Books vs Kindle

Audio books, do remember the story? I've tried them so many times, and very recently on Spotify. I literally forget what's been said 5 minutes later. I feel my brain needs more time to process things, and in writing I can read and progress at my own rate.

Edit: wrong quote :p
 
Last edited:
I'm a mix of audio books, ebooks and physical - being able to spontaneously pick something up from the bookshop is too good to pass up.

I've got an ancient Nook which can't do dark mode very well because of the backlight, I'd probably use it more if it could.
 
Not sure if your libraries use this.

Leicestershire libraries you can borrow ebooks and e-audiobooks from an app called BorrowBox. Need membership to use this and it’s free. They have one license per book/audiobook so one user can have it at a time. You can request to go on a waiting list if a desired book is out on ‘loan’ and get an email when is available for you.

Never used the ebooks, only the E audiobooks. Which used a lot during my eye surgeries which I couldn’t see much.
 
I'm amazed no-one has mentioned libraries. It is the answer to your space issues.
I volunteer in my local library, so get easy access to them. I actually have a book on Chess out at the moment, along with a couple of kids books, definitely useful! A lot of them also make use of places like Overdrive, where you can borrow ebooks. Having my Overdrive account ono my Kobo also gives me easy syncing for any books I borrow. Mine also supports PressReader for magazines.
 
Yeah, that was me!

Does no-one else use a library?
It’s open on days when I’m at work. I donate some a few BBC History magazines which are 5-7 years old to a magazine swap scheme they use. I pick up another history magazine or some genealogy magazine for mum.

Most libraries in Leicestershire, and sadly elsewhere - are community libraries so don’t get help from councils and rely on volunteers. My parents and I went to a village and noticed that the community library was open. Sales of books taken out of the library system go towards the costs of energy bills.
 
real book everytime. reading on a digital screen isn't even close to being the same. so sayeth me!


Digital every time. I love reading but hate the smell and feel of the paper used in books. If it was laminated it would be fine :p

I probably read 30-40 a year, usually on my phone which is awful I know. I should really buy a Kindle.
 
Last edited:
I'm amazed no-one has mentioned libraries. It is the answer to your space issues.
I love libraries, the problem I always used to have was they either didn't have the book I wanted so I'd have to request it in (usually paying a fee), the book would be out etc :( Given I tend to like to read entire series of books waiting several weeks between every book in a series that had been fully released 10+ years ago was annoying:)
There was also the practical issue for me of getting to and from it.

At one point I was going to the library every week or two and had a full card, and at the same time had probably a thousand+ books in and around the house. I still sort of regret the big cull I did in my early 20's, I had a very extensive run of the Doctor Who books up to that point as I'd pick them up whenever I saw one.
 
I love libraries, the problem I always used to have was they either didn't have the book I wanted so I'd have to request it in (usually paying a fee), the book would be out etc :( Given I tend to like to read entire series of books waiting several weeks between every book in a series that had been fully released 10+ years ago was annoying:)
There was also the practical issue for me of getting to and from it.

At one point I was going to the library every week or two and had a full card, and at the same time had probably a thousand+ books in and around the house. I still sort of regret the big cull I did in my early 20's, I had a very extensive run of the Doctor Who books up to that point as I'd pick them up whenever I saw one.

I often just pick up some random book when I'm there. I would never have read any Raymond Carver if it wasn't for the library.

With you on the clearance regret. I had dozens of the scifi masterwork series- all gone now. I still miss seeing a long row of them on my shelf.
 
Got both.

Finance, football & self help type books go on Kindle. 6th century to pre industrial revolution European history (my thing) i buy the real book for my collection.
 
Last edited:
Being an old git with both extreme short sightedness and age related long sightedness, they call that presbyopia, and not being able to get on with varifocal glasses, I would be knackered without a Kindle. I can increase the font size as I like and hold it close to my face in a sweet spot where I don't need to wear any glasses at all. Could not do the same with an actual book. Do this with a Steam Deck too and find it much easier on my eyes. So yeah, buggered up old eyes kind of forces it if I still want to read books.
 
Last edited:
Digital every time. I love reading but hate the smell and feel of the paper used in books. If it was laminated it would be fine :p

I probably read 30-40 a year, usually on my phone which is awful I know. I should really buy a Kindle.
Black Friday (more like Black November- as got emails since the 1st) great deals on Kindles
 
Novels on Kindle, have been for...a long time. I've moved countries several times so books have been got rid of along the way anyway.

Kindle is one of the few bits of technology in my lifetime that is an unequivocally awesome improvement. An entire library in a little device, and I love the immediacy. Mate sends a book recommendation, and I can be reading it in a few seconds.

Plus I can save my shelf space for CDs because I have atrocious double standards and couldn't live with just streaming music :P
 
I've tried really hard to get into my Kindle this year. Got a paperwhite for Christmas and have read 15-20 books on it, but I still much prefer a real book. Something about the tactile nature of a book, the feel of the paper the smell of the ink even the font used all add to the experience. I also like the way I can visually see how far through a book I am, feel how many pages are left compared to how many I've read. Helps to subconsciously place what im reading in context of the whole story. A % number on a Kindle doesn't cut it.

I'm slowly reading my way through the full SF masterworks collection all on paperback. I tried a couple on kindle but it wasn't the same, so I'm back to buying books again. 123 out of 186 read, im going to need a bigger shelf.

/Salsa
 
Being an old git with both extreme short sightedness and age related long sightedness, they call that presbyopia, and not being able to get on with varifocal glasses, I would be knackered without a Kindle. I can increase the font size as I like and hold it close to my face in a sweet spot where I don't need to wear any glasses at all. Could not do the same with an actual book. Do this with a Steam Deck too and find it much easier on my eyes. So yeah, buggered up old eyes kind of forces it if I still want to read books.
That sounds a bit like my dad before his eyes got worse (he's 80's and was using an e-reader from pretty much the moment he saw my 505).

They're an absolute godsend for people with bad eyesight, that and audible which has made getting full audiobooks easy and relatively cheap to do.
My dad uses my audible account, I think in 2019 he did something like 100 books, I'll admit I was struggling to buy them fast enough, I'd been a sub for about 4 years at that point, and very deliberately buying every book I thought he'd like when they were on offer he went through vast swathes of my library in about 2 years (2400 hours in 2020).
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom