Go to the library! Boring post, maybe... but I still love, love the library! It's a cool 72 degrees in there, there's 2 floors of books, a coffee shop, no children with me, and oh - did I mention it was 72 degrees in there?!
Today's Picks:
For the man:
For Finnegan:
He is finally reading on his own, it takes some work finding books for him that he would like and he can read by himself. The kid loves cows like you wouldn't believe, but I'm forcing him to branch out :)
I didn't go overboard today for myself, mostly because I have a lot more work to do than I have time to read about work.
One guess who this stack is for :)
When arriving home from the library, guess what was waiting at the doorstep? Ribbit, you hush! ....(she knew it was coming!)
Yes, we have crossed over to the dark side, with an e-reader! Before you groan and moan and shut the book on me... there really is a reason for this :)
Not only would hubby really get a lot of use out of it, he had a gift certificate to use! When he deploys, he can't take but a couple of books with him since they won't fit in his little locker with all his other necessities. Instead of him turning into "Illiterate Hubby" for 8 months at a time, now we can load up as many books as we want before he leaves, and there is quite an extensive list of free e-books as well.
I am a die-hard fan of the feel of a book in hand, and I don't feel comfortable unless my bookshelves are always full, but I admit I'm excited to try it, and it arrived with my first book "beamed" into it in transit, LOL! Tonight, music lessons and as soon as I get home I can't wait to try it out.
So tell me, how many of you have an e-reader? I want to know what kind, if you like it, and your first impressions after using it! I kind of feel like a traitor, but I think it will be very useful for deployments and our long car trips back home. But of course, I will always love, love the library :), of course you can get library books too on some e-readers, too... LOL
No e-reader, I'm afraid that I am one of those that love the feel and smell of a book. I love, love the library too, a place where I can check out books first then see if I want them for my own library. However, I can understand getting an e-reader for your hubby if he loves to read. Then that's a good thing!
ReplyDeleteI have an e-reader. It's called a Kobo and I like it. I still like real books but I can buy books cheaper for the e-reader. My Kobo doesn't do color pictures so I don't use it for reference materials only light reading, books I read for enjoyment and then get rid of.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I don't like about it is I can't lend my books or give them to someone when I'm done. I can't sell them in a garage sale or donate them to the library when I'm done with them either. But I think libraries will soon have electronic books you can borrow onto your e-reader.
The only reason I got my Kobo was it was the cheapest on the market at the time and it came preloaded with 100 books. Lots of these books were classics like War and Peace, Anne of Green Gables etc. I figured those 100 books alone would keep me busy.
If you read lots of thick or large books the e-readers are easier on the hands and you can change the font sizes so if you are older you don't need to look for large print books or wear your reading glasses to read books.
I still love real books and think they are more environmentally friendly because I'm sure a book, well cared for, will last longer than an e-reader and doesn't use any electricity or plastic to make it either.
Cool new toy! At our library they have something called Overdrive, where you can download tons of ebooks for free. I do it for the audiobooks, so I can read and knit at the same time (yes, total dork over here!). Maybe they have that at your library too.
ReplyDeleteNo e-reader for me, I'm afraid I love that "old library book" smell way too much for that. Understandable for those deployed... what a great way to "pack" a lot of books!
ReplyDeleteWell, okay, because it's mainly for your dear hubby when he's deployed, I'll go along with it. But otherwise, give me a good ol' book to pack and take with me or fall asleep with at night! We rarely buy a book that isn't a reference book. We did buy most any book our daughter wanted when she was growing up, but anything other than a reference book we know we'll use for years, all come from the library. Could not exist without the library! (And ours doesn't even have a coffee shop.)
ReplyDeleteWell I never though of using an e-reader for military folk. That is perfect for those small spaces. And a gift certificate to boot. I cant help you with an opinion.I have not taken the plunge, I am very low tech ;). I still cant use 95% of my i-phone. I can only do one new technology a decade. I just figured out the 8-track and then look what happened. Same with the VCR. Im waiting for the home butler robot with weeding feature. Then I will be all over that.
ReplyDeleteUlrike, one of the things I like besides the feel of a real book is fidgeting with the corner of the page while I'm reading... this new thing should come with a corner "fidgeter" LOL
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Sparkless, I think the same way! The libraries (most) have epub formats you can check out, as long as your e-reader can handle their format. Hehe, I've already changed the font since Sprocket ate my glasses and I don't have new ones yet :)
We got Hannah a kindle for Christmas. She is a voracious reader and loves to take books on trips with her. On our last trip to Germany she had 5 or 6 books in her backpack alone! The kindle relieves her from carrying such a heavy burden. :-) Personally, I love the feel of a book in my hand and have not yet read anything on her kindle.
