Sunday, July 24: The A.D.D. Detective
The eSKEPTIC
by Leigh Lundin
Our friend and self-confessed readaholic Louis has the jump on most of us when it comes to working with eReaders. Last September, Louis said he was seriously thinking of popping open his piggy bank and purchasing an iPad. What Louis says, Louis does. This time our favorite academic and reviewer turns his attention to electronic books and readers.
A Skeptic Changes His Mind
by Louis Willis
When eReaders and eBooks were first introduced to the public, I was skeptical of the claim by some that they would one day replace print books. I am reluctant to give up printed words, and I thought no way would eBooks replace real books. But I’m an old dog willing to learn the new tricks, so when my kids bought me a Nook eReader last year for my birthday, I decided to find out what all the fuss was about. My experience trying to read long passages of text on a computer monitor suggested doing so on a small monitor would be just as unpleasant. Still, I wanted to experience how eReaders worked.
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| Barnes & Nobel nook |
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| Amazon Kindle |
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| Apple iPad |
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| Coby Kyros |
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| Motorola xoom |
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| Radio Shack Novel Pandigital |
I read Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I downloaded from the web for free on the Nook. I next read three stories from the webzine Pages of Stories. Once I adjusted the text so that my eyes wouldn’t tire easily, I found that I could read eBooks faster than I could print books. This was great, except I had to give up close reading to do it. The small text in print books forces me to slow down because of the need to rest my eyes, and sometimes to stop and think about what I just read. On the Nook, I had no wish to slow down, and my eyes didn’t bother me. But… while I enjoyed Dorian Gray, I never got involved in the story; something, it seemed, was missing. The something was probably my imagination, for I couldn’t quite enter the virtual world of the eBook.
The iPad changed my mind and my opinion about eBooks and eReaders. I bought an iPad2 to take notes as I read because pain prevents me from writing legible notes with my right hand. I decided to experience how the virtual bookshelf on the iPad worked, so I downloaded a free book, 1001 Quotations To Make You Think, by Wolfgang Riebe. What really sold me was the gesture to turn pages. I could swipe from right to left to turn to the next page, and vice versa. A small thing but it helped change my mind about eBooks.
My imagination quickly accepted the world of virtual books. I am still learning how to make notes and mark passages. When it comes to reading eBooks, the iPad2 has one fault. You can’t hold it in your hands like you can an eReader, so it isn’t good for reading while on the move. Holding the iPad versus holding an eReader in your hands is like holding a hardback versus holding a paperback. Still, sitting at my desk, I can imagine I’m reading a real book.
When I saw Barnes and Nobles’ ad about its new eReader, the Nook Touchscreen, I decided to try it since the price was right. It is similar to the iPad in one respect—the touch screen. I turn the pages with a stroke to either the left or right lower corner of the screen. It also has buttons on each side that can be used to turn the pages, but buttons are becoming old-fashioned, so I expect Barnes and Noble at some point to eliminate all except the on-off and menu buttons.
While I’ll continue to read eBooks, I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of the feeling I don’t own the book; I am merely renting it. If I want to lend one of my books to a friend or borrow one, I must get permission from Barnes and Noble if I bought the book from their store. Each book contains an icon that tells the reader whether it can be lent or borrowed.
I am also always afraid that one of my books will disappear because the seller, reacting to even one copyright complaint, will take it upon itself to delete it from my virtual bookshelf. Amazon did this in 2009 when it deleted George Orwell’s 1984 from several Kindles.
Melodie Johnson Howe’s Criminal Brief article noted that “Simple and fast, the Kindle is the perfect reading tool in this day and age of instant gratification and portability.” So, I accept that eBooks and eReaders are here to stay. I do not believe, however, the prevalence of eBooks signals the total demise of print books.
Now, please excuse me. I must resturn to my iPad novel…
Mr. Willis,
What a delightful treatment of e-books! (This means you said what I think.) Until recently, the only thing I appreciated about e-books was my eleven-year-old grandson’s total delight that “Grandma’s books” are on Kindle and Nook.
fran
Change of subject:
Many CB readers have inquired about the trial of the man who murdered my friend Linda whom I wrote about in a guest CB column.
