Do You Read On A Kindle, Paper Books, Audiobooks?

[Sam Gamgee]

I’ve been doing audiobooks for about twenty years (with a paper book thrown in now and again when time permits) and have enjoyed them a lot. I don’t plan on giving them up, but they don’t seem to scratch the literary itch like they once did.

I’ve been thinking of an old Victorian author I’ve been wanting to explore more and considered buying his books in nice hardback editions. Then it dawned on me that I have his entire catalog on Kindle (I think I gave $1.99 for all those books a long time ago).

So I dug out my Kindle Paperwhite. It’s been on dead battery mode for about ten years and it’s still working. It’s not the same as reading a paper book but it’s still pretty cool. I didn’t connect well with it years ago but I’m going to give it another try.

Do you all use a Kindle or the like? How do you do your reading?

 

[Kobold]

I used to use a Kindle when I was reading the Game of Thrones books because I didn’t want to lug them around. I think my Kindle is long gone. Probably lost in a move.
I like to read paper books primarily. I like the smell of the musty pages and seeing my progress.
used to like audiobooks when I was driving to work and wouldn’t mind using them now but my kids are so loud that I doubt it would be very pleasurable.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am a speed reader, so real books appeal more to me, as I can't seem to take in paragraphs as fast, plus no pages to flip. I have a pattern that just works better for real pages, paperbacks preferred.

I do listen to audiobooks occasionally, especially when I am driving. I've tried listening to them while I work at my bench, but my mind goes into creative problem solving mode, and when I realize a book is playing, I've lost track of what is going on. As far as audio stuff, audio podcasts appeal to me more than just someone reading a book to me. But, not like those homemade crappy ones. I like the ones with a bigger production... mostly history, art, or various other topics that may appeal to me at the time.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

I am a speed reader, so real books appeal more to me, as I can't seem to take in paragraphs as fast, plus no pages to flip. I have a pattern that just works better for real pages, paperbacks preferred.

I do listen to audiobooks occasionally, especially when I am driving. I've tried listening to them while I work at my bench, but my mind goes into creative problem solving mode, and when I realize a book is playing, I've lost track of what is going on. As far as audio stuff, audio podcasts appeal to me more than just someone reading a book to me. But, not like those homemade crappy ones. I like the ones with a bigger production... mostly history, art, or various other topics that may appeal to me at the time.

That’s funny, I much prefer the homemade podcasts and don’t at all care for intro music and sexy production. It often comes off as pretentious to me.

 

[SBC]

All of the above.

Theoretically, hard copies are much preferred (like @Kobold, I have a deep affection for the smell and feel of yellowed pages). But much of my day doesn't allow for that.

We listen to audio books when driving.
I listen to podcasts while working out.
I read hard copies to the kids each evening.
I read hard copies for 30ish minutes when going to bed.

I have both a Kindle and Nook, and have gone through seasons of life when I read voluminously in those. But it's been awhile now. As life shifts and adjusts (as it is wont to do) there will probably be new situations in which the e-readers are preferred.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That’s funny, I much prefer the homemade podcasts and don’t at all care for intro music and sexy production. It often comes off as pretentious to me.

Yeh, low quality, homemade, just doesn't work with the subject matter that I usually select. I don't want some goon living in his mother's basement's opinions on History, Art, or Curation. I tend to follow ones made by the Smithsonian, or one of the college lecture or discussion series. They tend to be better produced with easier to verify information.

 

[yanoJL]

I use the Kindle app on my phone.
I agree that there is something about the tactile feel of a physical book. But portability is important to me. So I've switched to digital unless a particular title is only available as an actual book.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

Yeh, low quality, homemade, just doesn't work with the subject matter that I usually select. I don't want some goon living in his mother's basement's opinions on History, Art, or Curation. I tend to follow ones made by the Smithsonian, or one of the college lecture or discussion series. They tend to be better produced with easier to verify information.

Those types are often the most pretentious to me. I listen (or endure it when I can) to one called THE REST IS HISTORY with a much of snobby Brits. Sometimes I can’t take how seriously they take themselves.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Those types are often the most pretentious to me. I listen (or endure it when I can) to one called THE REST IS HISTORY with a much of snobby Brits. Sometimes I can’t take how seriously they take themselves.

