Never Going Back
I think I’ve officially sold my soul to the electronic word.
Over the Christmas holiday I was gifted with two book. Physical media. Ya know, paper and ink? Guess what I did before I even cracked open the spines. Yep, that’s right, I downloaded electronic versions to put on my Nook.
I couldn’t bring myself to lug around this ancient form of leisure. I couldn’t easily store them in the glove compartment of my car. And it would be impossible stealthily sneak a quick peek at a few lines during long, drawn out business meetings or during random downtime while code compiles, installs, or configures.
I fear I’ve officially given up on the printed word. I used to be a huge book collector, but now I feel that books are merely taking up space in my home that could otherwise be put to better use. Why keep dusting shelves full of books when I have literally thousands of novels on one slim device? And switching between novels is ridiculously easy. Today I finished The Player Of Games by Iain Banks, pressed three virtual buttons, and instantly began reading Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson. This, my friends, is convenience personified.
Sure, war could break out, an EMP burst could destroy all electronics, or the electrical grid could simply go dark for any number of nefarious reasons, but I think I’ll take my chances for now and dedicate myself to the goal of never buying a novel in physical form again….
….that is until the next Chuck Palahniuk book comes out, because I just have to have the first printing.
I loved Player of Games. Iain M Banks is a bit inconsistent though, as far as my tastes go. One book will be brilliant, the next might be a struggle to get through.
I have a Kindle now, and I love it, but I’m not giving up on paper books because I have my old favourites and I do still read them. However, I am pretty much done with buying pulp fiction in paper form, I think, and I’m going to stick to dowloading those wherever possible. This year’s trips away are going to be SO much easier with just the ‘one slim device’ to pack and carry around!
I’ll still buy new Terry Pratchett hardbacks (we have a collection going) and maybe a few other selected authors – and reference books, of course. I have to have those in physical form.
Who are you? WHAT…are you? No books? You’re not…human!!!!
PS–I just bought that Stephen King book you posted about recently.
“but now I feel that books are merely taking up space in my home that could otherwise be put to better use. ”
I hear ya. And living in a studio apartment, it’s even more so for me. I have limited space.
I don’t own a Kindle or Nook, so I’m still reading paper books, because if I do read…I like the feel of a book in my hands. And also the SMELL – HA!
But alas, I think the day WILL come when I too move into electronic books
LOVE the photo you shared on this post!
Have a super day, buddy!
I have both but my preference is still the good old paperback. I don’t read the hardbacks because they’re too weighty for my poor fingers to hold. I have the Kindle on the iPad and iPhone so my choice is quite good, in other words I have the best of all worlds. I agree though that the time will come when real books will no longer available.
Books could very well be taking up space, but they’re just as easily accessible as the electronic versions, in some respect. You don’t have to wait for printed versions to turn on or load. I don’t own an electronic reader but have considered buying a Kindle or iPad to read books on. I do, however, enjoy reading printed books. For novels, I think you make a good observation there, with it being more convenient to get the electronic versions of those things, since electronic readers allow you to go through more novels with ease than having to lug around their printed sister and flip pages and such.
Printed and electronic versions have their place…I think they are both useful, one more than the other depending on the reader and his or her lifestyle. Novels are not my thing, so I don’t tend to read much of those, if any. I read a lot of non-fiction and memoirs, so I like to read them in print rather than on a gadget. I don’t own an electronic book reader but have considered buying a Kindle or an iPad. Ease of use is important, but longevity and durability is important to me as well, as I do a lot of ripping and running around town.
I know that if I drop my book on the ground by accident, I can pick it up and it may be dirty or have some pages bent from the impact of the fall, but I can still continue reading it. I don’t know if I can say the same for electronic readers….guess I’ll find out if I ever do get around to purchasing a Kindle or iPad, lol.
Aw, that’s a little sad.
Even though I just gathered up a huge box of books from the basement to donate and will be plucking quite a few others from the bookcases in our living room to give away, I will still continue to buy them. I totally get why many people have gotten e-readers, they are so convenient and store lots of good stuff, but I haven’t gone there yet. I still love the real thing.
Awesome! Man, that was a fun read! I couldn’t wait for the end, and was sad when it arrived, but then King continued on and gave us _another_ ending that wrapped up story beautifully. As I write this I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about that ending. *happy tears*
@Jay from The Depp Effect
Curious: Have you read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson or (the classic) Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card?
@Nicole/MadlabPost
Yeah, I hear you. Technical and non-fiction books are still valid physical media. My collection of computer books can attest to this. And there is *something* about the tactile experience of reading a book, but once I got over this it was Nook all the way!
Just look at what Apple is trying to do; Get rid of overpriced textbooks and convert everyone to iPad. Not a bad marketing gimmick, but the trend to digital media is gaining steam!
Let me tell ya, apartment or house, space is *always* at a premium! Heh. Have a great weekend, bud!
That’s it! I’m taking up a collection so we can get you a Nook!