JANUARY DISCUSSION: Will old fashioned books disappear forever?

[Amadine]

So with the event of E-readers and Audiobooks will the old paper and ink books go the way of vinyl records? Something kids look at say "what is that?!"

 

What is your preferred way to experience the written word?

 

Discuss

[Ledinna Sedai]

It's fun to be the first voter. It seems like everybody agrees with you :P

 

I don't think the paper-ink books will become history, not for a long time at least.

I also prefer them to any other form of written word. There's just something magical in holding, smelling and reading a real book, I think

[Amadine]

I agree! But i am also really enjoying audiobooks at the moment :)

[amegakure]

I like books but audio books and e-readers are more convinet plus they don't kill trees!

[Songstress]

I prefer the experience of holding a real dead-tree book (like Ledinna Sedai said)... but due to a lack of storage and my love of re-reading, I've recently become an e-book convert for my permanent collection.

 

When trying out a new author or series, I usually go through PaperbackSwap.com because it's almost always less expensive than paying for the Kindle version, but my limited bookshelf space can't hold everything I want to keep and re-read, so once I'm sure that I like it (i.e. Brandon Sanderson, after reading Elantris and Mistborn book 1) I trade back the dead tree books and acquire e-books for those and future volumes from the author/series... then I use my PBS credits to try out something else.

 

It's a slow process to get rid of my extensive piles of paper books, and not the most efficient way of course, but it does give me the opportunity to read as much as I want in my own time frame. :)

[Ryrin]

It's fun to be the first voter. It seems like everybody agrees with you :P

 

I don't think the paper-ink books will become history, not for a long time at least.

I also prefer them to any other form of written word. There's just something magical in holding, smelling and reading a real book, I think

 

Yes, I value my books greatly. They are treasures.

[RockyP]

I did a podcast on this topic. Chck it out if you like:

 

 

Rocky Perry

[number13]

I'm divided on this one, but I think e-readers will eventually win out, for a few reasons:

 

1) The quality is now such with e-ink that it doesn't cause eye strain in the way that reading on portable backlit devices always used to.

 

2) The ease of use is staggering. I'm able to carry, for example, the entire WoT series in my coat pocket, which has meant I've had more opportunities to read of late than I did when I was constantly carting around whichever novel(s) I was reading at the time.

 

3) Where I live, there is one bookshop. If I'm reading a multi-book series, it is pretty much fated that whenever I go to get the next one, it won't be in stock. They'll usually have the one before and the one after, just to compound me. With my e-reader, I can just hop online and be reading in moments. I appreciate I could order the book online, or for the store to get it in, but that sense of immediacy is fantastic, especially if you're reading a gripping series and can't wait for the next installment.

 

4) This is a potential biggie, too - in terms of accessability for the blind, it's worlds ahead. My vision is ok (I'm not saying I'm blind!), but I noticed my Kindle can read to me. It's not perfect, but it's not terrible either. When the software improves for this sort of thing, it means that audiobooks will instantly be available of all books, even the newest. While the robotic delivery won't be akin to a proper professionally-developed audiobook, it does mean a huge leap forward for giving this sort of access to people who can't otherwise read a printed book for any reason.

 

That said, I do love books. Proper books. Much like MP3s don't subsitute for CDs/Vinyl (depending on the age of the crusty luddite speaking), there's something reassuring about the weight and feel of a really good hardback when curled up in bed with nothing else to do other than enjoy it, so I'll be sad if they ever disappear forever.

[Crowl Rife]

They'll never fully go away.... there will always be some kind of market for printed books, and it's really the only media you can experience without using some sort of device. It's not like albums or movies, where you can only use a device to view them, so formats are easier to do away with.

[Panchi]

Paper and ink books. I just can't concentrate on audio books. Like a audio is playing and in the middle of it I would start thinking about something. Then after a while I would be confused why did it happen. Paper and ink books keep my concentration in one place usually. And I haven't tried Kindle so i can't say about it. Though it must be easy to carry it but it wouldn't give the feeling of satisfaction once you have completed a big novel.

[Winterwinds]

Nope, ink and paper arent going to go into the past for a long time.

 

Also, I prefer reading and holding a physical book. If and when I ever get published even if they dont want to publish it on paper, I will still get one printed up, JUST ONE so I can hold it >:(

[Mattthecoolfish]

While I do have a Barnes and Noble Nook color, I also like to collect the hard back copies of the books a really enjoy. For instance every year I get a Harry Potter book in hard back as well as a WoT book in hardback for Christmas from my parents. I think that there are many people out there like me that like to have a visible library even if they do the majority of their reading on a Nook or Kindle. Another thing is Vinyl is coming back because people have realized that the sound quality is so much better. Nine inch Nails has produced an album on vinyl as well as John Mark McMillan and other well known Artists. I actually just got a Turntable and a series of Vinyl Records along with a few of my friends. So even if paper books do go out of style there will always be a market for them to someone who thinks they are neat much like Vinyl or even Film cameras rather than digital cameras. No one sells film anymore besides specialized stores and online shops that are really expensive but some people like film cameras still.

 

Yeah there will be kids that will say WHAT IS THAT! when they see a real book or a record or film but there will always be those Hipsters or Retro people that like them like anything else that is old fashion.

[Perfexionist]

This question reminds me of Fahrenheit 451, although that book is more of a "If all books were banned, would you still read?" question.

 

While digital media, including books, are growing in popularity, I think we are still far off from a time where books no longer exist. And as others have said, there is just something about holding a book or walking through a library that I don't think tablets will ever replace.

[Lenlo]

I cant stand audio books. I can see the appeal, but they just dont hold my attention as well as paper & ink books do. E-readers I can put up with, whenever I can not find the actual hard copy of a book anywhere and I will admit they are very convenient. I just personaly prefer paper & ink. I love the feel of the paper and if you can find an old enough copy of a book, the smell of the old pages. One of the best books I own, in my opinion, is a Bible from the 40's bound leather and all given to me by my grandmother. Old leather just smells and feels amazing.

 

Sorry if I rambled abit, but I think I got my point across somewhere in there.

 

-Len