tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post573699227603770325..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: A World of EbooksBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-7210923307335151082010-07-13T10:39:48.348-04:002010-07-13T10:39:48.348-04:00eBooks are fab if, like me, whenever you go on hol...eBooks are fab if, like me, whenever you go on holiday or even travel by train for a couple of hours, you can't decide which book to take and end up taking three times as many as you need. It's great to be able to reduce the weight in my bag and still be able to carry a library around with me.<br /><br />Having said that, I adore books - the weight, the touch, the smell, even the way your back aches when you've been bent over the hardback you've been waiting for for months.<br /><br />An eBook reader will never replace my library - the horror! Not to mention that if the device corrupts for whatever reason you lose a lifetime's worth of books.<br /><br />For such flimsy things, eBooks are horrendously expensive at the moment. As they get more popular, I would love to see a business model whereby you buy the physical book, and inside you get a one-time use code to download the eBook for free (or a very nominal charge) so you can take it with you.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12410783283477464684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-67907460186096671662010-07-12T18:19:08.245-04:002010-07-12T18:19:08.245-04:00I'm on the fence. I like being surrounded by ...I'm on the fence. I like being surrounded by books. I do thin them if there are some I've not read for years and think there's no chance I'll even look something little up in them. I have a friend trapped in a bad domestic situation because she can't move her book collections into a place she can afford. The places would be too small. But I caved in so badly to email it's a huge effort to me to write letters, and I caved in so badly to Facebook it's a huge effort for me to get my a$$ off the computer and do something productive. (Not blaming the media, it's my own damn fault, but it's something to think about for my particular mix of habits.) I also like random browsing which is harder to do electronically than in an actual library. And I do get drawn to books by their covers!LivelyClamorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10930694336919638521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-35039326105884853642010-07-12T14:25:47.215-04:002010-07-12T14:25:47.215-04:00I'll never give up on printed books--I find to...I'll never give up on printed books--I find too much joy in browsing used book stores and having my shelves filled with entertainment.<br /><br />But I do wish I had an e-reader when I lived abroad. It would've made things much easier.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13661968297027198340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-76476887161714393112010-07-11T00:03:12.724-04:002010-07-11T00:03:12.724-04:00Although I love my e-reader, I love paper books mo...Although I love my e-reader, I love paper books more. I bought an e-book that didn't even give me a cover, and that says it all. Plus, my e-books don't have color covers. That's left me disappointed. I value the dynamic and sometimes shocking art on the front of paper books. I don't understand why they can't coexist. I liken it to getting rid of CDs in favor of everyone only using iPods. <br />I don't know if paper will go out like the 8-track or not, but I'm hearing from e-book experts that paper books are expected to die in five years now instead of ten. This makes me sad.arbraunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10691442638251901380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-34449197217482348292010-07-08T11:27:07.690-04:002010-07-08T11:27:07.690-04:00Yikes. I hadn't thought about e-books in terms...Yikes. I hadn't thought about e-books in terms of my kids.<br /><br />Like how, just last night, my 8-yr-old browsed the bookshelves for something that looked fun that she hadn't read yet, wanting to read before bed. <br /><br />That wouldn't be possible with e-books, not in the same way.<br /><br />And the home library--again, yikes. When we moved, the FIRST boxes unpacked were my books, not because I was going to read each and every one, but because I needed them around me.<br /><br />I love the technology and all it offers to writers, but dang.Annette Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493583432919249814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-8758928588498066772010-07-08T08:50:40.076-04:002010-07-08T08:50:40.076-04:00I wrote about this on my blog a couple of months a...I wrote about this on my blog a couple of months ago. I love books ... the feel, the smell, the popping of the glue when you open it real wide. I like to see them lined up on my shelf and I love to curl up with one ... whether it is in front of a fire on a cold wintery night, or in a lawn chair under a tree trying to avoid the hot sun. And when I really love a book, I like to hug it. Could I hug an e-Reader?<br />Here's the link to my blog<br />http://takenoutofcontext-jill.blogspot.com/2010/04/only-thing-i-want-to-kindle-is-fire.html<br /><br />My husband left a comment (which is really a lecture) about how books are wasting paper and impacting on the environment!<br /><br />PS I love that you once determined a guy's date-worthiness by what he had read!! Wish I would have thought of it myself!jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02266843959575298035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-50836337498446932782010-07-07T23:21:21.290-04:002010-07-07T23:21:21.290-04:00I'm big into technology, but I'm not sold ...I'm big into technology, but I'm not sold on the e-book just yet. <br /><br />First of all, I sit at a computer all day long at work, and then into the evening with my own writing, so I really dont want to stare at something bright like a screen when I'm switching into relaxation and escape mode.<br /><br />Second, I love books. I love taking them to bed, out by the pool, and to the beach. I don't have to worry about batteries going dead, or them getting wet. I even love the little things around the house that I use for book marks,like: my daughters photo, a movie stub, or a ribbon off a bouquet of flowers. That one little book mark helps me remember something special if only for a second. I also love the covers of a book. I love reading the description of a character in a book, and turning to the cover to see if the model captured what the author was seeing/feeling. <br /><br />I don't think I will ever be swayed from paper books. I think the e-book makes it difficult for me to downshift from work mode to relaxation mode, so I'll always love a good book!<br /><br />Man this comment made me want to hit the beach with a good romance novel! :)Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04365970636991748401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-22512384844799100222010-07-07T19:16:47.926-04:002010-07-07T19:16:47.926-04:00The times they are a-changing.
Remember when ever...The times they are a-changing.<br /><br />Remember when every town had at least one record store? Well, take a look at how many you see now.<br /><br />Yes, I think there will always be printed books for the ones who want them. But more and more people are going, not just to Kindles and Nooks and iPads, but to their iPhones. How handy is it to pull up a book on your phone while you're waiting to be called in the doctor's office? And then later on while you wait for your spouse to meet you the restaurant, pull the book you were reading up to right where you left off?<br /><br />Bookstores are going to have to adapt or go the way of record stores.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10002156633014246713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-49282976372781923492010-07-07T19:16:24.839-04:002010-07-07T19:16:24.839-04:00I'll have to say that I've been addicted t...I'll have to say that I've been addicted to books for well over 50 years. There's something about the smell, the texture, the tactile sensations that an electronic device cannot evoke. I derive pleasure (!?) from running my fingers over the lines of text in an old book and feeling the "bite" of the impressions of the letters that were actually printed on the page. It's wonderful to pick up a 100+year-old book in a junk shop and feeling a connection to the original owner as you are seeing and feeling something that eyes long dead and hands long dust also saw and felt. Books have souls; when I am in my library by myself I never feel alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26856288116784250372010-07-07T15:43:42.244-04:002010-07-07T15:43:42.244-04:00I doubt very much ereaders will replace books enti...I doubt very much ereaders will replace books entirely. A lot of people gave some great examples, and I remember when they tried to come out with tinier versions of CDs - that sure didn't last long. Not every technological advance is going to be a better option. Sometimes when the shiny new feeling fades people will drift back to what they had before. There will be people who prefer ereaders, people who prefer books, and people who'll use both. Everything has its place.<br /><br />As for greener, well no they're not. Like others have said, their production and their contents don't make them greener - in fact it might even make them less so. If we want to go down the greener road, we should look at alternatives to trees as a paper source. They're out there.M.R.J. Le Blanchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770517124639901061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-78314579822689857812010-07-07T15:11:41.516-04:002010-07-07T15:11:41.516-04:00If e-readers had existed while I was commuting thr...If e-readers had existed while I was commuting three hours per day (train & subway) I would have loved having one! And still, when the budget allows, I wouldn't mind getting one.<br />But for me books are also a decorating element! I have a wall of them in my family room. The colors are so welcoming, and the memories are all there out on the shelf.Peg Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319534671560625590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-29841212273094328422010-07-07T14:55:53.519-04:002010-07-07T14:55:53.519-04:00As I read through the comments, I just want to poi...As I read through the comments, I just want to point out something that as as former scientist and current science/medical writer, that I want to question. I don't specifically have an answer, but I definitely have the question:<br /><br />Are e-readers really "greener" than paper books?<br /><br />I honestly doubt it. As someone mentioned, the batteries in the readers are probably lithium-ion, also possibly nickel, so mining's involved. As well as plastics, which is a petroleum-based product, & the manufacturing processes that build the devices themselves. And electricity which charges the batteries and fuels the server farms that handle all the storage for companies like Amazon, et al., which in the U.S. primarily comes from the burning (and mining) of coal.<br /><br />So although I think there are probably a number of reasons to like e-books and e-readers, I'm very skeptical of the "they're more environmental" argument.<br /><br />They don't involve cutting down trees, but paper is typically made of trees that aren't high-end and grow fast so they can be replanted and farmed.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-32534461637382418032010-07-07T14:45:01.913-04:002010-07-07T14:45:01.913-04:00Redefine "surrounded". Books will be at...Redefine "surrounded". Books will be at our children's fingertips in ways I only wish they had been at mine. We will still have physical books. We'll just think about them differently, perhaps more as keepsakes and thereby, increasing their lifetime value. <br /><br />But really, how many of the books one owns are actually re-read? For me, that's where ebooks have a place--for books that I have a passing interest in or that I need to carry with me, like the Bible. Physical books will be for things that have longevity in my life, books I know I will re-read and treasure or those I will reference a lot, like cookbooks.PatriciaWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572087157439187319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-84339686482655627342010-07-07T14:12:38.906-04:002010-07-07T14:12:38.906-04:00Joseph:10:11