ReplyDeleteSarah, they have Overdrive here too, but the Kindle isn't compatible yet without a run-around software device. I'm hearing later in the year it will be able to get the library books, I hope so! One of the reasons I chose this one is because it does have that text to speech option - I've always hated audiobooks and didn't understand why people "listened" to a book ---- until I started knitting, LOL! Now I get it :)
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Megan, I don't expect to slow down my hard book buying habit any time soon LOL, one of my first downloads was "Sheepish" and since I sort of know the author I was a little miffed that the ebook was a little cheaper than the hard copy, so of course I had to buy both LOL... more fair to the author and I always like to be able to give the book to family or friends when I'm done!
Mama Pea, do you recall my bookshelves in photos LOL? I would never give that up. I am the same way, any type of reference book or other non-fiction type that isn't a biography will always be hardcover. This will be used mostly for novels, the things I don't really have the need to keep, and they never look as nice on my bookshelves anyways as my how-to books :)
ReplyDeleteI already make one mistake by purchasing the Raw Milk book as my first book... it should have been a real book. It's one of those fantastic Joel Salatin type books that should really be given to a fellow blogger when I'm done! I'll stick to novels and kids' books now :) Hubby has been into the classics lately like Ernest Hemingway and Jack London, etc, and those are all free downloads so that's awesome :) Only one library here has the coffee shop, the "big" one - that's where I go when I don't have the kids with!
Jane, LOL hubby mentioned that we could get the KIndle app for my iphone but I said "are you serious? I could never read a book on that tiny screen"!! Yes for military this thing is a boon, it could literally store 1000 books on it if you had the money for 1000 books of course :)
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Anke, I will know soon enough... 1 hour til the kids' bedtime and I'll be trying to read a mystery novel on it! Problem is, it's a mystery set in Northern Minnesota and I'm already going into it knowing that anything set in the North Woods REQUIRES an actual book to hold on to LOL!
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One more thing... it was 95 at 6 pm today, I am really starting to wonder how it is going to only be 79 tomorrow.... I don't believe the weathermen anymore!
E-reader what's that?I know -I keep telling myself"-self-you have to get out more"
ReplyDeleteJudy, LOL! Nah, the world would run just fine without all this gobbeldy-gook, better in fact!
ReplyDeleteI read for a living, mostly paper books. But out of necessity, I do plenty of flat screen reading too. I can't resist sharing my opinion. So please forgive the op-ed ahead of time. I prefer paper. Why? Because I love the library. I love a room full of books that you can see, comprehend and catalog all in a single glance. That's impossible with a computer. There's simply not enough space on a flat screen to take any library in all at once. And to make the feeling worse, the library of the world wide web is a vast ocean. When you're in an actual library you can see, say, 1,000 books in one glance. If you're familiar with that library, you'll know what your looking at. By contrast, when you're looking at a flat screen. You can see 5 books at once, and the card catalog of options is an abyss. I don't like that feeling of missing something important that e-readers give me, because they present such a small window into a vast ocean of impossibilities.
ReplyDeleteHi Jody! Thanks for commenting - I think you put it beautifully, I whole heartedly agree but my rambling mind lacks the ability to convey what you did perfectly! There's also nothing better than the quiet of the library, relative to our house, that is... and that's worth at least a couple hours of sanity in my book :) One think I noticed right away is that the Kindle automatically brings up page 1 of the actual reading, and I have to page backwards to see the cover. Some may say "why do you need the cover?", but I'm a girl that is used to books, I look at the cover, I like to see the copyright, I like to read the foreword or preface, etc. It's there, but it takes a little extra to get to it.
ReplyDeleteI adore books, of all kinds. I thought I would never, I mean never join the 21st century with an e-reader. Then came my 50th birthday and what did the kids get me, a Kindle. And let me tell you Erin, I just love it! I can toss it in my purse on my way out the door taking up less room than a normal book and lighter too. I have read so many books since Feb. I have lost count. And when we travel to Italy, it will be the first thing that will be packed in my carry bag. I will have loads of books with just my little light Kindle.
ReplyDeleteI also recommend getting the lighted case. I just love that too. I can read in bed and not bother hubby with the lights, or a pesky book light. The light is built into the case and runs off the battery.
Yup, I love mine and would not trade it for anything....lots of good free books too.
I knew one of you closeted Kindlers would chime in LOL! I'm glad to hear you like it, I hope to enjoy the best both have to offer. I couldn't spring for the price of the lighted case, but I did opt for a cheaper case with a clip on book light - reading in bed or at night is a must! I'm thinking this will come in very handy for car trips as well since the boys can load books onto it without having to pack so much stuff. I hope I don't get too attached to it since hubby will be needing it full time about December it looks like!
