Read a book.

saracelica

saracelica

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saracelica
So I was talking to a women at work and said "I might get a job at Barnes & Noble" She said something I don't hear much. "Oh I couldn't do that job...I don't like reading." (WHAT!!) I just walked away shaking my head.

Granted I don't like reading text books but by gosh if it's about aviation I can barely put it down. Reading some non fiction (Evanovich) or something is fun though too.

Is it common that people don't like reading?!
 
Unfortunately, it seems my generation has forgotten about reading. I still like to read for fun, although I haven't done so in quite some time. However, I have seen people on the Metro with their Kindles and e-books. I don't think I'd like reading a Kindle. I like the feel and smell of a real book.
 
I love the smell of a new book. I hope they don't go away in my lifetime. Not a fan of the Kindle either. Alas I may have to get it one of these years.
 
I like to read to learn. I read a lot of textbooks, trade journals, and web sites. However I don't like to read for fun.

I would rather watch a movie. Not that I have anything against reading, but if it's purely recreational, I tend prefer other forms of recreation. Watch TV, a move, browse forums and "converse" with others, play a video game, frame some photos (I make my own frames and mattings), or several other things long before I reach for a book.
 
I love reading. My iPhone spends many more hours in the Kindle app than any other 10 apps on the phone combined.

My oldest son is also an avid reader. Not sure what happened with my younger son - I don't think he's read a book just for the enjoyment factor ever in his life.
 
It's something to do with the length with me I suppose, because I read blogs, magazines, several design publications and sites like this every waking moment I have, but I haven't read a book in quite a while. The main reason I don't read many books is because I have to read to completion. I can't start a book, bookmark it and come back to it later. I've actually never been able to do that, even in college.
 
I've heard a lot of people say "I don't like reading."

I'm not around a lot of people anymore however the ones I've been around over the last few years, very few read or even mention reading books. They can't put their text/internet phone down for an instant however books, nope.

I think people read a lot of facebook and text messages where they can jump from one subject to another totally unrelated subject every 4 seconds. Sesame street created the 3 minute attention span. Computers brought that down to seconds. If that doesn't cause ADD, nothing will.
 
Just say the marketing data somewhere the millenial generation is the largest demographic buying books. Sorry to end the youth bashing.
 
One of my favorite things in the whole world is to sit down with a good book. Can't read fro pleasure off a screen.
 
steingar said:
One of my favorite things in the whole world is to sit down with a good book. Can't read fro pleasure off a screen.
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I felt the same way about reading from a screen... then I got a Kindle (not the Fire, a regular one). I find it every bit as readable as a paperback, and I never lose my page. I still think the e-book pricing generally sucks, but I've been able to get some pretty good deals. Just finished a new one that cost me all of $2.99, and it was actually pretty good.
 
DaleB said:
I felt the same way about reading from a screen... then I got a Kindle (not the Fire, a regular one). I find it every bit as readable as a paperback, and I never lose my page. I still think the e-book pricing generally sucks, but I've been able to get some pretty good deals. Just finished a new one that cost me all of $2.99, and it was actually pretty good.
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http://www.gutenberg.org/

If you don't mind reading some older stuff, this is a great site for free books.
 
Reading a real book is far more pleasurable than an e-reader. Just something about the heft, visuals and the physical ability to turn the pages that seem to make it more enjoyable. Never needs batteries and never lose my place.

Gary
 
Gary said:
Reading a real book is far more pleasurable than an e-reader. Just something about the heft, visuals and the physical ability to turn the pages that seem to make it more enjoyable. Never needs batteries and never lose my place.

Gary
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For you... I don't miss having to prop a book open or trying to bend it the right way, etc. My Kindle holds thousands of books and still weighs less than a paper back. I have the new Kindle Touch and it is just the right weight and heft for me and feels good in my hand. As far as the pleasure in reading, that comes from the content, not the smell or feel of the book, for me. But, each to his own, they say. BTW, I have had several Kindle over the years and have never had to replace the batteries. You just plug it in every couple of weeks and it recharges just like magic.
 
Gary said:
Reading a real book is far more pleasurable than an e-reader.
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You mean for you :).

My wife is an avid reader, and prefers a Kindle over paper. She goes through a lot of them, and loves that when she is done, she can just buy another one without getting up.

