequently.

Most years I would pay $50-$100 in fines due to mislaid, lost or damaged books. While it niggled a bit, I didn't mind as I borrowed 5 or more books most weeks, some of them pretty pricey.

I would get the stern lectures or the I feel so bad for you talks from the librarians, and I would tell them, I am not unhappy to pay a few bucks for the great benefits and service I receive.

With ebooks no fines, no damage and no lectures

Helen

[jehane]

Originally Posted by ghostyjack

Just spent 6 months looking for The Difference Engine by Bruce Sterling & William Gibson and not finding it, so had to bite the bullet and by the paperback.

Perhaps it's not published in ebook in the UK, because it's certainly available in ebook form in the US. I thought I remembered seeing it in my library in Australia, but it's not there now.

[Mivo]

There are still a lot of books that don't have electronic editions (and that may never have any). I also have shelves full of books that I have trouble letting go, many of which are OOP.

Actually, in many ways I prefer paper books over e-books, but I'm in a phase (probably midlife crisis) where I resent a lot of the clutter in my life, both the figurative and literal kind, so having thousands of books on a tiny memory card is quite appealing. Perhaps some day I'll snap out of that mood where I'd love to be able to fit my entire possessions into a bag.

[DrNefario]

I've read nothing but paper books all year.

[Waylander]

Still reading paper books, will never stop and will always love them. I'm a rarity on here in that I love paperbacks, mainly mass and B-format. Hate trades. A hardback is nice on occasion, particularly at Christmas.

[crossi]

I also prefer MM paperbacks to either trades or hardbacks. But I prefer ebooks to any paper except for reference books and cookbooks and the like.

[Lin2412]

Originally Posted by Mivo

There are still a lot of books that don't have electronic editions (and that may never have any). I also have shelves full of books that I have trouble letting go, many of which are OOP.

Actually, in many ways I prefer paper books over e-books, but I'm in a phase (probably midlife crisis) where I resent a lot of the clutter in my life, both the figurative and literal kind, so having thousands of books on a tiny memory card is quite appealing. Perhaps some day I'll snap out of that mood where I'd love to be able to fit my entire possessions into a bag.

That's true. Less clutter is really good for me as well. I usually have lots of books all piled up in my table during college. That is why having all my educational book in one device is essentially practical and appealing.

I do dream of having a big library of books that I love, so having my shelves full of all the hard bound glory is an achievement on my part.

[rdfry]

I read them from the library when I can't get a book the ebook from the library. The only issues I have is dodging the debris left by previous readers.

[murg]

Originally Posted by rdfry

I read them from the library when I can't get a book the ebook from the library. The only issues I have is dodging the debris left by previous readers.

Yeah. I hate the eye-tracks left by previous readers. Really, really annoying.

[irishmac473]

I loaded up about 3 large tubs of my old books and donated them to a local used book store. The only time I buy the physical book anymore is when it's some type of technical book.

[linereader]

Originally Posted by bcgirl

Sometimes you see this gorgeous book with beautiful hardcover in the store, or sitting on the bookshelf (my husband's books). Should I grab it and read it or not?

for me it depends on:
1) how good the book is
2) whether or not it has colour illustrations or benefits greatly from colour
3) the size of the book
4) whether I am travelling with it or not
5) how much I am prepared to carry
6) how much space I have for reading and the place I am going to be reading

Originally Posted by bcgirl

I find it so easy with an ereader instead of this heavy book on my lap. What are your thoughts? You still read paper books or exceptions for paper books? Or just only ebooks?

I still read both and I think they will co-exist for a long time; even after we get cheap colour low-power displays, paper books will still have some benefits though far less than exist today in the 'monochrome e-ink' world.