book buying

[shootingstar]

I decided not to buy the lst book below.  Initially thought it would be cool to learn more about the flora, fauna and forests of Taiwan.  Then I skimmed and saw all sorts of history political stuff about Nationalists in Tawainese history that her family was involved/lived through in 1920's to 1950's....stuff I can't totally relate since my family is not from Taiwan and was never embroiled in the politics in that country.  Another time, when I feel like learning more....  

So I got the 2 books below.  The 3rd book seems quite erudite---- a cross between some visual art academic about different genres of art and her personal journey as an older black visual artist returning from academia.  She is among bunch of youngsters in some of her sessions.

No, it's not because of BLM time.  After all, I asked for my birthday and read about 3 yrs. ago, Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime", his autiobiography of being raised part black in South Africa in the dying years of apartheid as a child.  It's very good. His jokes /satire on TV is against a serious personal background of living through years of real protest and revolution in South Africa.

Just 2 months ago, I read Michelle Obama's biography for 2nd time...a bk. I also asked for my birthday 2 yrs. ago.

     

 

[maddmaxx ★]

I miss bookstores.  First because so many have closed and second because my eyes are bad enough that I purchase everything for my kindle so that I can enlarge the text.

[Page Turner]

.

...I'm on a W S Merwin binge here.  Gonna get more of his prose from the library, because I already own a lot of the poetry.

His more or less historical verse narrative of the history of Hawaii, "the Folding Cliffs", is long and dense and ought to get me through the rest of the fire season here.

[shootingstar]

50 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I miss bookstores.  First because so many have closed and second because my eyes are bad enough that I purchase everything for my kindle so that I can enlarge the text.

There is no way I would have known about the above 3 books via databases.  You have to do broad searches and sift through ….a lot.  walking into a bookstore...gives you variety immediately.  

How is your eyesight for foreseeable future?

[shootingstar]

19 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

.

...I'm on a W S Merwin binge here.  Gonna get more of his prose from the library, because I already own a lot of the poetry.

His more or less historical verse narrative of the history of Hawaii, "the Folding Cliffs", is long and dense and ought to get me through the rest of the fire season here.

Hawai'i is fascinating cultural-history and also from nature perspective.  I really enjoyed Hawai'i when we vacationed there twice. Different from the mainland.

There's a lot about Hawai'i that would inspire poetry on different fronts.

[petitepedal ★]

I just got 2 books of the work of Rumi..one is a daily reader..

[maddmaxx ★]

9 hours ago, shootingstar said:

There is no way I would have known about the above 3 books via databases.  You have to do broad searches and sift through ….a lot.  walking into a bookstore...gives you variety immediately.  

How is your eyesight for foreseeable future?

Stable for the moment but the long term prospects aren't all that good.  There is persistent mild double vision due to the damaged retinas, lots of floaters that often leave me seeing things that aren't there.  The best news is that my newest problem of glaucoma is remaining stable and not getting worse at present with only mild damage to my peripheral and night vision.

Born so nearsighted that I was legally blind without my glasses until I had cataract surgery several years ago.  Secondary cataract developed in one eye weeks after surgery repaired by laser surgery to remove it.  That was followed by 4 major retinal separations repaired by laser surgery aka spot welding.  Secondary cataract developing in the other eye now.  Corrective surgery delayed until absolutely necessary due to the increased possibility of additional retinal separations in that eye.  Now diagnosed with Glaucoma which is remaining stable enough to allow me to avoid medication for a while.  Gradual loss of night vision to the point that I do not drive in heavy traffic at night any more.

Working in the secret lab requires extensive use of magnification devices now.

 

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

11 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

I miss bookstores

I don't. They're dangerous. I have successfully avoided the campus bookstore so far this year. 

OTOH, I went to a symposium on George Washington with TK, at the Fort Plain Museum and found a new dangerous bookstore and doubly so because they do online sales.

(Funny: when I just did the search I came up with this page, which shows the book I bought at the symposium....which I shouldn't have, because it was by the only speaker of the day whose presentation kinda sucked....and his book did, too)

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

Stable for the moment but the long term prospects aren't all that good.  There is persistent mild double vision due to the damaged retinas, lots of floaters that often leave me seeing things that aren't there.  The best news is that my newest problem of glaucoma is remaining stable and not getting worse at present with only mild damage to my peripheral and night vision.

