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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:23 pm 
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mollyjade wrote:
LisaPunk wrote:
i dont know how physical bookstores are supposed to compete with Amazon and ebooks. i mean if you have an ereader why would you ever bother walking into a bookstore? especially since amazon has summaries and the "look inside" feature for a lot of books??


It's a completely different experience browsing for books in a bookstore (or library) and browsing online. It's much easier to pick up random Romance novels (or another genre) at the bookstore until you see one that interests you than to do the same thing online. Online, you get a lot more extraneous information to wade through. A lot of people browse in physical bookstores, but end up buying online. At one point, Amazon tried to capitalize on this by offering further discounts to people who did this using their price comparison app, which really pissed off indies.


i totally agree with this and i actually love browsing in bookstores but i also find even when there was a borders like 5-10 mins from my house i never went there. i would just order from amazon. my situation might be slightly unique to me however as usually going into Borders for me was like "oh god i hope i dont see anyone i used to work with," same thing with the B&N that is in the general area because when they shut down the Borders i worked out (long before they went bankrupt) a lot of people went to either 2 local Borders or the B&N that was pretty much directly behind the Borders i worked in. and working 7 years in a bookstore spoils bookstores for you a bit.

i also found i am one of those people who "browse in store/shop online" or now i have a libarry card so some of the books i perused at a bookstore and noted in my "want to read" list on my phone ive just gotten from the libarry.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:23 pm 
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i have a friend who uses the ereader on her PHONE. this to me sounds insanely annoying with small type and having to keep scrolling through the screen but she doesnt seem to mind it.

anyone else do this?

i dont think i could handle it

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:43 pm 
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LisaPunk wrote:
i have a friend who uses the ereader on her PHONE. this to me sounds insanely annoying with small type and having to keep scrolling through the screen but she doesnt seem to mind it.

anyone else do this?

i dont think i could handle it

I can't speak for Kindle or iPhone users, but the Nook app on Android functions a lot like the ereader. There's no scrolling, you either swipe the pages away, or you can tap left or right to move forward or backward. Still, on a five inch screen, that's a lot of swiping if you've got the font set at an easily readable size.


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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:48 pm 
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doesnt hurt your eyes?

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:53 pm 
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I don't know. I don't do serious reading on my phone.


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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 3:43 pm 
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Cell phone novels are a big thing in Japan.

Wikipedia
Article in The Daily Fig, whatever that is
Top 10 cell phone novels in English (article is almost 3 years old)

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 3:54 pm 
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gahhhh, my eyes say that would not work for me. I look at a big, backlit screen enough of my life, paper books are a break from that.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:18 pm 
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I have the Kindle app on my cell but I haven't ever used it to read (just to look up recipe ingredients.) I resisted an ereader for a long time because I assumed that they were backlit like a computer screen. I'd have to be pretty ridiculously bored and desperate to read a book on my phone!

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:12 pm 
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Calls "cavemen" on that
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Hm. I am a big time reader. Like reading 3 books at once kinda girl. Known to read entire books on flights.

I have an ereader (old Ipad that I won in a drawing, never would buy one). I use it when I travel to read sometimes. I also have a super boring job, and read books on Kindle for PC.

But I have to say, the eReaders are just not as ENGAGING as a book is. I have a much harder time getting into books on an electronic device. Maybe its just me. Maybe I am that old fart that yells about books on phones and hey get off my lawn. But I just love books.

I use the local library a lot and there are some great local used bookstores that I frequent. I feel like buying used books is not only more affordable, but it's always good to re-use when you can, and support local businesses at the same time.

I love the feeling of being in a bookstore. B&N does not really do it for me, but I love the smell of used bookstores, and the people in there. You know, the ones that are so intently looking at the books they softly run into each other and make sorry noises that are not really words. And the owner of the bookstore that knows where every single book is, and makes reccomendations when she sees you come in. And the weird notes that you sometimes find in used books. Grocery lists. Weird doodles. Sometimes reviews of the book written on little slips of paper! I like to add onto them, and keep them in there when I sell the book back to the bookstore.

Indie bookstores are pretty cool too, but there are not a whole lotta those around here. Wish there were more.

I do use amazon for new books I gotta have right when they come out and for cookbooks, simply for convenience and price.

All this is ancedotal in regards to the orginal article posted and the disscusion though. these are my experiences. I am sure that I am one of the few. the proud. the old school book reader.


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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:15 pm 
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An independent book store opened up in my neighborhood just a couple of years ago. I was shocked! Even more shocking is that it's still in business.

