Those "I just like the feel of a book in my hand" people

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by John1997

I am one of the "love the feel, smell and ambience of real books." One of the joys of going to college was that the library had _real_ books. Especially the law library where almost all the books were beautifully leather bound. There was a wonderful feel compounded of the aroma and the glow of old leather. When I started practicing, the small firm I worked for also had a lovely library with leather bound books in floor to ceiling bookcases and a gorgeous mahogany table on which to spread out (bookcases and table constructed by a single grateful client, incidentally).

Now, of course, research is all done in computer databases and I carry a small library around in my JBL Lite. I appreciate the efficiency, but I miss the experience of the books. I especially miss the ability to spread a dozen books around on the table all open to some important and related issue. It was so much easier to synthesize all those related thoughts when I could just glance at different books to see how different authors had handled the same issue.

Maybe I need a dozen jbl's???

I don't think so, John. That was well said, and I completely relate, on both counts. Like you say, it isn't always just a matter of the abstract/sensual appeal, but when it comes to research, paper books make it easier to keep open/flip back and forth/find things at a glance. Of course, then ebooks allow copy/paste...



To me, what all this means is that ebooks and pbooks are both awesome in their own ways. They can serve different purposes at different times, and it's wonderful to choose the format, depending on whichever need is strongest at the time.

No one needs to feel belittled or have their taste dismissed for preferring either one over the other.

It's not like religion or football, thank goodness! We can appreciate and enjoy both without feeling like we're cheating.

[CaraM]

I used to feel the same way, that I wanted a "real" book in my hands. I still love paper books and always will. But I got my first Kindle three weeks ago and love it. Really love it. And I do feel as if I have a book in my hand when I'm reading it. It took me a while to break down and read an ebook, then to buy a Kindle. Now I'm going crazy downloading books.

[OakIris]

Originally Posted by CaraM

I used to feel the same way, that I wanted a "real" book in my hands. I still love paper books and always will. But I got my first Kindle three weeks ago and love it. Really love it. And I do feel as if I have a book in my hand when I'm reading it. It took me a while to break down and read an ebook, then to buy a Kindle. Now I'm going crazy downloading books.

I have always loved books and can't imagine living without reading, though I know that many people couldn't care less about books or reading and are quite content that way. Inexplicable to me, just as my love of reading is inexplicable to them. Still, now when I go into someone's house and see that there is not a single book to be seen, I can now surmise that they perhaps have a Kindle (or other eReader) with a library of thousands, instead of feeling sorry that their life is so limited and impoverished. (Yeah, I'm not in the least bit prejudiced towards those addicted to reading.)

I try not to think about how much I have spent on buying paper books in my lifetime so far - I don't feel guilty, but still..... It is pretty cool that a lot of eBooks are free or only cost pennies. I've downloaded a bunch of eBooks in preparation for my Kindle (come on Friday!) and so far they have all been free. I know that will change, but it is nice while it lasts! And I am not going to have to make room on my already packed book shelves, either!

Holly

[Sine Nomine]

Originally Posted by RDaneel54

After reading other people here mentioning it, I finally got the "I just love the smell of books" comment from someone. I was so stunned I couldn't think of a reply.

I have read electronically for so long that I am having a hard time relating to people who like the weight of hard covers or the discomfort of holding a paperback - for the smell?

To each his own.

Personally, I don't think you can beat the smell of a Kindle when you open the fitted cover to start reading, beats the smell of a grotty library book any day.

[pmul]

My answer is usually along the lines of:
"If you notice the paper/smell/feel/whatever after ten pages or so, then that is one crap book, you should be in the story, not on the page."

[bobavey]

The explosion in ebook popularity is exiting, but at the same time I would not want to see pysical books disappear completely. I, too, like keeping books I've read, especially autographed copies.

Beneath a Buried House

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SE7J6I

[captcrouton]

I like ebooks because of accessibility, not necessarily because of the experience. Don't get me wrong. I love my Kindle. It's my favorite gadget ever. But I live in a foreign country where English books are hard to find. I doubt I would've bought it this soon, if I were living in the States.

I downloaded a few of the Oz books on my Kindle. I used to check them out at the local library as a kid. These were ancient hardcovers at the time. The books had been repaired so many times, I think some of them were originals. But it was the artwork of John Neill (forgive if I misspelled that) that made me love the books. They had some of those color picture plates in them. It was the fact that the pages were disintegrating and the ancient book smell, made me feel like I was almost traveling in time, knowing that some kid read this Eleventy hundred years ago just like me on the back of some triceratops. (Ok, that's an exaggeration but I was a kid with a strong sense of imagination) And of course the books were magical in their style.

And that experience can't be reclaimed on the Kindle versions I got. No artwork. Obviously no color plates. But I can't dup that even at the library. They don't have those books anymore. I looked for them. The librarian is significantly younger than Mrs Roth (who I still see at the little cafe and chat with when I come home).

I digress, but that sort of childhood made me love books. And I still love them paper or electronic.

