Ebooks vs "Real" Books

[AnnaM]

I love the idea of saving the space but do you think that ebooks take away from the experience of a "real" book? I am an avid reader and as funny as it sounds I am really worried that I am not going ot like reading an ebook. Does anyone use mostly or all ebooks for pleasure and school reading?

[amo_mea_filiis.]

We read a lot on the kindle because all of the classics are free.

[Amira]

We've switched almost completely to ebooks. While I love reading from real books, I don't regret the switch at all. Ebooks are so much more convenient, and really, I want the words and images from the book. My children all like ebooks better, in general, although there are some exceptions.

 

I do think it's important to have several different types of readers for different types of books. I'd never want to be limited to a small Kindle for our school reading, nor would I want to use the iPad for my pleasure reading. We've found that we need a reader per person, plus a couple of large-screen devices for our ebook library to really work for us. And our three-year-old knows he'll get his own reader when he learns to read.

[vonfirmath]

Some books I'm fine reading on the Kindle on my ipod Touch. (so really small screen) -- I'm even finding it helps my bible reading cause I have to focus on a small passage at a time.

 

Others, that the maps, etc are more important, don't work so well. Also books I want to flip back and forth to figure out who a character are don't work -- though maybe this is just a matter of learning how to use bookmark and Search functions better.

 

I do know I would not want the Kindle version to be the ONLY version of the Bible I had. There are some things I need my paper copy for.

[RegGuheert]

I think we have decided to choose the format on a case-by-case basis. Since we have three children going through simultaneously, eBooks make sense since most of the classics are free.

 

We bought our first paid eBook this weekend because it was $30.00 in paperback form or $10.00 in eBook format.

 

I would say that eBooks are generally better if you will be using them on a trip or in a car, but I don't see us replacing physical books that we already own, since the house has not collapsed, yet. :tongue_smilie:

 

Many physical books (not classics) can be had cheaper since they are available used.

 

As far as reading goes, I guess I prefer the eBooks since they can be read in the dark. But that's just me.

 

It seems we will continue to acquire both going forward.

[Heather in Neverland]

I love ebooks!!! I love my kindle and my iPad. I still love books of course but ebooks are so convenient.

[mamajudy]

I just got a tablet, and I have been reading books on it. It is convenient and has nice large print. I also have quite a few books on it and can choose what I feel like reading at the moment without having to carry around a library (I usually have numerous books being read at once). And yes, classics are free! Occasionally there will be a mistake in the book that somehow occurs as a result of it being scanned (I don't quite understand all that). And I never know how much more of the book there is because it just comes up a page at a time, whereas with a paper copy I know when I'm getting to the end. It not the same as a real book,but we have run out of space!

[YourFidgetyFriend]

I think we have decided to choose the format on a case-by-case basis. Since we have three children going through simultaneously, eBooks make sense since most of the classics are free.

 

We bought our first paid eBook this weekend because it was $30.00 in paperback form or $10.00 in eBook format.

 

I would say that eBooks are generally better if you will be using them on a trip or in a car, but I don't see us replacing physical books that we already own, since the house has not collapsed, yet. :tongue_smilie:

 

Many physical books (not classics) can be had cheaper since they are available used.

 

As far as reading goes, I guess I prefer the eBooks since they can be read in the dark. But that's just me.

 

It seems we will continue to acquire both going forward.

 

This is my favorite thing about ebooks. I have an e-ink reader, so it isn't backlit, but it still makes reading in the dark easier. I clip on the book light and don't have to deal with the awkwardness of flipping actual pages while keeping the book light situated.

 

It's also more comfortable for reading one-handed while laying down. Keeping a heavy book open with one hand makes my wrist hurt sometimes.

[merry gardens]

I just recently got a Kindle. I'm still adjusting to the new ebook experience. There are some trade offs, but I really like it.

 

It's much easier to find my place in the book. The page of the last book I read pops right back up on the screen. (my toddler removes bookmarks) But, I generally start reading "information" books by skipping and skimming various chapters, and that's much harder to do.

 

I thought I would miss the feel of holding a book in my hand, but that hasn't been the case. Maybe that's because I spend so much time on my computer. It feels almost like the computer screen merged with a book, only easier to hold than my computer.

 

I like being able to adjust the print size, but that comes with some trade off. There are ways to bookmark and highlight, but I haven't yet used that feature. My old ways of remembering where to find information in a book is gone---I depended largely on how far into the book and which side of the page the information was on, along with occassional pen markings. One I figure out the technology it will probably be fine, but my old memory tricks won't work here. Also, in discussing books, it's not quite so easy to "turn to page #__" when other people are discussing the material using physical books.

 

I turned to trying ebooks in large part because I was running out of bookshelf space. It won't completely replace real books, but it gives me a chance to have more books without more bookshelves and without worrying about what they look like. I not only like the feel of books, but I also like the look of books--when they are neatly organized and lined up on bookshelves. Books have become clutter around my home. My toddler pulls books off my bookshelves, so my bookshelves look disorganized shortly after I organize them unless they are blockaded. Either way, my books shelves don't look so neat. My toddler and the rest of us still have plenty of real books to touch and feel and look at and pull off the bookshelves. I can't imagine letting e books become our only source of reading material--I hate that thought!--but I enjoy having my new e reader.