I dunno, whatever. I try not to read--it's bad for you.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:19 pm 
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brian wrote:
LisaPunk wrote:
i have a friend who uses the ereader on her PHONE. this to me sounds insanely annoying with small type and having to keep scrolling through the screen but she doesnt seem to mind it.

anyone else do this?

i dont think i could handle it

I can't speak for Kindle or iPhone users, but the Nook app on Android functions a lot like the ereader. There's no scrolling, you either swipe the pages away, or you can tap left or right to move forward or backward. Still, on a five inch screen, that's a lot of swiping if you've got the font set at an easily readable size.

you can convert files to use your ipod as an ereader. back when i had the large screen ipod i did that a lot (many a plane ride was passed reading Gibson and Gaiman). It's small and you lose formatting (there is only one font and format), and you had to scroll, but for multifunctionality and traveling light it worked pretty well.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:24 pm 
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Chicki wrote:
I love the smell of used bookstores, and the people in there. You know, the ones that are so intently looking at the books they softly run into each other and make sorry noises that are not really words. And the owner of the bookstore that knows where every single book is, and makes reccomendations when she sees you come in. And the weird notes that you sometimes find in used books. Grocery lists. Weird doodles. Sometimes reviews of the book written on little slips of paper! I like to add onto them, and keep them in there when I sell the book back to the bookstore.


<3

near my hometown, there's an enormous used book store in what used to be a mill. there were rows of windows near the very high ceiling, and the light came in just right, and you could see the dust rise up off an ancient copy of something that no one had touched in a decade. they had everything. for a long time i dreamed of taking it over someday. i spent so much time in there that once when my mother went in looking for something for me, after i had left for college, the owner said, "oh, is that for acr?" i guess she knew it was my mom because we look alike, but i was really surprised that she remembered my name. i was even more surprised (and flattered) to hear that she had complimented my taste in books. amazon recommendations will never compare.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:30 pm 
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I get so sad when people say there are no independent bookstores in their towns. I can't imagine living without them at all.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:31 pm 
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LisaPunk wrote:
doesnt hurt your eyes?


Not mine. I have the kindle app for iPhone and you can adjust the text size. I guess I swipe a lot to read but I've never been annoyed by it and I read a lot of long books on there!

I don't think I'd read ebooks if the phone app didn't exist. I'm willing to deal with the inconvenience of a small screen to avoid having to spend money on an extra device that has only one function and is yet another thing I'd have to carry around (and in my case, lose).

I'm kind of sorry to see B&Ns close. In my home town and work town (sounds weird but theyre both small towns where i spend all my time) the only bookstores in downtown were Borders that had run out the indie places Now there's no book presence there at all, just boring clothes boutiques and restaurants. I think I got spoiled by amazon though. The brick and mortar stores never have a good selection of veg cookbooks, crafts books, or science books and those are the only things I like to look at. I ended up never buying anything -- I'm part of the problem!

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:57 pm 
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LisaPunk wrote:
i have a friend who uses the ereader on her PHONE. this to me sounds insanely annoying with small type and having to keep scrolling through the screen but she doesnt seem to mind it.

anyone else do this?

i dont think i could handle it


All but two of the books I've read in the last year have been eBooks on my iPhone. I get seriously annoyed when a book I want to read isn't in e-format!

Analog books are not backlit and the type is too tiny and not adjustable!

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:23 pm 
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acr wrote:
near my hometown, there's an enormous used book store in what used to be a mill. there were rows of windows near the very high ceiling, and the light came in just right, and you could see the dust rise up off an ancient copy of something that no one had touched in a decade. they had everything. for a long time i dreamed of taking it over someday. i spent so much time in there that once when my mother went in looking for something for me, after i had left for college, the owner said, "oh, is that for acr?" i guess she knew it was my mom because we look alike, but i was really surprised that she remembered my name. i was even more surprised (and flattered) to hear that she had complimented my taste in books. amazon recommendations will never compare.

My friend used to live next door to a bookstore exactly like that. It's in a big old mill building and I think you could spend days in there and still not see every book! (Unless it's the same one? In Franklin MA?) We loved going there and looking through all the old books and the owner was incredibly nice and would offer us tea. Such a different experience from the big chain stores.


