eReading - New General Group on LibraryThing

eReading - New General Group on LibraryThing

After starting a group over the weekend called eReader, I decided to delete that one because the real focus and interest for me is eReading, which I think is a more accurate name for this group.

I apologized to the few people who posted over the weekend. Hope this doesn't create too much of a problem. I'll repost your messages and hope to hear from you again!

Description: Discussion for eReading aficionados, on all types of devices, e.g., Sony Reader, Kindle, Palm, Phones, etc.

Share and exchange your *experience* reading etext from various sources and in whatever format for books, Gutenberg.org, Archive.org, Google, and so forth.

eReading is about the *experience* of reading on electronic devices--is the quality of the experience the same, different, richly imaginative and fulfilling, informative, as with a traditional book? What do you like or prefer about eReading? Dislikes, difficulties? How would you like the devices improved?

Provocations:

Does eReading complement and augment the traditional Book and Library or replace them?

It seems to me there's a need for a general group reflecting on the qualitative impact of new methods of reading.

Hope people agree!

If so, you're invited: eReading on LibraryThing

Fred

I like e reading except when I am really enjoying a book and I want, so badly, to take into the bathtub with me. I am a habitual tub reader and am unwilling to risk dropping my Kindle into the water.

Otherwise, I am very happy with it. Probably am reading more than if I had to continue to hold heavy books in my arthritic hands.

I understand from the Amazon Kindle group that the Kindle fits handily in a one-gallon ziplock bag so you can protect it from rain and bathwater...

Maggie,
I have used the Kindle in the bathtub but if I feel myself getting tired I do get a little nervous.

Fglaysher,
I have a Kindle and I really like reading on it but I must put a caveat around that. I love reading novels on the Kindle, in fact I prefer reading a novel on the Kindle over a paperback or hardback. But if it is a reference book (like a programming book or anything where you may want to refer quickly to specific pages) I find that the Kindle formatting can leave something to be desired but even more importantly I find it hard to very quickly go back and forth between different areas of the book, it isn't impossible just more difficult than with a real book. I have actually thought of a few things they could do software wise to really help that but I also believe color and better layout options are required before I could use a e-reader for ANY type of book.

If the Kindle had:

• Color


• Bigger screen (which by the way I wouldn't want for novels)


• Little tabs across the top or bottom of the screen representing bookmarks that I could just tap and instantly go to my bookmark.


• touchscreen

With those items addressed then I might use a E-reader for reference books as well as novels.

Bill, re msg 4: the times I have dropped paperbacks in the tub have not been preceded by my noting increasing tiredness. I think they are random relaxing the hands as a response to the lovely warm bath. Which I think I'll go take right now. I am re-reading Catcher in the Rye in paperback.

But I am also reading Merle's Door on the Kindle and I love it. By the way I agree re: reference books. Even dictionaries.

Color. God, then I'd never put it down.

Happy Trails, to you.

I was thinking about e-readers and I think there really are two different types I would like. I would not mind having two e-readers if each fulfilled its' purpose.

1. For reading novels - the Kindle as it is now is really good for this, other than some library management features it wouldn't need to change.

2. Reference type books, self help books, etc.. For this type of book I would want:
* bigger screen
* color
* touchscreen - so I can easily and very quickly navigate between bookmarks. (maybe little tabs across the top I can tap)
* A stylus that would allow me to hand write notes on a page...awesome.

Many of these features exist on one e-reader or another (except color) but none of them have it all in a really simple fast package. I think it is coming, there is a rumor that Amazon has 2 new versions of the Kindle coming out. One in October and one in December, the one in December will supposedly be bigger.

Hey Maggie,

I recently bought Merle's Door but have not read it yet. I have a feeling that might be a tearjerker for me.

If you like books about Dogs you might like Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs by Suzanne Clothier - that was a fantastic book , it really had messages for us about relationships in general as well as with our dogs.

Let me know how you like Merle's Door I look forward to reading it. I need to finish the 6 books I am reading now first. ;)

So far, Merle's is not a tear jerker. It is quite a believable description of an unbelievable relationship between a man and his dog. The author really believes dogs are dogs and yet he has this one virtually talking to him. Well, I'll tell no more. I am enjoying it a great deal and if it ends with sadness I will be OK with that, as life has its ups and its downs; it would not be believable otherwise.

edit for spelling )-: