REAL Books, or Kindle, etc

[indianafrank]

I noticed there is a thread, "what are you reading". I found it quite interesting and, picked up some book ideas. My question is, do you prefer reading a real book?
I have two Kindles, but find it difficult to enjoy reading on them. I guess it's due to my "old school" mentality. I just prefer books over a mechanical device for reading. In addition to the fact that I am an avid book collector and seller.
Also, do you always finish a book, even though you find it not to your liking.
Because I am a speed reader, I read everything.

 

[natibo]

I travel much overseas. The Kindle is a godsend. I no longer have to lug books around. After sometime with it, I cant imagine going back. All of the shelf space that was devoted books fits pipes and tobacco very nicely.

 

[drwatson]

Real Book! I like the way it feels, I can fold pages, store it on the shelf. And it never needs charging. Now my wife likes her Kindle, but stills buys books. Right now I'm reading the Whitechapel Horrors written in 92, but the book is new to me. It's a Sherlock novel, and I haven't been able to put down.

 

[huntertrw]

Nothing but printed and bound books for me please!

 

[phred]

I ran out of storage space for all of the books I'd like to own/read a long time ago. E-readers have been a godsend. I also read very quickly, so I normally have anywhere from 2-4 books going at once. Packing for a trip is much easier now - device plus charging cable plus voltage adapter, and that's that. I don't have to leave behind the hardcover George R.R. Martin tomes if I'm going on a long flight and want to re-read "A Song of Ice and Fire". I can also pack along the Network + Study guide, and 700 other books that might be of interest. I can adjust the font or the font size, if some editor somewhere made a poor decision or my eyesight deteriorates. I can highlight or annotate a text as I read.
In fact, it's gotten to the point that I actually prefer my e-reader if I'm reading in bed - much easier to handle a small electronic device than a 1,000 page book when lying on my side or my back.
It's rare that I'll not finish something - I read fast enough that I can get through nearly anything on sheer inertia, including the first "Twilight" book (which was execrable) and a freebie book that I got at a writing conference called "Devil Music" (ditto, but worse).

 

[tbradsim1]

Kindle Konvert here, Son wore me down. Downloads from Amazon is so amazing, and yes if the book is crap I still finish it. Another plus you can buy Books beforehand of the release and they automactally load , man that nice.

 

[fmgee]

If I had a choice I would get everything in hard back, first edition (hey and why not signed by the author as well?). In reality I read real books, paper and hard back as well as my kobo. The Kobo is great because it is small and the wait lines at the library are shorter for ebooks. Also with its own light it is easier to read at night. I keep very few books because of space issues so one it is read it is out the door so I have space for some more.

 

[captainsousie]

I much prefer a real book. I have a library of hundreds of books from the 1700s until the present all packed and stored waiting for me. The pipe with a nice paperback is one of life's great pleasures.
That said, living in a non English speaking country does limit the choice and I'll take my kindle over no book at all.

 

[derfatdutchman]

My preference is for real books. That said I do read books on my phone and tablet, especially when I'm on the go.

 

[johnnyreb]

For any subject that I know in advance that I will want to keep for reference or part of a collection, I want the real hard back book. I do have Kindle software on an iPad and use it for books that I might want to read but not keep. I read them for opinions & viewpoints only. I call them throw-always. I have had limited luck so far using e-library's on line.

 

[texmexpipe]

I read on both but have started to prefer the Kindle in some ways. One of them being costs. If I absolutely love a book sometimes I will then go buy it in paper or hardback

 

[simnettpratt]

I absolutely prefer real books. You can spend a whole day at Half Price books, walk out with a cart full of them and spend $22.50. That said, guys who say they like the convenience of having 1,000 titles on one tablet have a point.
I don't finish crummy books. Why would you punish yourself like that? I'm kind of a liar though; I just downloaded the Harry Potter series because I did like the first one a bit, but hated the rest and finished six out of the seven. Rarely read fiction (except everything Tolkien wrote).

 

[conlejm]

I prefer real books, but the best feature of all on an eReader is that one can make the fonts really big; easier on the eyes.

 

[tuold]

There was a point in my life when I was collecting books. As others have said, they are nice to hold in your hand, the feel, history, the smell are part of the reading experiance.
But now I'm at the age when I am divesting myself of worldly possessions (except pipes of course) little by little. As I look around the room, I've got nine shelves of books (more upstairs) and nine shelves of music CDs. (not to mention fifty vinyl record albums I haven't been able to part with. What is going to happen to all that when I'm gone? So now I have the Kindle and I read from that daily. We had a power outage last night and I had no problems reading in the dark. When the kids pack me off to the old folk's home all I will need is my Kindle!

 

[werebear]

Real books here. Honestly I love everything about them, even the way they smell.

 

[tobyducote]

I have a Kindle for long travels but still prefer the feel of a book...

 

[warren]

For me it's not an either or situation. Many manuals and many technical guides go on the iPad due to photos, schematics, and etc. coupled with the need for those items to be close at hand. Kindle or "dead tree" books preference depends on the book and on the situation. For travel it's the reader hands down. My antique books are of course made from trees. But, most books purchased these days are for the reader. I usually have at least three books going at any one time and the Kindle lets me carry them anywhere. So, no real preference, circumstances dictate.

 

[fishfly]

I was a hard sell on the Kindle. As an old English major, I grew up with the feel and smell of real books in my blood. I had books everywhere. I'd run out of bookcases and make another. I ran out of places to put bookcases.
When I was given an original Kindle I discovered that much of the 17th and 18th Century British stuff I'd been unsuccessfully scouring libraries for for decades was available from the Gutenberg Project. Free.
OK, it took some getting used to the Kindle, but a couple weeks with obscure Fielding and Smollett novels I'd never been able to find convinced me.
My first Kindle died an ignominious death from falling to the floor too many nights before I discovered covers, so I bought a Kindle Fire. It's a nice compromise between a lugging a computer for e-mail and light web browsing, but I miss the light weight and pocket-abily of the original. I'll probably need two.
Then there is Bookbub. I've read a lot of really interesting (though poorly proofread) new authors for free and $.99.
So I've probably caused of the demise of a half a dozen used book store. And I have a much clutter. Anyone want some bookcases?

 

[instymp]

Real books. Better for the environment & still selling like heck.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Nothing beats the feel and smell of a real book in your hands. I don't even own a kindle or similar device and likely never will unless they quit printing books in traditional form.