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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:35 pm 
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Staring at a computer screen all day at work irritates my eyes enough that I thought I needed new glasses but my eye dr says I just get dry eyes so maybe an ereader wouldn't be best for me. When I surf the web on my phone like I am now I zoom way in

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:36 pm 
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raspberrycomplaint wrote:
acr wrote:
near my hometown, there's an enormous used book store in what used to be a mill. there were rows of windows near the very high ceiling, and the light came in just right, and you could see the dust rise up off an ancient copy of something that no one had touched in a decade. they had everything. for a long time i dreamed of taking it over someday. i spent so much time in there that once when my mother went in looking for something for me, after i had left for college, the owner said, "oh, is that for acr?" i guess she knew it was my mom because we look alike, but i was really surprised that she remembered my name. i was even more surprised (and flattered) to hear that she had complimented my taste in books. amazon recommendations will never compare.

My friend used to live next door to a bookstore exactly like that. It's in a big old mill building and I think you could spend days in there and still not see every book! (Unless it's the same one? In Franklin MA?) We loved going there and looking through all the old books and the owner was incredibly nice and would offer us tea. Such a different experience from the big chain stores.

yes! the shire!

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:39 pm 
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Guys, I'm pretty sure The Shire is in Eriador, not Massachusetts.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:56 pm 
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Words on a sceen don't stick in mind the way they do in print. If I'm reading a paper book and then I want to reference something I can usually find the page in less than a minute. It is so much more difficult for me to refer back to things on the screen unless I bookmarked it because I knew I would need it. I can't imagine getting an e-reader although I do like the idea of not carrying around books al the time and then storing them and then deciding which ones to sell back. And I generally am all about new tech.

I mostly browse on Amazon and buy at the local bookstores. I buy on Amazon too but I definitely use it more for reference.

Also I thought this thread was going to be about how all books seem to be more or less about the apocalypse these days. But maybe it's just what I've been picking up.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:30 am 
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acr wrote:
yes! the shire!

That's it! After reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler as a kid, I started looking for places I would like to secretly live in. The Shire bookstore would definitely be on the shortlist. (And there are so many good places to hide there that I am 90% certain I could pull this off.)


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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:32 am 
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Chicki wrote:

But I have to say, the eReaders are just not as ENGAGING as a book is. I have a much harder time getting into books on an electronic device. Maybe its just me. Maybe I am that old fart that yells about books on phones and hey get off my lawn. But I just love books.


I'll join you on the porch shaking my cane and yelling about books on phones. I actually have Kindle installed on both my phone and my ipad and because I travel a lot by train and am always looking for ways to lighten my load, I thought reading e-books would be ideal. But I really just can't get into reading a book on a device. Articles, sure, but a whole book... nah. I managed to complete one novel on Kindle (Slaughterhouse Five) and then just went back to paper books, even though they add weight to my bags. Of course, it helps that I work in a bookstore (indie!), but I don't think I'm biased just because of that. I just like the feel of a book in my hands, the ritual of turning pages, the smell of books, the way ink looks on paper.

Another thing I don't like about e-books is you can't borrow or lend them the way you can with a real book. You can't buy them second-hand. And, except for the occasional deal, or copyright-free titles, they're way overpriced. But really, it is mainly the reading experience itself that keeps me reading paper books. I've got a bunch of classics that I downloaded for free on my Kindle, and I'm still tempted to buy the paper versions to read.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:36 am 
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I've actually been reading more books lately, but I think it's because I'm trying to read some that I already own. I love getting ebooks through the library, but I think I'll probably continue to buy books. I agree with everyone regarding the tactile quality. It's just not the same to lie around with an ereader as it is to lie around with a book.

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:40 am 
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I want to come be the voice of dissent regarding the feel of books. I don't like the feel! My skin is either unusually dry or I am more bothered by dryness than other people. Some kinds of paper, particularly the kind they often use in paperback novels, feels like it is sucking the moisture out of my skin. And the corners and edges of pages poke at my cuticles and make them irritated. Screw you all and your book-feel nostalgia!

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 Post subject: Re: Doom and gloom in the world of books
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:50 am 
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Normally, I'm the one yelling and screaming about technology but I'd say both are different but there are definitely certain aspects about ebooks on a kindle (or an eink reader in general) that I like. Beyond the things I've mentioned, I'll never lose my place. I'll never misplace my book (as long as I know where my kindle is at). I can easy stop reading one book, go read another book, then start reading my book at the exact same place I stopped. I can make my font as big or as small as I want (this is less an issue for me but I think a lot of older people buy them for this feature).

I know why we would mourn the diminishment of the paper book but I'm here to say viva el ebook!

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