I hope you are wrong and jess is righ...<i>Joseph:10:11<br />I hope you are wrong and jess is right. <br />Remember 9:11, power out, cell phones overloaded, no communication.<br />Do not put all you eggs in your technological basket. And don't tell me eggs go bad out of the fridge because people have been eating eggs for thousands of years.</i><br /><br />None of these things have any impact on ereaders. The content exists in your device. If you're using a reader, your battery lasts for days. If you're using your phone, you don't need service to read the book. They're little mini-computers that let you read.<br /><br />Sure people can dream up apocalyptic scenarios where ereaders will be useless, but the same can be done for paper books. It's a fruitless exercise.Joseph L. Selbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11851550951042358953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-57700196296757426792010-07-07T13:22:10.337-04:002010-07-07T13:22:10.337-04:00We said the same thing about those lovely vinyl re...We said the same thing about those lovely vinyl records when CDs came along. We said the same thing about letters when email came along. We also made the leap because the new technology had more positives than negatives. <br /><br />I have my Kindle and I love it. I can take my entire library with me where ever I go. It's green--no trees were cut down, no rain forests destroyed. And pricing is a whole lot easier on the pocket book, believe me. <br /><br />I still get hard covers--I'm a hard cover snob. But I save those for the books that I really love, series that I want to keep for posterity. But as someone who's moved a lot, carting those puppies is exhausting. <br /><br />It's time to move to the new millenium, new technology.JVRChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467257065784931223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-57063571078242628752010-07-07T13:11:57.367-04:002010-07-07T13:11:57.367-04:00I'm funny this way. I really don't feel n...I'm funny this way. I really don't feel nostagia for books, although I love them. I understand that many people do, but I just don't...<br /><br />I was thinking yesterday how wonderful it will be to have all the storage space cleared up. <br /><br />Whenever I buy a book, I then have to figure out what to do with it. Do I save it? Give it to the library or a friend? Recycle it? It's kind of a pain, having all those books lying around, even though I feel affection for many of them. And dusting them! <br /><br />What I want is easy and instant access, without the clutter! So, I think I'm an e-book type of gal. :)Mirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558405035294107657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-68807042934081581662010-07-07T13:03:55.789-04:002010-07-07T13:03:55.789-04:00Do you remember the advent of e-mail? I, for one, ...Do you remember the advent of e-mail? I, for one, wondered why I'd send an electronic message when I could just pick up the phone and leave a voice mail. Over time, each found its own place, and e-mail has continued to evolve with the advent of sites like Facebook and Twitter.<br /><br />I think we're witnessing the same shift with e-books. They do not have to REPLACE physical books, but over time each will find its niche.<br /><br />I've been using a Kindle for two years now, mainly for the stream of mysteries that I consume on a daily basis. But when I need a reference, or want to read a book over and over again, I buy the hardback version.<br /><br />For me, this is an exciting time. I can't wait to see how this story turns out.joanQ6https://www.blogger.com/profile/10226857371536355461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-25507762341032773752010-07-07T12:52:19.813-04:002010-07-07T12:52:19.813-04:00This reminds me of the movie of Meg Ryan and Tom H...This reminds me of the movie of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, You Got Mail...how I really felt sad when the shop around the corner had to close because of a bigger and more contemporary shop had opened. The ambiguity of saying goodbye and holding on to the beauty of the past...we just have to befriend the future lest we do not live and enjoy what is now...CFD Tradehttp://www.smarttrading.com.aunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-87565644722282140062010-07-07T12:37:48.512-04:002010-07-07T12:37:48.512-04:00The cost of paper books will have a large impact o...The cost of paper books will have a large impact on their continued existence. The cost to produce, ship and then handle returns will increase as print runs decrease (it is always cheaper to print more than less). Print runs will decrease because a percentage of books will be bought electronically. As the cost of paper books goes up and the cost of e-readers goes down more people will buy e-readers.