white_hart (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
white_hart) wrote2021-01-23 06:37 pm
white_hart) wrote2021-01-23 06:37 pm
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Saturday discussion post: book formats (23/365)
How do you prefer to read books? Have you embraced ebooks or are you sticking to paper books? Or maybe audio books fit into your life better?
I still love paper books: the feel, the smell, the sense of history of second-hand books (I have a copy of Mansfield Park my grandmother gave me when she got a new match set of Austen which she'd got second or even third hand and which was originally given to someone by Sir Rowland Hill, inventor of the postage stamp). In particular, I prefer reading non-fiction in paper format and not ebook, and I like paper books for re-reading because it's much easier to find favourite scenes than it is in an ebook.
I also love my kindle, though. Without it, I would probably have had to move to a bigger house to fit all the books in by now. And there's a lot to be said for being able to carry hundreds of books with you and not having to worry about have spare books with you in case you run out of reading material, and being able to read huge epic novels without worrying about whether you can fit them in your bag. (Not that I go anywhere or carry bags any more, but one day I might do that again.) I also find that not being able to idly flick through pages when I know I should be putting the book down and going to sleep and then finding I've skimmed through the whole thing is a good thing, and recently I've also discovered that when my brain is struggling to focus and I keep losing my place so that reading a whole page of text takes ages being able to increase the font size so I only have a few words per page really helps.
I don't do audio books, though I like the idea; unfortunately I struggle too much to concentrate on audio and while I can listen to discussion podcasts while doing something with my hands that stops my brain wandering off on random tangents until I suddenly realise I haven't heard anything for the last ten minutes, I can't manage enough concentration for a story.
How about you?
I still love paper books: the feel, the smell, the sense of history of second-hand books (I have a copy of Mansfield Park my grandmother gave me when she got a new match set of Austen which she'd got second or even third hand and which was originally given to someone by Sir Rowland Hill, inventor of the postage stamp). In particular, I prefer reading non-fiction in paper format and not ebook, and I like paper books for re-reading because it's much easier to find favourite scenes than it is in an ebook.
I also love my kindle, though. Without it, I would probably have had to move to a bigger house to fit all the books in by now. And there's a lot to be said for being able to carry hundreds of books with you and not having to worry about have spare books with you in case you run out of reading material, and being able to read huge epic novels without worrying about whether you can fit them in your bag. (Not that I go anywhere or carry bags any more, but one day I might do that again.) I also find that not being able to idly flick through pages when I know I should be putting the book down and going to sleep and then finding I've skimmed through the whole thing is a good thing, and recently I've also discovered that when my brain is struggling to focus and I keep losing my place so that reading a whole page of text takes ages being able to increase the font size so I only have a few words per page really helps.
I don't do audio books, though I like the idea; unfortunately I struggle too much to concentrate on audio and while I can listen to discussion podcasts while doing something with my hands that stops my brain wandering off on random tangents until I suddenly realise I haven't heard anything for the last ten minutes, I can't manage enough concentration for a story.
How about you?
no subject
I don’t do audio books at all, have never really tried them as I prefer the other options. If I want to listen to something it will be music (preferably something I already know).
I like re-reading and so I already have most of my reading downstairs in the book cellar :-) If I’m travelling and need extra reading material I might use AO3 as backup, or just generally browse the internet.
no subject