Born so nearsighted that I was legally blind without my glasses until I had cataract surgery several years ago.  Secondary cataract developed in one eye weeks after surgery repaired by laser surgery to remove it.  That was followed by 4 major retinal separations repaired by laser surgery aka spot welding.  Secondary cataract developing in the other eye now.  Corrective surgery delayed until absolutely necessary due to the increased possibility of additional retinal separations in that eye.  Now diagnosed with Glaucoma which is remaining stable enough to allow me to avoid medication for a while.  Gradual loss of night vision to the point that I do not drive in heavy traffic at night any more.

Working in the secret lab requires extensive use of magnification devices now.

 

  Hope you have willing sons to drive with you.

[shootingstar]

44 minutes ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

I don't. They're dangerous. I have successfully avoided the campus bookstore so far this year. 

OTOH, I went to a symposium on George Washington with TK, at the Fort Plain Museum and found a new dangerous bookstore and doubly so because they do online sales.

(Funny: when I just did the search I came up with this page, which shows the book I bought at the symposium....which I shouldn't have, because it was by the only speaker of the day whose presentation kinda sucked....and his book did, too)

I realize everyone reads e-books.  Maybe I'll think about it several yrs. from now.  Right now, with a full time job and now working from home, 90% of time in front of computer, I need a break.

There's a great bookstore in Seattle, Elliot Bay Bookshop.  It reveals a ton of titles I would never know about in Canada because there are smaller U.S. publishers that only reach out to customers domestically. 

[maddmaxx ★]

6 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

  Hope you have willing sons to drive with you.

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

Just now, shootingstar said:

I realize everyone reads e-books.

I don’t. I am a tried-and-true dead tree guy.

I’ve tried them and don’t like them. I am typing this on an iPad with a cracked screen...because I fell asleep reading an ebook on it and dropped it. 

SO loves hers and has, on several occasions tried to give me one of hers, but they just feel all wrong - even though there a a bunch of things I read like out of print google books and books in PDF format.

[Kzoo]

3 hours ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

I don’t. I am a tried-and-true dead tree guy.

I’ve tried them and don’t like them. I am typing this on an iPad with a cracked screen...because I fell asleep reading an ebook on it and dropped it. 

SO loves hers and has, on several occasions tried to give me one of hers, but they just feel all wrong - even though there a a bunch of things I read like out of print google books and books in PDF format.

I've tried a few e-books.  Not a fan.  I will if I have to some day.  I have not read a 'dead-tree' book in a couple years.  I have a one hour commute and do a lot of Audible books.  I average about 5 audibles a month.

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

Just now, Kzoo said:

I average about 5 audibles a month.

One of my fellow inmates does audiobooks, but severely doubt I could. ANY kind of spoken audio makes me rage, whether it’s talk shows or podcasts. 

I occasionally think about an ebook reader just for the PDF and google books I read, but I go through a couple of dead tree books a month. Thank doG for the library.

[Razors Edge ★]

I read - in the dark and in bed - every night.  It keeps my marriage sane (to some degree).  A Kindle Paperwhite is truly a great idea.

What's fun, too, is that Kindle does "free" books each month. Many publishers give away earlier books in a series when the next version comes out. Many libraries "lend" ebooks withoout you ever having to go to a library or get overdue fines. I can switch between reading two or more books in an instant, and never lose my place in either. Also, an ebook is often a few $$$ less - no printing, no shipping, just reading.

Biggest drawback to the Kindle is graphics - not great for those - or maps at the front of many sci-fi or fantasy books. 

[MickinMD ★]

18 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I decided not to buy the lst book below.  Initially thought it would be cool to learn more about the flora, fauna and forests of Taiwan.  Then I skimmed and saw all sorts of history political stuff about Nationalists in Tawainese history that her family was involved/lived through in 1920's to 1950's....stuff I can't totally relate since my family is not from Taiwan and was never embroiled in the politics in that country.  Another time, when I feel like learning more....  

 

It's probably hard to write a book about Taiwan's recent history, even natural history, without dragging politics into it.

Until very recent times, the minority that represent the families of Nationalists from the Chinese mainland who fled to Taiwan with Chang Kai Shek in 1948 were at strong odds with the native Taiwanese.  The Nationalist's political party, the Kuomintang, ruled through threat and guile and the fact they were Chang's army.  They changed the official Chinese dialect of the island from Taiwanese to Mandarin.  To call someone a mother f'er you now were supposed to say, "Tsow nee ma," instead of "Ghan nee ma." (my Taiwanese college dorm roommate taught me key phrases in both dialects!).

