How do you like your Books?

[Son of Rylos]

I'm a fan of books but sometimes I have a hard time finding a new series or real blockbuster book. I think I like series more than just single titles because you can feel immersed into that world as it grows. On that note, it got me thinking how I read. Used to read physical books all the time but when eBooks became more common, I primarily switched to those. Although, with at least one series I love, I have also listened to the audiobook versions because it was easier than reading in certain situations (walks, treadmill, etc).

 

So I pose this question to the community: Which way do you like your books? I know it's quite easy to enjoy all three for different reasons but if you could have only one, which would it be.

 

Plus, if anyone wants to leave suggestions for great book series, I'm all ears

[Damaramu]

Well the books I self-publish are only available on Amazon so I'd say E-Book. I wear the battery down in my Kindle Fire constantly.

[jaex]

Ebooks as it is more convenient.  Less stuff to carry.  But I will read a paper book every once in a while, just because of the feel of it.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

E-books for convenience, but it drives me crazy not having my books on my shelf. I love looking at my book shelf, seeing a book, and remembering the times I spent reading it and reflecting on the story. It also serves as a sort of trophy case too.

[redimagination]

I love ebooks for convenience. Can carry so many books at once and I never fall asleep and lose my place because my book is on the floor. I can read it easily with a cup of tea in one hand and my kindle in the other. If I don't know a word it is so easy to look up.

That being said I still love the physical book. Looking through a bookstore at random books is much more relaxing and enjoyable than looking through Amazon. Looking at them on my bookshelf is much more satisfying than looking at my kindle.

That being said, as someone who has moved a lot, my kindle has saved me so much. The difference between many boxes (and anything else I can find to contain books) and carrying my kindle Is huge. The second last time I moved I actually donated a good chunk of my books to charity. I still have plenty of books but I don't buy so many now. Though I have a few trips lined up which involve deliberate detours to book shops.

[fengor]

real books. they are my guilty pleasures and i hoard them

[stupendousme]

Physical books!  

I love the way they smell, feel, etc.  I also love seeing people carrying a book.  I always start conversations with people when I see them with a book.  "Is it good?"  "What is it about?"  "Do you like it so far?"  I've actually made a few book friends this way!  Audio books and ebooks just don't give that opportunity.  I guess ebooks do, but I don't want to ask someone what they are reading, if I can't see the cover.  I really would rather not have a conversation about Fifty Shades of Grey in public.. 

[Bearded_Dragon]

Physical books, I feel, are superior (particularly if they have like maps/family trees and stuff in the front pages that you can easily flip back to); however, I do a lot of travelling for business and things so the convenience of being able to carry a kindle with loads of books on it is definitely appreciated!

[positivelypuzzled]

While I love both physical books and ebooks, I cast my vote for audiobooks. They keep me company on my commute and fill up those long hours on the road when I all I really want to do is read.   

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

While I love both physical books and ebooks, I cast my vote for audiobooks. They keep me company on my commute and fill up those long hours on the road when I all I really want to do is read.   

 

I like them as well for when I can't actually read. Used to use them a lot in college for the walks between classes and from class to home. Starting to walk during lunch and I'm going to pick the habit back up.

[CrackerWatson]

I love the feel of a book...the smell of an old book...I don't like the space all my books take up and there are some that I wont ever part with.

 

I also have the problem that I would love to move to ebook (see the space issue and an attempt to cut it down)...but I'm a sucker for a random encounter at the charity book stand across my organisations buildings so my goal of cutting down on physical stuff is a losing battle currently and I really haven't been able to grow the minimalist mind-set... 

 

There are some books that I will only purchase on ebook due to their print cost (i.e convict conditioning over £30 or £6.50 in ebook!)

[Nnimn]

E-books for convenience, but it drives me crazy not having my books on my shelf. I love looking at my book shelf, seeing a book, and remembering the times I spent reading it and reflecting on the story. It also serves as a sort of trophy case too.

I totally agree. There's nothing more satisfying than a full book shelf. Also, despite the fact that ebooks don't start hurting my arms after reading all night, l still miss the new book smell (actually even the old book smell is nostalgic).

 

Also points go to ebooks for being able to have 10 of them on a vacation and only taking up one space in your backpack.

[Yraen]

Physical books every time man. There are few things better than when you find a copy of a hard to find book you've been looking for.

But I'll admit that I got nearly a gigabyte devoted solely to ebooks

[MollytheMO]

Physical books, the vast majority of the time. I like the feel, the smell, the weight, the look--and all my favorite books fall open to my favorite parts, and most of them have writing of some kind in the margins. There's an interaction that is lost in electronic versions.