ReplyDeleteh boy! I too had my feet dug deep and not diving into that eReader craze. But then my MIL got me a Nook as a gift and it only took ONE eBook and I was a goner! I absolutely LOVE it. I read more now than I ever have. For your hubby, it will be perfect! And trust me sweets, you will love it too. There are always certain books, particulary refernece style ones that paper is always best, but for you 'get away' reading, this is the ticket! Enjoy! I am excited for you, oops...your husband. Yes, for him ;)
ReplyDeleteArrrgh! ". . . since hubby will be needing it full time about December it looks like!" Does that mean he's leaving you again? Well, I guess it is nearly a half year away but I'm already missing him for you! :o\
ReplyDeleteAPG, LOL, by the time hubby packs it up it will be full of trashy beach novels! Another observation: this thing is fattening - I'm an hour into it and I'm finding that since I can hold it and turn the page with one hand my other hand is free to eat, yikes!
ReplyDeleteMama Pea, nothing certain yet, but it looks like "workups" will start then, that's a period of 6 months where they are in and out constantly, 1 week out, 3 in, etc - it's actually more stressful than the actual deployment :)
ReplyDeleteYuck. I can understand how that would be upsetting. No routine that anyone can get accustomed to. The boys would always be wondering, "Is Dad gonna be here next week? When IS Dad gonna be here? How long is he gone for now?" You're a special woman to be able to handle all that!
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat discussion about ebooks! I've been looking and dreaming about these magic toys for about a year now, and still haven't taken the plunge, but it's coming one of these days.
ReplyDeleteWe love books around here, and the library is a weekly joy for us--but! I'm finding that there are lots more things to think about with an ebook reader too.
My 87 year old Mother was using WebTV as a simple way to access email, but it's being phased out. We shopped around and found the iPad as a substitute for her. Besides ebooks, it surfs the web, accesses her email and plays games, all in a simple, easy to access format. I'm sold, and want one myself. It would be a great, lightweight way to access our computer stuff while traveling, keeping track of our business website and much lighter than my laptop.
There's also LibriVox for free classic ebooks. My local library has downloadable audio books that I listen to while working on my laptop instead of music, and books for the visual reader.
The cost is coming down on these wonderful tools, and I'm still trying to figure out which one is best. I'd love to hear about more brands.
One more aspect to the ereader that hasn't come up yet. As it gets cheaper to publish without paper, more authors can see their works get published. It could lead to a greater variety of works being offered to us.
And there's always the good thing of saving trees for paper, of course.
ugh! I remember "workups". Long ago, but seems like yesterday! I'm thinking you might need your own Kindle by then, say for Christmas? Consider it a bargain gift, for you and the boys. ;)
ReplyDeleteHA! We spent the day at the library also! The boy walked straight up to the librarian and asked for non fiction ninja books. Done.
ReplyDeleteYou'll love the Kindle! I have one that I'm addicted to, but I must say, I like my nooks better because I can get the library books and they play the MP3s for audio books.
Hopefully the boy will get his package today! I know I'm expecting my new nook!
Ribbit
I doubt if I could justify an e-reader myself, but I am thinking about getting one for my sister who does hospice work. My neighbor has a Nook and she seems to love it.
ReplyDeleteI too prefer a "real" book, but sometimes a good read is better than no read...no matter how you get it.
ReplyDeleteI got a Nook for my birthday this year - so far I love it! There's a lot of free stuff out there - in fact, on of my favorite authors has released a huge chunk of her catalog for free! I also have found that while my e-reader is great for stuff I'm just going to read (novels, bio/history type non-fiction), it's really inconvenient for reference books. Especially cookbooks!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that I can have hundreds of books, and it takes up so little space! My house is *really* tiny, and storage space is at a premium. Also, I love that when I finish one book, I can just browse through my nook to see what I was to read next, instead of having to search around the various scattered bookshelves. This isn't so much about being lazy - more that when I'm watching DD I frequently can't leave her long enough to go find something else!
I chose a nook in part because their DRM is more flexible than the Kindle (easier to get ebooks from the library, etc), but a big piece of my decision was that I wanted to give the business to my local B&N. Not so much supporting the chain, just this individual store. DD and I spend about 2 hours in their children's dept there every weekend. It's pretty much the only place I can take her where she'll be safe, contained, and occupied. We've got a great relationship with the employees there, and this was my way of paying them back for their patience and understanding in dealing with a very loud autistic nine-year-old every week for many years!
I am a little behind, but I had surgery on Friday so I am trying to catch up on all your posts that I missed. I happened to buy myself a nook for my birthday this year. I have only purchased one cook book so far, but I like it because it has wi-fi (so I can use it in the kitchen instead of my laptop), and it is backlit, so I can read at night without bothering hubby. So far the whole family enjoys it. But I will not give up paperbacks, I use paperbackswap.com for most of my reading, and I plan on continuing to!!
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