The trial ended last week. The man was sentenced to three life terms without parole plus eighty years for another assault.
Somehow, I thought a verdict would help the pain but it doesn’t. If anything, the trial has made the whole loss even more unbearable to me. I hope that it will help others like they say it will. Perhaps with time, we’ll all find some peace, but right now, it’s not coming at all and I cannot conceive of any “closure.”
Nicely written Louis.
I agree with you that the printed hardcopy book will never go away. Having said that, I’ve met people so passionately opposed to electronic readers of any kind, that it seems almost illogical. I’ve compared the advent of eReaders to the invention of the car in the past. Horses never went away after the automobile became popular, just like books won’t disappear either.
Fran, I’m very sorry to hear of your friend but am gratified that justice has been served. I know of what you speak and can assure that while time does heal all wounds, sometimes it leaves a scar on your heart.
Fran, what Linda and her many friends gone through is inconceivable to most of us. As Darlene said, scars are inevitable, but we’re glad you’re with us.
Louis, this is perhaps the most practical eReader review I’ve seen and you provide the best reason for considering these devices– vision problems. Have you had any of these devices read aloud to you? What did you think of the voice quality?
As noted previously I am pretty addicted to my Nook Color.
What I find most interesting is to think about where we are headed with e-books. I sense that we may be poised on a precipice, as we were when television descended into households or when vcrs (and then dvds and now downloads) swept through the entertainment industry. When TVs came in everyone said it was the death of movies. And while movie production faded, it revived sharply when vcrs and then dvds brought movies into the home market.
Barnes and Noble saw ebooks coming and developed the Nook. Borders didn’t and this week it is selling off bookshelves.
I think about the points that John raised yesterday, about dwindling returns for short stories (a personalexample of this — two weeks ago I received a royalty check for the inclusion of The Book Case in a Japanese anthology of Ellery Queen pastiches — $80 after $20 in Japanese income taxes was withheld!)
But I wonder — are we poised on the brink of a possible resurgence in short stories that can now be made easily available in an e format? James wrote about his experiments in this area lately which (if I recall) have yet to bear much fruit. But things are changing out there. I wonder not only as a reader, but also a writer, where we are headed? Should be an interesting ride!
Thanks so much, Louis, for a wonderfully clear assessment of e-reader options.
I have been resistant to the concept for two reasons: 1. I get most of my reading material from the library or from friends and, 2. I lack the time or the interest to do the research.
Libraries are lending e-material now and you have rendered great assistance with the research. The day may come. . .
Terrie
Thanks to all of you at CB for your kind words.
Fran, I was sorry to hear about your friend Linda. Hopefully time will heal the pain.
Leigh, I haven’t seen any of the devices that read aloud, but I will certainly try one of them when I see one advertised at a reasonable price. My Mac announces the weather in the morning when it comes on and tells me when a program needs my attention. I tried the several built-in voices before finding one I could reasonable understand, but the quality needs improving.
Dale, I recently I began reading Narrative magazine on my Nook and found I liked it. I hoping someone will come up with an e-format for short stories.
Terrie, I hope the day will come when you will try an e-e-reader, especially one to help with research.
Louis,
You’re timing was perfect. I’ve been thinking of getting an iPad now that I’ve adjusted to the Kindle. What sold me on the iPad was I can get my email, download my manuscripts (for rereading), play Scrabble, and of course read books. And the screen is backlit.
You suggested that holding the iPad was not as easy as holding the Kindle. I like to read n bed sometimes. Would it be difficult with an iPad?
Melodie, I’m not sure how comfortable it would be, but the iPad weighs less that an 800 page hardback book. I think the Kindle, being smaller, might be easier to read in bed.
800 page book… good point.
Louis, I’m a believer in reading my work aloud to find errors, but with tired eyes, sometimes the Mac reads to me. I prefer ‘Vicki’ although ‘Cello’, ‘Pipe Organ’, and ‘Deranged’ bring a laugh.
Great column, Louis. I agree with the points you made, and I think you cleared up some things for a lot of us. And Melodie, I LOVE my iPad.