e-Reading
Almost 2 years ago, Ted got a Nook for his birthday. He’s an early adopter, and is always looking out for the next new thing. So he wanted to try it, and it has suited him very well. He can load books, magazines, and newspapers to his Nook, and bring them all to work with him to read on his lunch hour, with no real effort.
Me? I’m a slow adopter. I resist change. I didn’t want an ipod, because my walkman was fine, thank you very much. I didn’t want a blog, what’s the point? I didn’t want Facebook, how stupid can you be? On all of these things, he’s forged ahead of me, and I’ve been dragged along, reluctantly but finally coming around to his way of thinking and enjoying them immensely.
So a few months ago, he told me he had downloaded Tom Perratta’s new book, The Leftovers, at about the same time I had put it on hold at the library. Eventually, it got to my turn with the book, but I sent it back, because Ted said I could read it on his Nook, and I wanted to give someone else the chance to read it, rather than wait for me.
So now I’ve read it. On the Nook. And? And? I’m sure you’re waiting with bated breath to know what I thought. Well, I felt like there were ups and downs, which are mainly based on past experience rather than actual issues. There are things I love about a book. I love the weight of it in my hand. I love the smell. I love browsing a library or a bookstore, by subject or by author. I love the feeling of progression you get as you make your way through the book, 1/4 way, 1/2 way, 3/4 way, almost done…
But there were advantages to an eReader as well. I liked how light and easy to hold it was. I liked that you only need one hand, and if you happen to be on your side, on the sofa or in bed, it’s very easy to turn the ‘pages’, and less disruptive than a regular book if the person next to you is asleep already.
Overall, I’m not completely convinced. I liked it fine, but gosh, I really like the feeling of knowing where in a book my favorite section might be, how far along I am, and the smell of it all. Then again, it’s not dusty, it doesn’t take much room in a small condo, and it’s easy to travel with. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Not yet. I’m sure I will. I always do.
9 Comments
Rain
What i think is this doesn’t have to be an either or. There are places for both. I like my Kindle better than my Nook because it seems to be easier on my eyes and after a lot of time on the computer, easy on the eyes is a big factor. There are things eReaders can do better than a book but things a book does best. I won’t give up books for the eReader but am quite happy to have access to both. One neat feature with the eReaders is (at least with Kindle) there are often a lot of free books out there or maybe $.99. You get one of those and delete it if it’s a book you know you’ll never read again. Much easier disposal system. But if you pay more for a book, then being able to resell it at a bookstore is an advantage. I think there is room for both.
Joan
I have a Kindle. I love it but was spending too much money. If there is a book I want to read, I first look online at our public library. You can reserve books on their website. If they don’t carry the book or the wait is way too long I’ll request a sample be sent to my Kindle then decide. I do look frequently on Amazon at their reduced Kindle books but found for the most part they were not that great.
I got my husband the Steve Jobs book for Christmas. While he liked the book, he remarked how heavy it was. I bought him a Kindle as an early birthday present.
Rain
Keep track of this site– http://dailycheapreads.com/ You never know what you will find there and it only takes a few minutes to scan the new entries. I got a Stephen Ambrose book on Custer and Crazy Horse for $1.99 as well as other fiction and non-fiction that all will come in under $5. Watch though when you go to either Nook or Kindle that the price is still good. The sales don’t last a long time.
Dad Who Writes (Gabriel)
I’m still doing both. I got the cheapest Kindle (no 3g, no colour no keyboard, no touchscreen etc etc – just reading the text) and forgot I was using an e-reader after a few pages. I also bought it with half an eye on my commute and the Steve Jobs bio. And 1Q84.
For novels or solid blocks of text, it’s great. But for poetry, it’s a bit ropey – the formatting is unpredictable – and there are still books which one wants to experience at a more aesthetic level.
Cherry
As you know, I as just gifted a Kindle. I resisted it for years due to me thinking it would be hard on my hands to hold, but it is so much easier for me to hold the Kindle than a regular book. Way less stress for my injured hands. And I can lay on my side and just let it lay there without holding pages open!
I was reading books in the dark on my iPhone and that is much harder for me to hold BUT I can read it in the dark. hence my main complaint about the Kindle… I need to use a book light which is harder on my eyes. And to use a book light I need to buy a Kindle cover for the book light to snap on to, and now my gift has cost me $150 (without any books).
Does the Nook version Ted has have a % read notation? My Kindle says on each “page” how far along you are in the book which I really like especially when reading fiction so I have an idea of where I am in the story.
I also need to find out if my local library has e-book licenses, because that will solve my other gripe about loosing that resource for books.
the best thing for me about the Kindle though is the instant gratification of downloading a book in seconds and jumpstarting me to read again.
OmbudsBen
Like you, I’m holding off, but I’m sure I’ll love it once I take the plunge. And I’ve heard the glowing screen is a big advantage when you want to read in bed at night without waking your partner. I hope you won’t mind one minor editorial note. The term bated breath uses the verb “abate”, meaning to slow or stop your breathing. Baited breath might be what you have after eating sushi. Or if you end up hooked. Which it sounds like you soon might be, on your e-reader …
J
Thanks Ben, for the editorial note. I’ve SAID and HEARD ‘bated breath’ many a time, but I don’t think I’ve read it often enough to let the correct spelling sink in. Kind of like the first time I saw the word, “Greenwich”, which I pronounced ‘Green-Witch”. My husband (then boyfriend) very delicately said, “Hmmm…I’ve always heard that pronounced ‘grinitch’, which of course, is how I would spell it if I were Dr. Seuss. 🙂
Bugwalk
Thank you for the Nook review. I’m also a late adopter–I’m probably the only person in San Francisco who still hasn’t gotten a cell phone. If communicating with smoke signals was good enough for my great-great-grandfather …
Linda
Starshine
I love my Kindle. One of the things I like best about it is the instant gratification if it’s late at night and I want to read something…I don’t even have to leave the house…I just buy it on my kindle and I’m good to go! Did you know there’s a Kindle app on iPhones? Probably one for the Nook, too, so if Ted is using the nook, you can read any of the books on your Nook account on your iPhone. 🙂
My favorite thing about the Kindle? Brian is a total book worm, so all those books he’s buying aren’t taking up space on bookshelves in our house. They live quite happily in cyberspace, and I’m content to keep them there. 🙂