Also it's hard to go on trips with 6-7 books :)
 
DaleB said:
I felt the same way about reading from a screen... then I got a Kindle (not the Fire, a regular one). I find it every bit as readable as a paperback, and I never lose my page. I still think the e-book pricing generally sucks, but I've been able to get some pretty good deals. Just finished a new one that cost me all of $2.99, and it was actually pretty good.
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Different strokes for all that. I work in front of a computer and read off it all day. At home I like the printed page. I get books for cheap all the time at the used book store, and for free from the library.
 
steingar said:
Different strokes for all that. I work in front of a computer and read off it all day. At home I like the printed page. I get books for cheap all the time at the used book store, and for free from the library.
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With the right e-reader, I bet I could cut a whole in a piece of card stock that would be the right size to cover everything but the screen on the e-rader, and cover where the fold was going to start on a book, and you would be hard pressed to know which was which.

It's nothing like looking at a computer screen.
 
I like my Kindle and I buy almost all the books I read that way now. It's much smaller and lighter than a book which is an advantage because I travel a lot. At home I do a lot of reading on an exercise bicycle and in bed and it's easier to handle than a book in both places. I also like the fact that you can preview books and then buy them instantly if you decide you want them. On the other hand, the Kindle (at least the one I have) doesn't display maps and pictures very well. It's also hard to flip back through the pages to reread something.
 
I like the idea of the Kindle because it saves paper and can hold an entire library in that little thing. However, the startup cost is a little too much just for some reading.
 
HerrGruyere said:
I like the idea of the Kindle because it saves paper and can hold an entire library in that little thing. However, the startup cost is a little too much just for some reading.
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I wouldn't want the Kindle device, myself. It is probably great for one thing, but like you said - that's a lot of money for some reading.

On the other hand, the Kindle app on my iPhone cost me nothing. ;)
 
I love my Kindle. I still buy some books in hardcover, but it's terrific to take the kindle on a trip and never run out of things to read.
 
No worries about startup costs the money you save onboxes and lack of backache next time you move will be well worth it.
I trimmed my paper book collection down to a couple o dozen from hundreds. I only buy ebooks now. Ill read paper books from the library, but wont buy one unless it is something special.
 
saracelica said:
So I was talking to a women at work and said "I might get a job at Barnes & Noble" She said something I don't hear much. "Oh I couldn't do that job...I don't like reading." (WHAT!!) I just walked away shaking my head.

Granted I don't like reading text books but by gosh if it's about aviation I can barely put it down. Reading some non fiction (Evanovich) or something is fun though too.

Is it common that people don't like reading?!
Click to expand...


If Barnes & Noble doesn't work out maybe you could get a job with American Buggy Whip Corp.
 
Not a fan of the Kindle or any ebook reader for the following reasons.
- If I read a book and I like it I can't say "Hey Susan I just read One for the Money you should try it" Because ultimately they'd say "Can I borrow it?" "No sorry I had it on my Kindle"

- From what I understand if something happens to the ebook device the books you purchased were only for that one device and if you buy another ebook device you have to rebuy the books.

But it's ultimately for the first item. I deal with computers all day and don't need another electronic *thing* in the house!
 
btw,

I read almost exclusively with audible.com. I get 2 books per month for $8 and download them on my phone. The plus is I can read while I drive and at night in bed with the lights out so my wife doesn't get disturbed.

I can't stand reading on iPads or Kindle's either. Listening to books is my preferred method now.
 
saracelica said:
Not a fan of the Kindle or any ebook reader for the following reasons.
- If I read a book and I like it I can't say "Hey Susan I just read One for the Money you should try it" Because ultimately they'd say "Can I borrow it?" "No sorry I had it on my Kindle"

- From what I understand if something happens to the ebook device the books you purchased were only for that one device and if you buy another ebook device you have to rebuy the books.

But it's ultimately for the first item. I deal with computers all day and don't need another electronic *thing* in the house!
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Not true on both counts:

There is a 14 day "lending" policy on most books and any book you buy is available to any and all Kindles associated with your account and don't expire.

http://blogkindle.com/2010/12/kindle-book-lending-is-here/
 
saracelica said:
Not a fan of the Kindle or any ebook reader for the following reasons.
- If I read a book and I like it I can't say "Hey Susan I just read One for the Money you should try it" Because ultimately they'd say "Can I borrow it?" "No sorry I had it on my Kindle"

- From what I understand if something happens to the ebook device the books you purchased were only for that one device and if you buy another ebook device you have to rebuy the books.