 

That said, there is a time and place for ebooks and audiobooks. The former are great for when I'm traveling (and I love my Kindle Fire). The latter are also great for when I'm road-tripping. Music is great but singing along for anything over a couple of hours destroys my voice, and if I'm driving back home (7 hours one way) or out West (14 hours one way) audiobooks are what get me through the miles.

[Rurik Harrgath]

Like most I weighed in on the scent and heft of a physical book, and in the past have very much prided myself on my quite average library.  But recently I've undergone a transition toward minimalism and find myself plagued with an overabundance of books that need to be stored, so my near-future goal is to purge away what books I will never read again and keep only favorites.  After that I'll be looking to pick up a Kindle and embrace the future with ebooks.  I find I hold back on sampling a lot of new literature because the cost of new books, even softcovers, is prohibitively expensive!

 

In the next week I'm going to try and level up my library skill, which is odd to think about considering my mother is a librarian back in my hometown.

[minimuggle]

Physical books for me!  I'm a booksniffer!  There's just something about the smell of a physical book and it just feels so much nicer to curl up with a cup of tea and an actual book rather than my iPad.

 

I'm not against e-books though. I do read the occasional one but I think my problem is because I use the ipad for so much more than reading it's easy to get distracted and I find it less relaxing.

 

I have however, never tried an audiobook.  I keep thinking about giving it a go but I just don't like the idea of it.  When I read, I like to read if that makes sense?!  Listening to an audiobook just seems to passive to me.  I'm sure I'll change my mind eventually though, I was one of those people who refused to download music and would always get the CD!  I got over that fairly quickly!!

[oldnews]

I just read my first ebook... I got a new smart phone and decided that insta-buying a book sounded fun. Realizing that I could read in nearly any position under the covers was pretty detrimental to my love of physical copies. Though, honestly I will still likely buy the book (Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation') used, just to have on my bookshelves. I will probably always treat my bookshelves are the biggest part of the decor in my house.

 

I have exactly zero attention span for audio books.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

I'm not a huge fan of ebooks myself.  We have a Kindle Fire, but it's a hotly contested item, and I almost never get to use it.  I'm all about paper library books, and old paperback science fiction anthologies from the 1960s and 70s.  These things are practically orphan works; there's a lot of good stuff that never gets republished or posted on the internet due to copyright issues. 

 

And audiobooks.  I loooove audiobooks.  I'm frequently very busy at home, and an audiobook keeps me just distracted enough that I don't get bored while doing dishes or folding laundry or whatever.  They're also great for commuting.

[CrackerWatson]

Can now update this and with my recent purchase of a tablet (Google Nexus 7 for those interested) I downloaded the Kindle app and now own a number of ebooks. I have "The Naked Warrior" and "Convict Conditioning" plus a load of free classics and Viking stuff and so far I have to say I'm enjoying it I didn't actually mind paying the £6or so for the NW and CC rather than the £30odd for the paper version...bargains!!!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I just read my first ebook... I got a new smart phone and decided that insta-buying a book sounded fun. Realizing that I could read in nearly any position under the covers was pretty detrimental to my love of physical copies. Though, honestly I will still likely buy the book (Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation') used, just to have on my bookshelves. I will probably always treat my bookshelves are the biggest part of the decor in my house.

 

I have exactly zero attention span for audio books.

 

The insta-buying/reading has recently swayed me to kindle. I feel dirty. I think the same thing about buying the hard copy anyway, but I don't think I'll actually spend the money sadly.

[Alathel]

It may be wierd, but i enjoy audiobooks the most. For me its coming back to the roots of storytelling, when tales were told around camp fire and written language did't even exist. The other thing is that good narroator can add somithing new to already good book. Not every book is suitable for audio format though.  

[jadynrayne]

Physical books! Audio books are good! There's just something about holding that book in your hand!

[cw1558]

I love physical books and will choose that option whenever practical. There are some books that I have insisted on buying a physical copy because I want to have it on my shelf (really shelves). That being said, I wouldn't trade my Kindle when it comes to travel. Taking several physical books on a long flight or trip just isn't practical. I'm way too ADD for audiobooks. It turns to background noise very quickly. 

[SinnahSaint]

Anything except audio books. They almost never read at the right pace for me. Too fast and I have to rewind to figure out WTF just happened, too slow and I just loose interest.

[NeverThatBored]

They're all good, but I find that I can buy cheap used physical copies of most books for a lot less than digital copies, so I tend to read mostly physical books. Audiobooks seem to be very expensive too. 

 

I do like ebooks for helping to reduce clutter.