Actual Books vs. Online Books?

Question

I would have to opt for real,tactile, take it to read before bed, get yourself lost in the pages books.

At over 200 books my bookcase is about to break and I love it.

And you, which is your favorite, and why?

I will agree that there are some good qualities about online books, but...still. I guess I'm just a plain ole biblophile.

Answer 1

Definitely the 'actual' book. I love everything about books - the new pages smell, the old pages smell (er, not musty, but just nice and old and wise). And then there're all the extras - the old way they used to bind them, with extra care; the occasional gold-edged pages; the ones that have the ribbon for a bookmark.

Our house exists so that books have a place to live and multiply. What I really want is a library like in "My Fair Lady" - a double-decker one with a balcony and smushy leather chairs!!

I can lose myself in online stories as well - as in fanfiction. I generally don't print them out because reading them on printer paper just doesn't do it for me. I can sit at a computer screen and become absorbed and snarl at anyone who interrupts me.
But that's fanfiction.

One of my worries is that one day there will be no books and everything will be online. If we could use recycled paper and/or some kind of vellum or something, then both trees and books would be saved.

Glad you understand about books. That's pretty cool. Great fun to answer, too.

Answer 2

I'm sorry to report it to you folks, but print is dead. Really.

Sure you all prefer to hold books and stuff, but do you think your children or granchildren will feel the same about lugging a paper book around when they could have a PDA with hundreds of books on it more easily?

It may not happen today. It may not happen tomorrow. But paper books are going the same way as papyrus scrolls, clay tablets, and cave paintings. It is INEVITABLE.

Personally, I find it MUCH easier to procure an ebook that is up to my standards than a print one. My absolute favourite book is "The Count of Monte Cristo". It was originally pubished one chapter at a time in a periodical. You'd be surprised how many publishers think it would be swell to leave some of the chapters out when they print them. I have never seen an ebook that was unnecessarily abridged, however. What would be the point? The difference between 150 k and 200 k is miniscule.

My personal PDA will show what amounts to about a half-page of text in a normal book on its screen at a time. And because it has several buttons around to turn pages, I can hold it in either hand and easily flip back and forth. I've also discovered that it's far faster to trun pages... once it becomes habit it's like a continuous stream of text. Another great thing about ebooks is that you can format the text any way you like. Prefer a specific font? Have trouble seeing and need large print? NO PROBLEM. Can't do that with a print book.

Nor are those the only advantages. Try 'em out and see!

Answer 3

I really love the good-old fashioned hold in the hand book and if I am sure I am going to keep it (as opposed to read it and pass it on) then of course I'd chose the real thing.

BUT I have a tiny British cottage not acres of US housing and frankly, I'm running out of space. If someone invents something that is large enough for me to read without having to scroll every 5 lines, at a reasonable price, then I'd seriously consider it for the more disposable books. I like the sound of the Sony Reader, but I've never seen one and probably couldn't afford it if I could - at least not now.

Answer 4

Well, I would rather read a normal book, just because. But when I'm at work and I don't have the ability to sit and read a tactile book, but I have all the time in the world to oogle at a computer screen, e-books are perfect! My library actually has a subscription to NetLibrary and from that, I can access it and read all the books in there from any computer. Very handy. I'd check and see if your library has a subscription to that or some similar e-book site that you can access, if you are interested in reading e-books.

Answer 5

I love the look, feel and smell of a new hard bound book. With a personal library of over 2,000 (yes my house looks like a library! lol)

I have also found the benefit of online books, e-books and books on CD to be ideal for space saving. I love the ability to go on vacation and take a half dozen books on CD with me as opposed to the several pounds of hard bound books.

I also enjoy the variety that is popping up online.

So often, when I go to the bookstore to look for something new, it all seems to be rehash of something that was published six months before.

Both have merit, but my favorite depends on my situation at the time.

Answer 6

I seldom read a physical book any more, but I definitely would it I could tolerate it. It is getting more and more difficult to see the print.

So I get unabridged audio books from my library. I listen to about three a week. I have gotten to know which narrators make the books most enjoyable.

I can't imagine reading a book online. It hurts my eyes just to think of it!

Answer 7

Hi there. Even though all of my books are available in both eBook and print, most people still prefer a printed book they can put in their hands to read.

However, I have found that free eBooks are terrific as promotional tools for printed books. I use short demo eBook versions to give readers the opportunity to read the first 4 to 10 chapters of my books so they don't have to spend any money to find out if the book is right for them. That doesn't cost me anything and readers are able to download the demo right away and read it on their computer. Then, if they like it, there is a link in the demo to order the full print or eBook versions. Cool huh?

If any of you would like to read a demo of my newest medieval fantasy epic, THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY, just email me at [e-mail] and I'll send it right away.

That's my two cents worth. Good luck, whatever you decide to read.

Jon F. Baxley (Author, Editor, Ghostwriter and Proofreader)

THE SCYTHIAN STONE (eBook only)
THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY (eBook and hard cover)
THE REGENTS OF RHUM (coming fall '07)

Source(s):

My author blog: http://the-blackgloom-bounty.blogspot.co...

Blackgloom @ Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594144...

Answer 8

Definitely a physical book to take into the bed or easy chair.
Online is cheaper, but there is an intimacy (don't read it sexual) with a physical book you can't get with a computer monitor!

I am reading alot of non-fiction lately..no real favorites. But as a whole, I love wendell berry..his essays and poetry!

Answer 9

I love to hold a book in my hands when I'm reading it. I like to turn the pages. Dog-ear the corners. Take it with me in the car.
Can't do that with an on-line book.

Answer 10

actual books are better, but for books about learning some new technology or some other thing for the computer, i prefer a downloadable version so i can refer to the book faster with the click of a mouse