Taiwan had NOT officially been part of China for centuries - they had long been a Japanese territory (though clearly Han Chinese people with a Chinese dialect) until the end of WW2 so many Taiwanese surely served in the Japanese army that invaded China in the 30's, so the conflicts between the native Taiwanese and the Nationalists were great.

In the grad dorm at IIT, I had a chemical engineering roommate named Ski (his initials) whose family was a many-centuries Taiwanese family. My roommate's father went to medical school in Japan.

In the next room was another Taiwanese, Tsonsun Lee.  His father was one of the Nationalists who escaped to Taiwan from Mao's Communists and Tsonsun was born on the mainland.  Many of the native-Taiwanese friends of Ski at IIT were wary of Tsonsun - Chang's Kuomintang had paid spies on U.S. campuses to report on bad political behavior by other Taiwanese.  I think Tsonsun was ok, though and we became campus friends - though Ski always watched what he said in front of him and asked me to never repeat what he and friends said politically to Tsonsun.

Speaking to me in the privacy of my and Ski's dorm room, the Taiwanese said they wanted to be the nation of "Taiwan."  They didn't want the USA and the Nationalists saying they were "Free China."  This was just as Nixon began going to Beijing and eventually recognizing Mao's China as "China."  The Taiwanese felt caught in political garbage and were forced to be told they were part of China.

So it's probably hard to write a book about Taiwan's recent history, even natural history, without dragging politics into it.

[Kirby]

I've had a kindle for some time, but only recently started reading some books on it. I like it for travel because it's much easier to pack one thing than a bunch of books and it's nice not to worry that I'm going to run out of things to read if my flight gets delayed.  I also like the fact I can stock up on things to read when I see them, without adding to the large stack of books waiting to be read in my junk room.   Also, I used to give my books to my mom when I finished, and now I don't really have anyone to give them to.  The volunteer library in my condo stopped accepting books awhile back (I think they got too many)  and the public library won't accept any since covid started.  I hate to throw out a book after I've read it.

But for a book I really want to enjoy, something where I want to savor the phrasings and go back and reread a section or page, I'll choose a print copy.

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

17 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Many libraries "lend" ebooks withoout you ever having to go to a library or get overdue fines

I love going to my library. It's not even out of my way...and they don't do fines anymore. (They called me a while ago to "accuse" me of still having a couple of books I returned months ago. I told them to check their shelves. They did and were all apologetic, so I made sure to give them a hard time about it).

They do e-book "loans" but you're still time-limited and they only have limited number of "copies" - which is dumb.

Plus, I often loan books out to my MIL or TK. Hard to do with a vapor book. 

[maddmaxx ★]

26 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I read - in the dark and in bed - every night.  It keeps my marriage sane (to some degree).  A Kindle Paperwhite is truly a great idea.

What's fun, too, is that Kindle does "free" books each month. Many publishers give away earlier books in a series when the next version comes out. Many libraries "lend" ebooks withoout you ever having to go to a library or get overdue fines. I can switch between reading two or more books in an instant, and never lose my place in either. Also, an ebook is often a few $$$ less - no printing, no shipping, just reading.

Biggest drawback to the Kindle is graphics - not great for those - or maps at the front of many sci-fi or fantasy books. 

When will you start the Honor Harrington Series.

1st book On Basilisk Station.  Free from the Baen Books Library.

[Razors Edge ★]

19 minutes ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

They do e-book "loans" but you're still time-limited and they only have limited number of "copies" - which is dumb.

Plus, I often loan books out to my MIL or TK. Hard to do with a vapor book. 

Dumber than having a physical building to store the time-limited and limited number of "copies"  physical books?

And, yes, you can lend and trade various ebooks. and some you just "have" already in DRM-free mobi/epub format, so you can e-mail the book to them.

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

Dumber than having a physical building to store the time-limited and limited number of "copies"  physical books?

Yes. Physical limitations are a very real thing. Restrictions on virtual books are completely arbitrary. Furthermore, as a kid having a building to go to, to get the hell out of the house, wasn't quite a lifesaver, but it was close.

4 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

, you can lend and trade various ebooks

To two other people who don't have e-book readers....