[TheKindleWorm]

Before we could go fully electronic in our house I'd need 2 more devices:

1) a large screen, full colour device for magazines, cooking books and art books. Perhaps a tablet device would work but I'm not buying into an Apple iPad

2) a bite-proof, shatter proof, scratch-proof, liquid-proof device for my 3 year old! She is book mad and I'd love to get her a kid-proof Kindle that we can read together from - it would ideally have to be in full colour because the pictures are part of the story.

[Cyberman tM]

Originally Posted by Barty

You can't exactly lovingly flip through your iTunes collection the way you do a box of old records.

Not in the same way, that's right, but certainly with the same feeling.
I agree the covers are missing, which is sad, but aside from that there isn't much difference.

How exactly do you pass down a beloved book with your ereader? Son, today you're a man. Here's a copy of the book your grandfather gave me. Click here to download. Not quite the same, is it?

It can be somewhat better. Instead of a fragile bunch of old paper pages that you have to handle with care, you get a new copy that you can use and abuse at will.

I would hope the important part of the book was the content, not the medium?

--

OT: I don't really have a preference, I enjoy both - but during travel(i.e. going to and from work) the eBook wins hands down.

I agree that SOME paper books smell VERY good. I don't know why or what it is exactly. I'm certain it's not nostalgia, I just like the smell. Not all, though, just some english books (that is, imported).

[DMB]

I only got my K3 in early September but already I've become accustomed to it. I recently read a book in paperback because it wasn't available in e-format. I found myself cursing all the time at the way it was so difficult to get it fully open or keep it open if my hands were occupied. I wouldn't have had quite that reaction pre-Kindle.

I am 70 and so have had time to amass a large library, but I have to face the fact that I won't be rereading most of these books and I am therefore trying to give them away to my children and the local university library. A whole lot of paperbacks will go to a sale at my children's old (international) school. I shall hang on just to things I know I shall want to reread and which are not available in e-format.

[balok]

Originally Posted by RDaneel54

I understand nostalgia, but it's about the words and the story, not the media, for me. I've been a b ook reader for fifty years, but I find the e-Book reader experience as superior.

I wonder if the chiseled stone, parchment, and codex folk waxed nostalgic...

Printed books have many advantages over ebooks. Better contrast, less fragile, unlimited battery life, easy to annotate. Which of the two is "superior" is a question of context. The only reason I ever acquired an ebook reader was to read public domain material for free. I would never buy an ebook if I could have a printed version for roughly the same price, because I consider printed books to be superior in most ways.

It's not nostalgia, it's just being realistic. I'm by no means a technophobe, but I try to use appropriate technology. For example, i'll use a pen and paper when it's more convenient than typing a note and printing it out. The high-tech solution isn't always the better one.

I'd say that you people who systematically prefer ebook readers are the ones who are being unreasonable. Many of you are infatuated with electronic gadgets.

[balok]

Originally Posted by John1997

Now, of course, research is all done in computer databases and I carry a small library around in my JBL Lite. I appreciate the efficiency, but I miss the experience of the books. I especially miss the ability to spread a dozen books around on the table all open to some important and related issue. It was so much easier to synthesize all those related thoughts when I could just glance at different books to see how different authors had handled the same issue.

I completely agree. I've found that I'm more efficient in legal research when using real books. In fact, as a young lawyer, I definitely think I have an edge over other lawyers my age who favour electronic tools and neglect printed volumes. Some inexperienced researchers will even miss important cases because their "keywords" in their database query, even when well chosen, were unable to bring forth all relevant results.

I don't see how an ebook reader could be of use to a lawyer, except possibly for reading entire treatises or long cases.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by balok

I completely agree. I've found that I'm more efficient in legal research when using real books. In fact, as a young lawyer, I definitely think I have an edge over other lawyers my age who favour electronic tools and neglect printed volumes. Some inexperienced researchers will even miss important cases because their "keywords" in their database query, even when well chosen, were unable to bring forth all relevant results.

I don't see how an ebook reader could be of use to a lawyer, except possibly for reading entire treatises or long cases.

I'd say that as a "young lawyer", you might want to realize that an e-book IS a "real" book....its just an electronic version of a paper book.

[RDaneel54]

Originally Posted by balok

I'd say that you people who systematically prefer ebook readers are the ones who are being unreasonable. Many of you are infatuated with electronic gadgets.

Must be that MobileRead Forums thing. Different strokes.

[Lynk]

I think the biggest challenge for me going from pbook to ebook was the ability to share & look at my books, or maybe it was a bit of 'look what I have' (sad to admit), books have always being a big part of me, I have read for as long as I remember. At primary school I read over 300 books in about a month for fundraising.

One of the reasons I bought my ereader is because I need to clear out 'stuff', having just had a 2nd child, there is no longer room to store things that don't get used on a regular basis. I have decided novels are going, I will still have heaps of pbooks from my travels, plus other books which would not be available on my ereader. So for me the main reason for the switch is to minimise, but for me I am going through a stage of doing this with everything not just books.

Only having had my ereader for less then a week, I can say I am currently loving the ease of using it, sometimes after turning the page I will look at the left side of the case to start reading, old habits die hard.