But it's ultimately for the first item. I deal with computers all day and don't need another electronic *thing* in the house!
Click to expand...
You can loan books from b&n nook. Stuff on my nook is automatically on my phones nook app and pc app, and opens at the page I was reading. The only loss is going kindle to nook or back. There are ways around that as well. Typing this on my nook tablet, am going to get a simple touch as well which will have all my books loaded as well. Only thing I dont like about this thing is it is too easy to turn on the browser and wase time on the internet.
 
saracelica said:
Not a fan of the Kindle or any ebook reader for the following reasons.
- If I read a book and I like it I can't say "Hey Susan I just read One for the Money you should try it" Because ultimately they'd say "Can I borrow it?" "No sorry I had it on my Kindle"

- From what I understand if something happens to the ebook device the books you purchased were only for that one device and if you buy another ebook device you have to rebuy the books.

But it's ultimately for the first item. I deal with computers all day and don't need another electronic *thing* in the house!
Click to expand...

With the kindle, you can have multiple devices registered (at no cost) and read content on all of them. The only drawback is that the page-tracking stuff only works on an account-basis, not on a device-basis.

I have a kindle reader for my android, a reader on my PC, and my wife and daughter have standalone kindles. They're all registered to "my" amazon account. And every kindle book we buy can be read by any/all the devices. Often I'll switch between my PC and my phone during the day and never lose my page.
 
saracelica said:
- From what I understand if something happens to the ebook device the books you purchased were only for that one device and if you buy another ebook device you have to rebuy the books.
Click to expand...
Incorrect. We have four kindles and share a single account on amazon. All the books ever purchased on that account are available on any or all of the kindles at the same time, and also on any kindle app on any computer or tablet, as long as you have the login for the amazon account.
 
I'm 19 and I love reading, though I don't get to do it that much. Though I did finish the Winds of War/War and Remembrance duo by Herman Wouk. Read Winds of War (1100ish pages) last summer and War and Remembrance (another 1400ish) this summer. Read a book called China Airborne, which looks at the emergence of China as a major industrial and innovative power through the lens of the aerospace industry (a fantastic read for anyone who hangs out here, for sure). Also just started reading a book called Longitude yesterday, but my parents seem to have taken it back with them after dropping me off at school...shucks. It seemed really, really interesting--it's all about the world puzzle of figuring out how to measure longitude.
 
Mafoo said:
With the right e-reader, I bet I could cut a whole in a piece of card stock that would be the right size to cover everything but the screen on the e-rader, and cover where the fold was going to start on a book, and you would be hard pressed to know which was which.
Click to expand...

Doesn't feel like paper, doesn't smell like paper, doesn't move like paper, doesn't curve like paper, it isn't paper.
 
jpower said:
I'm 19 and I love reading, though I don't get to do it that much. Though I did finish the Winds of War/War and Remembrance duo by Herman Wouk. Read Winds of War (1100ish pages) last summer and War and Remembrance (another 1400ish) this summer. Read a book called China Airborne, which looks at the emergence of China as a major industrial and innovative power through the lens of the aerospace industry (a fantastic read for anyone who hangs out here, for sure). Also just started reading a book called Longitude yesterday, but my parents seem to have taken it back with them after dropping me off at school...shucks. It seemed really, really interesting--it's all about the world puzzle of figuring out how to measure longitude.
Click to expand...

Now that you've read the books, try the mini-series that were made from the two Wouk books. You might enjoy them, too.

I read books, either hardcopy or on my Kindle. I like both, but the Kindle certainly has the advantage on a trip as it takes a lot less space in my laptop backpack than several books would take.
 
jpower said:
Also just started reading a book called Longitude yesterday, but my parents seem to have taken it back with them after dropping me off at school...shucks. It seemed really, really interesting--it's all about the world puzzle of figuring out how to measure longitude.
Click to expand...

That's a very good book to show how difficult navigation once was.
 
Ghery said:
Now that you've read the books, try the mini-series that were made from the two Wouk books. You might enjoy them, too.
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Yup! Those are pretty good! I've watched almost the whole first season thing. If you can call it a season. I've almost finished the Winds of War part.

denverpilot said:
That's a very good book to show how difficult navigation once was.
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Definitely looking forward to hearing about it. We were in London and took a trip up the Thames to Greenwich, and the clocks are really impressive--works of both engineering and artistic beauty.
 
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