Your eReader went down ~ did you stop reading?

[Caesius]

My eReader broke. I cannot afford a new one. It has been about 3 or 4 months & I have noticed that I have virtually stopped reading. I certainly don't carry the books with me that I used to before I was given the eReader. I was in the middle of some books & I had certain book series lined up to read --- now nothing.

Has this happened to you? Not necessarily the same exact situation, but had you ever found yourself during a span of time without the eReader (for whatever reason) and discovered you stopped reading physical books?
Just curious. I know that I simply have to change my methods, but this is about YOU. It is just so much easier for me to carry the iPod than a book (rarely a tiny paperback as I prefer the Trade Paperback versions).

BACKSTORY: I only just received my first eReader for Christmas. I loved it. I am one that reads a lot -- I am often waiting for doctors or pharmacists for hours & have always taken more than one book with me, so I can read what I feel like reading at the time. The eReader allowed me to take nearly ALL of my books with me & I read a lot more.

I was given an iPod Touch (from someone that upgraded to an iPad & who thought I could use the iBooks App for my books) & I loaded a number of books (about 100) onto it. It is really cute to browse and access the eBooks, but I do not enjoy reading on such a tiny screen. As one that truly does love the physical book, I also enjoy seeing the entire page before me as I read. I also tried to watch films on it, and that was a much easier way to kill the time, but made it made me sleepy to watch on such a tiny screen.

While I use an eReader, I treasure physical books. I am just not in a situation that allows me a place of my own, with a library or a private place to read when I wish (that was how I enjoyed reading the hard copy books). Nor can I afford to buy a book in my eLibrary, let alone the top 5 I'd hoped to read. I do have access to my books, as they are in boxes (again, I only just got the eReader last December). But only about 10% of my eLibrary consists of those books I already owned in hard copy. The rest (a rather large and exciting number) of books were new to me. The eReader became an invaluable assistant in accessing so many books anywhere at any time. Regardless of mood.

[OtterBooks]

nope.

[Penforhire]

No. I was robbed by a store in the Singapore airport when my e-reader went down and I did not want to face the long flight home without a couple of books (my wallet still hurts, lol).

[cromag]

My Jetbook Lite has never let me down, but I still do maybe half my reading the old fashioned way. Sometimes it's a matter of availability (I just bought several Science Fiction and Fantasy magazines from the late 50s and early 60s at a used book store), sometimes it's a matter of cost (I'm currently reading a book that I checked out of the local library -- the ebook was out of my budget), etc.

The JBL is another way for me to read, but for me the medium isn't so important.

[Ravensknight]

Ha. If my reader dies, I always have a dtb copy of something kicking around. At home, our personal library. At work, I always bring a book as backup, just in case.

But since I've only had my reader dead for a couple of hours at a time, I can't truly say what I would do if it died. Thankfully, my wife has a 505 as well, so I'd probably "borrow" hers

[cfrizz]

If my ereader dies, I will simply read on my pc the way I have for years until I can purchase a new reader.

[RainingLemur]

If my ereader(s) die, I've got backups by way of phone, DS, and PSP.

[Sydney's Mom]

I too find it difficult to read physical books now. Luckily, I have never been without my ereader for more than a couple days, but one time was right before a flight, and I did buy a paperback. I have picked up a couple hard cover books at the library that weren't available in ebook form - carting them around turned me on to Angry Birds (much lighter) and made me appreciate my ereader so much more.

[theducks]

I still rummage through my Deat tree books for something to re-read
In an emergency, there is the public Library a short- flat-ish bike ride (1.5 miles) away.

[Phogg]

If my five inch screen Sony PRS-350 goes down, I read on my five inch screen Dell Streak. I am stuck not being able to read outside.

[ucfgrad93]

If my Kindle dies, I will read on my iPhone, MacBook Pro, iMac, etc.

[Ditchleyportrait]

if my kindle died, i too would die.

the only way i see of surviving would be to buy brand new hardcovers.

but yeah i would probably die.

[Caesius]

So glad to see the replies. I was really curious to see the different ways this would impact people.

I'm sorry if some misunderstood me. My bad. I do like reading actual books. In fact, I prefer it. It isn't that I find it difficult to read hard copies, per se. My problem seems to be simply getting started. I don't want to carry around all the books I had before. And also because I do have a backup with the iPod Touch. I was always going back to that -- giving it another chance -- only to again be reminded how it simply wasn't enjoyably to read from. So, I switch to watching a film on it, only to get tired of viewing the tiny screen.

For those just joining the discussion, I am not looking for a solution (particularly when the solution is clearly written on the bottom of my tennis shoes, "Just do It"). I just wanted to hear how others felt when their machines were no longer available. And having just gotten out of the hospital, I have a lot more time on my hands this week for something like this. Thanks everyone!

[speakingtohe]

I lost my ereader on the bus (A good samaritan turned it in). I tried reading paperbacks, then it was my laptop till I got my reader back.
Helen

[Sweetpea]

No, I'd go back to pbooks in a flash. But that situation should never occur! Backup readers are mandatory