Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

The thing about public domain books or other permanent freebies is that they'll almost certainly still be there later when you actually want to start them. If you ever actually want to start them. There's no need to download them now.

While that does seem reasonable, don't forget Disney loses the Mouse in a couple of years. Do you think they aren't going to engineer a new copyright law that will screw everybody else? So, IMHO, get the classics that interest you when you see them in your preferred format. Create a library just to hold this type of stuff instead of your main library.

I'm pretty sure I have close to a lifetime worth of ebooks and audiobooks, estimating that I will live another 20 years. But I can still fit a few more in! I just want to make sure that they are ones I WILL read!

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by issybird

My reaction to Kondo is that while I appreciate her basic insight about only keeping things that spark joy, I think that fleshing it out into a book did lead to troubling concepts, as with this. My own reaction to donating is that if something isn't really serving a purpose for me, I'd rather get it out there where it might do some good, but a fair amount of stuff doesn't spark joy but I need it anyway.

I think that Kondo-san would probably not gripe with you about this. Sometimes you just have to have a cast-iron skillet, but it isn't a joyful thing. But I am fairly certain that she was addressing "stuff" more than essentials. I read part of the book in the original Japanese and I remember the noun being different.

Originally Posted by issybird

I think the tipping point for me with Kondo was when she described how she empties out her purse every single night, to repack it the next day. Someone's got way too much time on her hands! And I do clear out the receipts on a daily basis.

Funny that - I don't carry a purse, I just have my work bag. But because I am so minimal in what I carry, save for the medicinal and survival items, almost everything comes out and goes back in anyway during the course of my day. As to her having too much time, she actually chafes against that assertion quite a bit. She has two toddlers now and still carries on her practices as she did before. (Her instagram is a fascinating place and her children are adorable).

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm just about there, but not quite. It's been easier for me to take the occasional pass than once and done. I appreciate this comment as bolstering my resolve to go for deeper cuts.

Go for it! I have not ever missed a single thing I got rid of in that purge. It also spurred me to create a virtual reading jar page on a spreadsheet. I picked 50-100 things and randomized them in excel. But I only put things on the list I reallly wanted. So if it wasn't on the list, did I really want it?

Originally Posted by issybird

What I did a while back is to rank my books in terms of appeal; I have five classifications and my default Calibre list orders them according to them. What I like about this is that it's out of sight, out of mind. Once I haven't looked at the titles in a while it would be easier to do a blanket deletion. Realistically, I don't need or want to have to consider those in the bottom two categories again.

You've done most of the work already. Now its just about letting go. If you don't want to consider the bottom two, then dump 'em!

This thread always reminds me to reevaluate all the crap in my house, not just my electronic stuff. Pleasant discussion, so thanks to you too.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Moods? Typo for Books?

I recommend ignoring freebies, as do many others here. They are not free - they cost you time.

So true. I used to search daily for freebies until I realized I was spending an hour each day looking, downloading and posting them. I read very few to completion. I still have 6500+ remaining in Calibre all are in a separate library out of sight.

As another posting said, most freebies are repeats.

[kcladyz]

Originally Posted by Fbone

So true. I used to search daily for freebies until I realized I was spending an hour each day looking, downloading and posting them. I read very few to completion. I still have 6500+ remaining in Calibre all are in a separate library out of sight.

As another posting said, most freebies are repeats.

freebies are a gamble but I would look for the "classics"

[joblack]

I am just wondering about the harm of 'e-book addiction' in general.

I bought a lot of e-books in the last ten years (around 5.000+ in total). A great part of them were deals or free ones.

My opinion is as long as you don't harm yourself or your family and don't 'waste' all your money or even get into debt it should be fine. I am glad I invested it in in e-books instead of beer or parties.

Of course the cost-benefit analysis isn't great but in what hobby it is really the case?

[Apache]

Originally Posted by joblack

I am just wondering about the harm of 'e-book addiction' in general.

I bought a lot of e-books in the last ten years (around 5.000+ in total). A great part of them were deals or free ones.

My opinion is as long as you don't harm yourself or your family and don't 'waste' all your money or even get into debt it should be fine. I am glad I invested it in in e-books instead of beer or parties.

Of course the cost-benefit analysis isn't great but in what hobby it is really the case?

My wife's reply to my buying eBooks is :at least it isn't cigarettes, booze or drugs.
Apache

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's certainly possible that by (on the whole) ignoring freebies I'm passing up some gems. But every freebie I obtain, start, and then abandon wastes time that I could be spending enjoyably reading some of the books I have already bought because I want to read those books.

The main reason I take the time is that most of the 'popular' stuff I find very meh. Publishers are pandering to a common denominator in recent years and I find very few books in the mainstream that would qualify for "bought because I wanted to read."

So, I peruse the indies (not just free) in search of the good stuff.

[bookaho!ic]

have bought 11 this month so far, 7 of which were by Craig Robertson - i had an ARC copy of one of his books to review and i wanted to read the others in the series first however i only buy books mainly when they are at 99p (and sometimes get them for 89p due to kobo vip)

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by joblack

I am just wondering about the harm of 'e-book addiction' in general.

The two main problems of ebook addiction is that you are wasting $$ if you never read the books you buy AND you waste a lot of time sorting and arranging or scrolling through unread books that you could spend socializing, doing another hobby or reading. I still welcome you here on the thread, but maybe if you aren't trying to control your addiction, we can't really help you.

On the plus side, pretty much all the ebooks you collect will fit on a flashdrive, so storage and backing up is pretty cheap. Make sure you store one flashdrive off the premises along with your family photos.

[kcladyz]

I been buying books every other day.I cant help myself

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

I been buying books every other day.I cant help myself

Been pretty bad myself lately. “Oh, a sale!” *buys ebooks*

[pdurrant]

After a flurry of buys at the start of the month I've been remarkably constrained this month, for me.

The thing about sales is that they're not a bargain if you're not going to have time to read the books. My rule of thumb is not to buy if you wouldn't have bought it at full price if you wanted to read it *right now*

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

My rule of thumb is not to buy if you wouldn't have bought it at full price if you wanted to read it *right now*

I like it.

The underlying problem is when the sale creates the want, which should always be viewed with extreme misgiving. It can help if you sit on the sale, even if it's only for a few hours when it's a daily deal, as the want can become a lot less pressing. Another tactic is to stop scrutinizing the sales pages altogether. Let ereaderiq which has been recommended many times both do the work and keep you from temptation. If you don't see it, you won't buy it.

[kcladyz]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

Been pretty bad myself lately. “Oh, a sale!” *buys ebooks*

I get satisfaction watching it download to the kindle. its like a drug lol

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

I get satisfaction watching it download to the kindle. its like a drug lol

I'm too poor to give in that easily, but the freebies... no control.