[RoughCollie]

I prefer to read ebooks on my Kindle. I have a lighted cover so I can read in bed without disturbing DH. The cover is bright green, so it is easy to spot if I misplace it. I can enlarge the print if I need to. It isn't as heavy or bulky as a regular book. It is easy to cart around in my purse or my coat pocket. The 700+ unread, and mostly free, books I have on my Kindle do not take up any space. When I am done with a book, I can delete it from the Kindle, but it is still available to me on Amazon.

 

I still read regular books, but only when it is more cost effective (from the library) or when I am reading certain nonfiction books (the Bible is one of them).

 

The best part of having a Kindle is that there are free books listed on the discussion board on Amazon nearly every day. I have discovered a lot of really good authors whose books I would not have known about otherwise.

[beezus]

I was given a Nook as a gift. I use it occasionally. It's handy to download ebooks from the library or the free classics. However, I've found that quite a number of the free classics I've downloaded are full of errors. Sometimes so many that it has really detracted from my reading experience. The Nook is fine for reading novels, but seems very clunky for accessing reference materials. However, my machine is the first generation, so maybe the newer ones are better in that regard. Mine is not backlit or in color. To me, the e-reader is a handy tool that I use sometimes, but not a replacement for most of my library.

[SailorMom]

I was worried about the "real book" issue, but after having my e-reader for about 2 hours, I was hooked :) I do not miss real books at all.

I do still buy real books for any sort of reference, though...

[TravelingChris]

I haven't bought an ereader and don't really see why I would. I mainly read mysteries and many of the ones I read are old and not ebooks. For example, I am now reading through lots of series of short stories. Anyway, I either read library books (mostly) or buy used books or get them through paperback swap. I can'[t see swapping free or very cheap reading for more expensive, even if it is easier to carry.

[MeaganS]

I prefer reading regular books on my Kindle. It saves my page, I have a built-in light, and it is generally smaller than other books. That and I have a whole library of books with me in case I'm not in the mood for my current book. As for the "experience" of a book, I find that I don't miss it at all. For me, it is like the "experience" of a cd or tape vs. an mp3 player. I don't miss that at all either!

[Lady Florida.]

Ebooks *are* real books. The author is the same. The words are the same. The story or information is the same. Most of the time, the publisher is the same. Depending on which ereader you choose, the screen looks just like a page in a book. But the ebook is lighter, gives you more space on your shelves, and allows you to bring multiple books with you on vacation. Cost is what you make it. Classics are free. Many current books, both fiction and non-fiction are free. (Both Barnes & Noble and Amazon offer free books often). You can borrow books from the library, also free. And there are no late fees, because you can't forget to return it. It just disappears from your reader when your lending period is up.

 

That lovely scent of "real books"? Well, if you get your books used or from the library they could smell like dog, cigarette smoke, mildew, and any number of other unwelcome odors. Where did people read those books? Do you even want to know? If you buy them new then you're not really saving money.

 

I love my ereader. I can hold my Kindle in one hand, something I can't do with a hardback book and even some paperbacks. It fits nicely in my purse. It doesn't collect dust on a shelf. And it holds a huge library of Real Books.

[Food4Thought]

I love books. I love reading them in cheap paperbacks, when the ink gets on my fingers. I love reading them in huge hardbacks when (like someone previously mentioned) my wrists start hurting from trying to read in bed at night. And I really love them on my nook, where I have an entire library at my fingertips.

 

I still get real books from the library, but when it's time to buy books I actually prefer the eReader. I have the eInk, not a backlit color, so it's easy on my eyes and doesn't give me the same feeling as, say, being at the computer all day.

 

For me, the experience of a book is the experience of the words. If I forget I am reading, then the book is good. I get that feeling when reading on my nook just as often as I do with a real book. The format does not distract from being swept away by the words themselves.

[dangermom]

I love how many old and difficult-to-find books are available for free through Kindle or Google books. I have an Android tablet with about 6 different reader apps, and have downloaded lots of books that I can't get easily. I have yet to pay for anything. I'm reading Lady Audley's Secret right now.

 

I'm not giving up paper books, but e-books definitely have a place in my reading world!

 

I haven't bought an ereader and don't really see why I would. I mainly read mysteries and many of the ones I read are old and not ebooks. For example, I am now reading through lots of series of short stories. Anyway, I either read library books (mostly) or buy used books or get them through paperback swap. I can'[t see swapping free or very cheap reading for more expensive, even if it is easier to carry.

This is actually one of the things I'm happy about--the older mysteries are becoming available on e-reader formats and my library threw them away long ago. I am happily reading Margery Allingham.

[sandellie4]

I love my Kindle, but I'm not really able to completely give up hold-in-your-hand books. I use the Kindle for more light reading, for books that I want to race through just for fun and not necessarily keep on my bookshelf. I can't really buy used books and I rarely borrow from the library because I have allergies to mildew and dust, and these books tend to trigger my allergies. Now I can just get an eBook and read it without worrying about all that. Plus I can read it in bed (holding up heavy books hurts my wrists if I do it for too long), with a light to help me read in the dark.

 

But if I really, really love a book? Love it like a friend? I treat myself to a hardcopy of it!

 

Sandy

[Rhonda in TX]

It's all about the expense for me. I like my Nook, and have bought several books for it. However, I can buy a lot of current books used and they are so much cheaper than ebooks. I do find the Nook very convenient, though, and you can't beat the instant gratification of buying a book and having it to read it in less than a minute. :) I bet that when my kids are grown and I'm only buying books for myself, I'll buy more ebooks.