Comments on: Four Reasons Books Beat Kindles

By: mb11697

mb11697 — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:52:19 +0000

Two reasons have kept me from buying an ebook. 1) i\It’s another gadget that is going to be obsolete one day in the future, like an iPod, and it will contribute to the electronics filling up our landfills.

2) I can get a used book from the library for less than $1 and resell, lend or donate when done. In this case the convenience of owning a book doesn’t add up as fast as it would with an ebook.

By: literatewench

literatewench — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:07:44 +0000

Can you share e-books? I can loan out my paper books and still read my other books. Can you loan Kindle books?

By: M

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:15:18 +0000

Can you really not use your Kindle on the plane? The lady next to me on my last flight sure was, and that’s what got me interested in the beginning. Wouldn’t you be allowed to use it after you pass 10,000 ft (when you can turn on laptops, etc)? Is there a way to turn off the internet capabilities (which I assume are not allowed on the plane0?

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:00:05 +0000

Your articles gave me reasons to consider ever buying a kindle, gave more clarity to the reasons I consider reading a physical book superior to an electric one, and gave me new insight into the possibilities of both publishing methods for the future. One thing I would add to the benefits of a physical book is being able to share it tangibly with another reader when you’re done.

Victoria, I really like your writing style and content. I hope to see more of your writing in the future…your own blog? a kindle book? or a printed book?

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 06:15:07 +0000

The pleasure of picking up a well-loved book and beginning to read ANYWHERE — to me, it doesn’t matter where I open up “The Grapes of Wrath,” “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” “Main Street” or other books that I’ve been reading and re-reading since I was a kid. Whatever page reveals itself to me is where I start to read again. What a treat.

By: Brendan

Brendan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:20:13 +0000

You get things pretty wrong at about the second sentence. The smell of a library book that has been handled by so many is nothing like the smell of one of your own books. I’ll be rereading an old favorite and I’ll just stick my nose in there and breathe. It’s pretty awesome a smell. A book from the library on the other hand, its smell is down right disgusting. It’s “off” in so many ways.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:53:18 +0000

Sounds cool, I want one!

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:56:34 +0000

You can read all the specs of B.O.O.K.-the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge Device here:

http://www.fun-with-english.co.uk/2006/11/new-technology-book.html

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:51:19 +0000

What if the computer looked like a book?

By: Matt Fyffe

Matt Fyffe — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:34:30 +0000

I’m with you on this one. I mostly read to STOP looking at a computer screen. If reading suddenly became something done on the computer, I’d have no escape from computers.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:03:29 +0000

I guess this is sort of along the lines of the library comments, but how about the fact that you can’t share e-books with friends and family?

Over the years I have loaned out and borrowed dozens of books. Sharing an e-book can be difficult or, more often, impossible.

By: Corporate Barbarian

Corporate Barbarian — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:04:45 +0000

I “read” from a computer all day at work. Books are a nice escape back into my Luddite past. I don’t think I’m ready to switch yet.

By: James

James — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:45:52 +0000

I’m with nickel, I’ll take my (free) library card over a $359 gadget.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:03:06 +0000

Wow this IS epic lol. Does sound a bit salesy to me overall but it’s spreading the word I guess.

By: TStrump

TStrump — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:21:38 +0000

I tend to agree.
Not sure if I can ‘picture’ myself reading a book from a computer.