<br /><br />As someone else mentioned- I believe you will always have the option to buy a book in print, but the cost will be more significant as it will be a limited item. <br /><br />I'll be surprised if this change takes much longer than 5-10 years. Don't get me wrong- I love print books, but the economics will drive the situation. One the upside I buy more books now that I have an ereader. Poor impulse control where books are concerned.Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07967828178034612278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-12250261332550940622010-07-07T12:16:58.193-04:002010-07-07T12:16:58.193-04:00I agree with those who say a balance will be found...I agree with those who say a balance will be found. I read on my iPad but I also buy physical books when I know it will be one I'll reread.<br /><br />I read with my kids on the iPad, which they think is cool, but in no way stops them from hauling the entire contents of their bookshelf into bed at night. Seriously, they start with 2 or 3 that I know about and I have to dig them out come morning.<br /><br />One aspect I love about my ereader is how much more I read now. The instant access and lower price point have me reading well outside of my comfort zones and I for one think that is a very good thing.Bonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16161321971537847188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-41127524171146559632010-07-07T12:10:19.371-04:002010-07-07T12:10:19.371-04:00My 76 year old mother is reading Laura Bush's ...My 76 year old mother is reading Laura Bush's new book on her ipad. For two hours, she told me all about it on her iphone the other night until my head was hanging. And I know she discusses this e-book (and others) with everyone from the dry cleaner to the ladies in the Red Hat Society. <br /><br />This past weekend friends and neighbors gathered at my house in my new outdoor living space to celebrate the 4th. We sat around the new open concept fireplace on comfortable, cushioned chairs and talked about the books we're reading on our e-reading devices.<br /><br />Things change. <br /><br />Personally, I'll take indoor plumbing over an outhouse any day :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-21222376300225323042010-07-07T12:02:55.551-04:002010-07-07T12:02:55.551-04:00There was also a time when people thought televisi...There was also a time when people thought television would kill radio, but it never happened. I do believe e-books will become larger and larger in the upcoming years, but I don't think paper books will ever be replaced. I think media like radio and newspapers have been under more pressure from advanced technologies than paper books will ever be. Newspapers with Internet news sites and radio with, not television, but portable music players (e.g. - ipods, iphones, etc.).Steven Tillhttp://steventill.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-63497440671305973692010-07-07T12:02:41.474-04:002010-07-07T12:02:41.474-04:00Great front porch analogy--
My husband and I wer...Great front porch analogy-- <br /><br />My husband and I were talking about this last week. I think/hope they can co-exist. <br />Is having a record the same as listening to a symphony perform? Is looking up Van Gogh's paintings on the internet the same as visiting a museum and seeing the brushstrokes?<br /><br />Also, environmentally, e-readers aren't necessarily better than paper. Electronics are created to be replaced, like computers. They are filled with metals and materials that can be toxic and are often not disposed of properly. Not to mention they're mined by children in developing countries for pennies...<br /><br />On a tangent, sorry.<br /><br />I think the visceral pleasure of reading will endure.KatOwens: Insect Collectorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12228171304170449979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-51316093527406144812010-07-07T12:00:50.443-04:002010-07-07T12:00:50.443-04:00I love my Nook and can't believe I fought agai...I love my Nook and can't believe I fought against the idea of owning one for so long, but I'm like Edie. My e-books are a testing ground for me of new author's, genres, etc. When finding a book I really enjoy and know I'll want to read again, I MUST have it in <i>physical</i> form. Same holds true for all works from my faves. <br /><br />My future bookshelves may be a bit smaller, but they'll be even more cherished.Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726858055689145824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26075764369786231642010-07-07T11:53:26.736-04:002010-07-07T11:53:26.736-04:00I think a related change is that people are going ...I think a related change is that people are going to buy more "guilty pleasure" books because no longer are they going to have think about the image they are projecting when they carry the book around in public. So romance and erotica sales should go up. Sales of books meant not to be read but to make a house/bookshelf look erudite will go down.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12714078352001622357noreply@blogger.com