Comments on: It Doesn’t Translate

By: Professor Beej

Professor Beej — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:45:04 +0000

You’re right. It’s not the same with an ebook and it won’t ever be. The thing for me, though, is that I don’t want it to be. As much as I adore books and hope to one day have a home office decorated floor to ceiling in nothing but, I have never found their pleasure to be tactile. For me, it’s the ideas inside that matter, what I can get out of the words and how they’re put together. The language makes me engaged, not the way I get a handcramp from holding a hardcover for too long with my right hand.

For me, my line comes in with books I use for research. If I am going to be writing a paper using a book, I want a hard copy. I need notes in the margins, highlights on pages, underlined text, and arrows connecting ideas. I simply cannot do that with the Kindle’s annotation feature, no matter how useful it is in keeping my ideas for a passage.

When I read for pleasure, however, I prefer my body to be comfortable and my eyes easy. I’ve found that the Kindle (it’s the only ebook reader I’ve used, personally) lets me sit in any position and not worry about my back/hand/side/neck cramping like lots of books do. Because of not having to worry about ever losing my place or keeping a spine cracked, I can actually get into some funky positions and enjoy my reading instead of tolerating it while I find a position.

In the end, it’s all personal preference anyway. And I have too many books right now on my shelves and I’m out of space, to boot. So the Kindle wins for me. Until I get that home library-office, that is.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:54:47 +0000

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by clairdevers: Do you think an ebook is the same as a paperback? Please comment: http://www.clairdevers.com/2010/02/it-doesnt-translate/ #ebooks #writing…

By: My name is Michael Devers and I am a junkie | Michael Devers

My name is Michael Devers and I am a junkie | Michael Devers — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:52:42 +0000

[...] case you couldn’t tell, I’m a book junkie. My wife is also. For Valentine’s Day this year we scheduled a perfect date – sushi in San Antonio and then [...]

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:05:00 +0000

As I read this I realized how long it has been since i read anything on paper. I’m a loser.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:31:33 +0000

Hi Clair,

Most trips don’t require 30 books. But there have been times when I have been fortunate enough to go away for more than a month.

By: clair.devers

clair.devers — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:16:52 +0000

@Gina – I didn’t even think about that factor. Some of our books have a zillion little sticky notes in them! And I have heard about books being deleted. How frustrating! Putting it on the shelve does give me a sense of accomplishment and comfort.

@Jack – How long of a trip do you take that requires 30 books? Wowsa! I think iBooks really work for some people, just not this people.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:06:00 +0000

I’ll eventually purchase a reader to use for travel. Far easier to take 30 books electronically than to carry them.

But at home I won’t ever give up on reading “real” books.

By: Gina

Gina — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:22:29 +0000

I’m with you on this one. I need to feel a book, flip the page, smell the ink and have something to put on the shelf when I’m done and they add a nice energy to the room. I like to highlight things and make notes. I get satisfaction out of seeing my books with creases, folds and cracks down the spine. Plus, I know it will be there when I want to re-read or check something and I don’t have to worry about it being deleted or a ‘corporation’ of some sort removing it without my consent.