Are Books Disappearing?

[K M Britt]

Most writers have the desire to write no matter what the format is or will be in the future. There will always be new books published one way or another. But I agree that there is nothing like reading a good old fashioned paper book. It is relaxing to sit back in your favorite chair and read. Also no computer glare or audio book voices trying to convey emotion by their tone of voice.

[tinyViolin]

Gosh, I love my kindle. I get that people are attached to paper books because it's what they know. I guess if you don't move around or travel a lot it's ok. Whatever floats your boat! And it's true, e-readers aren't even that popular.

I have the kindle2. Any books I purchase with Amazon are automatically stored on their site, as well. So if I delete a book from my kindle, it's still on my Amazon account. I also have a file on my computer that holds all of my books, as I have a lot free classics in plain text that aren't from Amazon. It also uses electronic ink, so there's no glare at all.

What bugs me, though, is the free wireless is available only within the US. Oh, and, not ALL books are available electronically. Yet.

Paperbacks cost more...to cover overhead costs. So, I don't think the writer's pay would be affected. Right? Besides, since so many people have a sentimental feeling about paperbacks, they'll continue to sell no matter what.

When 2012 rolls around and people are starving out of the cities and murdering each other for a pair of shoes, I sincerely doubt I'll be finding the leisure time to catch up on my paperback copy of The Road.

[Bowlie]

Gosh, I love my kindle. I get that people are attached to paper books because it's what they know. I guess if you don't move around or travel a lot it's ok. Whatever floats your boat! And it's true, e-readers aren't even that popular.

I have the kindle2. Any books I purchase with Amazon are automatically stored on their site, as well. So if I delete a book from my kindle, it's still on my Amazon account. I also have a file on my computer that holds all of my books, as I have a lot free classics in plain text that aren't from Amazon. It also uses electronic ink, so there's no glare at all.

What bugs me, though, is the free wireless is available only within the US. Oh, and, not ALL books are available electronically. Yet.

They are released (or may have already released) a new international Kindle that I think costs $299 maybe? I am really excited about that because some friends of mine in other countries are wanting Kindles.

Also, a friend of mine bought a Kindle 2 and I got to try it out! It's great! I would like to add one of those to my collection of gadgets. I have a Sony Reader and love it. I agree with you about being attached to paper books. I still love them because it's what I know, but I also love my e-book reader.

[darbook]

yes they are dissapearing they are losing it to the online books, just see what is going on at amazon wher eyou can download books to your book reading gadgets......

But in the end, every change is good

[tinyViolin]

A new, international kindle?? Omo!

Too bad I already bought mine...

I think you can go on Amazon and purchase kindle books directly from their site, then transfer it over to the kindle~unless that was just wishful thinking! haha...I haven't tried it yet because I have enough books on there to last me a while. I was just a little miffed when I read that the wireless was limited to the US, so I couldn't purchase a book on a whim while I was out. I'm already spoiled.

[alimena]

Even though the BOOM of the internet books are still here so I think they won't dissapear cause many people like to read them and also buy them a lot. Anyway... it's not the same to read a book you can take everywhere, even if you have a laptop it's not the same-

[goldengate]

I own a Nook and must say that one of the drawbacks is that there are so many "non-authors" putting books (short stories really" out there. I have read some that were so poorly written with puntuation and gramatical errors it was very distracting. You have to read through all these "non-books" listed for sale to find anything worth reading. Some writers may enjoy the ease with which they can get a book out to the public. They should consider the effect of having a poor edition - not proofed or edited - out there. My opinion of a few writers (I hesitate to call them authors) is stamped with the memory of the poor edition I have had to slog through.

[twilightchick792]

im not big fan of ebooks.I luv the paperback smell

[goldengate]

I know what you mean. I was dead opposed to ebooks as I am a book collector and it almost felt like sacrilege. I was quickly running out of space and then got an ebook and found I really like it. There are a lot of books I want to read but not necessarily collect. This gives me the option without having to cull through my books deciding which to keep or give away. I am not a huge paperback fan - preferring hardback and fine bound books for my collection. There was a time - my science fiction stage, where about all I bought was paperbacks but that was a long while back.

[quarter450]

I think books are disappearing. Just yesterday I was at the beach with friends and one of them pulled out a kindle and started reading it.

It hit me, I don't think I"ve bought a book in years. I have bought some pdfs/ebooks though. They are cheaper and easier to read. While I do agree there is something nice about turning a page, I think that books are slowly going to die out and ebook readers start to rule.

[jamesdeser]

Yes, Books Disappearing Beacuse A protest by students at the University of Denver is eye-opening because of how it is being conducted, what it has so far achieved and, most of all, what it concerns.Returning to my alma mater last week, I was fascinated by the latest protest. It seems DU's campus library was badly in need of repairs and modernization. When plans for a $32-million renovation were announced.

[jbcohen]

Like james I am also perdicting the demise of what I call printed books as the electronic books become the preferred method of reading. I do not see this as the demise of writting. I think there will still be a lively writting market as much as it has been in the past however I see the market as much more of a level playing field then it has been in the past. Previously authors could not be read unless their works past through several middle men, some of which did nothing to advance the writting craft except to make it a lot more expensive for the reader. Previously you had the writter, the agent, the publisher, distributor, book store then the reader. Of which the agent, publisher and book store in my humble oppinion added no value to the process however did make the whole process cost a lot more for the reader. With the advent of the electronic book the chain becomes a lot smaller since the author no longer has any need for anyone else the entire writting process could be writter - reader with no middle men at all. The middle men have been removed from the writting process and the reader has gotten a lot more control over what he/she read. Previously if the angent or the publisher decided that the book had no value or there was no maket value of the book then the book did not get published. Now with the advent of electronic books that authority has shifted from the middle man to the reader, now the reader gets to decide what is published rather than the middle man.

[Fran]

@jbcohen
Reminds me of the mucic copyright argument ... the Music Companies would claim to be concerned for the artists welfare when in fact before the advent of electronic media the companies took up to 90% of the revenue from tapes/CD's and in the past LP's (no great concern for the poor artist shown there!)

Their concern is entirely for their own share price!

[goldengate]

JB, I see the advent of electronic books leveling the playing field for authors. As you can see from Barnes and Noble and Amazon, there are many "privately published" ebooks out there. My contention is that while the middle men may have been - well - in the middle - the make up of the book publishing industry serves to help a writer fine tune their books - with editing and the reading of the manuscript by other educated professionals, the author is prompted to make his/her book the best possible version. If today's abundance of half baked "manuscripts" is any indication, I tend to think there may have been benefit to the editing/publishing process. Just sayin'...

[katesolomon]

Hello,

If you ask me personally then I love reading printed books instead of e-books. My idea of studying a novel is to lie down in your bed and then read the book. However today people prefer using e-books over printed books