Wait, when I say history, I don't mean just "history". I mean, art history, history of industrial printing and reproduction processes, history of philosophy, Aesthetics, Maybe a biographical discussion of an artist or particular movement in aesthetics. It has to be stuff that appeals to me at the time. If they aren't taking themselves seriously, then it is of no use to me.
I also will occasionally look for ones that center around a particular debate resolution that my team is researching. I can't spend my time with dodgy research or humor. Hell, if I want dodgy facts or humor, I just set down with my wife for a conversation, ha ha.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

Wait, when I say history, I don't mean just "history". I mean, art history, history of industrial printing and reproduction processes, history of philosophy, Aesthetics, Maybe a biographical discussion of an artist or particular movement in aesthetics. It has to be stuff that appeals to me at the time. If they aren't taking themselves seriously, then it is of no use to me.
I also will occasionally look for ones that center around a particular debate resolution that my team is researching. I can't spend my time with dodgy research or humor. Hell, if I want dodgy facts or humor, I just set down with my wife for a conversation, ha ha.

I understand: but to me, a slickly-produced podcast from a university or the Smithsonian etc doesn’t necessarily equate to quality content. Many of those institutions have been completely compromised at this point (i.e. gone woke) and have lost their credibility in the eyes of many. It’s easy to tell from the start of a podcast if the host knows his material or is just “some goon” spouting nonsense. Often at this point the latter are tenured professors with lots of initials after their name.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I understand: but to me, a slickly-produced podcast from a university or the Smithsonian etc doesn’t necessarily equate to quality content. Many of those institutions have been completely compromised at this point (i.e. gone woke) and have lost their credibility in the eyes of many. It’s easy to tell from the start of a podcast if the host knows his material or is just “some goon” spouting nonsense. Often at this point the latter are tenured professors with lots of initials after their name.

This where we fundamentally differ. I am not going to debate this with you, but we now have the fulcrum of our differences.

 

[geoffs]

Love my kindle.
Love being able to read in low light.
Love having all of the books I'm reading available in a small form factor.
Love the ability to highlight and make notes.
Have a subscription to Readwise which is a service that stores your highlights and makes it easy to search and revisit them.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

Those types are often the most pretentious to me. I listen (or endure it when I can) to one called THE REST IS HISTORY with a much of snobby Brits. Sometimes I can’t take how seriously they take themselves.

The Rest is Hostory is a good podcast. The two men who produce it may well be snobs, but if they fall under your umbrella of 'woke', then I'm afraid you have no idea about them. Sandbrook in particular, is virtually McCarthyite in his pursuit of the 'woke'. For me, I don't care if they're woke or asleep, if they are snobs or if they are horny-handed sons of toil. The only thing that matters to me, is the quality of the content, and these two always produce quality podcasts with verified or verifiable information. Forget all this stuff about snobs, or woke, or anything else that is irrelevant to the production of a good podcast on history, or any other topic.

 

[fireground_piper]

My wife only reads on the kindle. When I want a book, I buy the hard copy.

My career is in the audiobook industry, so naturally I have listened to a lot of audiobooks over the last 18 years one way or another.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

The Rest is Hostory is a good podcast. The two men who produce it may well be snobs, but if they fall under your umbrella of 'woke', then I'm afraid you have no idea about them. Sandbrook in particular, is virtually McCarthyite in his pursuit of the 'woke'. For me, I don't care if they're woke or asleep, if they are snobs or if they are horny-handed sons of toil. The only thing that matters to me, is the quality of the content, and these two always produce quality podcasts with verified or verifiable information. Forget all this stuff about snobs, or woke, or anything else that is irrelevant to the production of a good podcast on history, or any other topic.

I didn’t accuse them of being woke, just snobs. But sometimes they are funny. I particularly enjoy getting their take on religious-themed topics since they aren’t particularly religious. I’ll sometimes listen to an explicitly religious podcast about the same topic and try and find the truth somewhere in the middle.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I didn’t accuse them of being woke, just snobs.

I guess I am a snob, but...

 

[Sam Gamgee]

My wife only reads on the kindle. When I want a book, I buy the hard copy.

My career is in the audiobook industry, so naturally I have listened to a lot of audiobooks over the last 18 years one way or another.

Something I’ve noticed when it comes to audiobooks: a great reader can make a mediocre book a lot better, and a bad reader can ruin the best of books.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

On topic…. I really enjoy getting a nice hardback book with thick, quality paper and a beautiful font. Few things go better with a pipe and a pint.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Something I’ve noticed when it comes to audiobooks: a great reader can make a mediocre book a lot better, and a bad reader can ruin the best of books.

And, if someone has f'n Tom Hanks read one more book that I want to listen to, I am going to puke!!

 

[Sam Gamgee]

And, if someone has f'n Tom Hanks read one more book that I want to listen to, I am going to puke!!

I always prefer a Brit reader, and a female Brit reader is even better. I’d love to find books read by Scottish, Irish, and Welsh people too. The book would hardly matter: I’d just want to hear them speak.