[maddmaxx ★]

16 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Dumber than having a physical building to store the time-limited and limited number of "copies"  physical books?

And, yes, you can lend and trade various ebooks. and some you just "have" already in DRM-free mobi/epub format, so you can e-mail the book to them.

The greatest problem with E readers is that there are an almost infinite number of books that will probably never be converted from paper.  I have a library of history books, mostly but not all on the later wars of the United States from Korea onward toward today.  Many of them cannot be found at all any more let alone in Eprint.

Books represent money.  Lots of books have limited print numbers and are never reprinted nor moved over to Eprint.  If you didn't get it when it was available it's gone.  Libraries tend not to buy limited books of this nature because of the small readership.

History tends to be a subject that requires many viewpoints and many authors to understand and to get around the natural bias of each and every author.

[Razors Edge ★]

3 minutes ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

Yes. Physical limitations are a very real thing. Restrictions on virtual books are completely arbitrary.

I can guarantee you that if you come up with a better way for the libraries to afford, and the publisher and authors to get fairly paid, then you will officially be "da MAN!".

I gotta think that ebooks can actually be a boon to smaller scale (or self-published) authors, where they can get the ebook onto a library system's virtual shelf without ever having to create a physical copy.  Likewise, under some sort of "licensing" agreement, rather than a one time royalty for a books purchase, an author (and publisher) could potentially receive a series of royalties in perpetuity.

13 minutes ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

To two other people who don't have e-book readers....

If you loved them, they would!

[maddmaxx ★]

Why would libraries pay to stock limited readership e books?  

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

Just now, Razors Edge said:

I gotta think that ebooks can actually be a boon to smaller scale (or self-published) authors, where they can get the ebook onto a library system's virtual shelf

Like online streaming services have been to musicians? Some sonofabitch is gonna control that gateway, too.

 

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

If you loved them, they would!

SO's mom has turned down offers of SO's hand me down ebook readers too. Pretty sure TK is firmly in the dead tree club too.

[dinneR ★]

5 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I realize everyone reads e-books. 

 

That is not even remotely true.

[dinneR ★]

35 minutes ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

Yes. Physical limitations are a very real thing. Restrictions on virtual books are completely arbitrary. Furthermore, as a kid having a building to go to, to get the hell out of the house, wasn't quite a lifesaver, but it was close.

To two other people who don't have e-book readers....

The restrictions are not arbitrary. There are two models for e-books in libraries. The first model which you are referring to is the library buys one copy of an e-book for $50-60. They own it for 2 years. They are allowed to let one patron at a time check it out. If you have it checked out, I have to wait. If it's a popular book, they can buy multiple copies of the e-book just like print copies. Print copies are less expensive and they own it as long as they want to.

The second model is the digital service provides an array of material to the library and two patrons can check out the same title at the same time. The library pays for each download so they limit the number of downloads per patron.

Current numbers in the U.S. are book sales are roughly 70% print 30% digital.

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, dennis said:

That is not even remotely true.

YAY!!!!

Dennis is BACK!!!

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

2 minutes ago, dennis said:

The restrictions are not arbitrary

Driven by what, though?

[dinneR ★]

Just now, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

Driven by what, though?

Money and the publisher restrictions. At $50 a crack and with lower readership, e-book investments are hard to justify. 

Macmillan, one of thee largest publishers in the U.S., changed their terms. Libraries could buy one copy of the e-book for the first two months a book was released. After the embargo, and demand dropped, they could purchase more copies. Imagine NYC libraries being allowed one copy of a title.

[shootingstar]

47 minutes ago, dennis said:

Money and the publisher restrictions. At $50 a crack and with lower readership, e-book investments are hard to justify. 

Macmillan, one of thee largest publishers in the U.S., changed their terms. Libraries could buy one copy of the e-book for the first two months a book was released. After the embargo, and demand dropped, they could purchase more copies. Imagine NYC libraries being allowed one copy of a title.

Thx for explaining all the common details of aggregate content/ebook licensing to folks here and common types of costing models.  

Unfortunately there are also sites with pirated/stolen copies that are automatically loaded.  Where someone downloaded a bought copy of a novel from Amazon and then offered to these horrible sites.  I told my niece about 1 of these sites since she self-publishes and promotes her novels on Amazon, Kobo, etc.

[maddmaxx ★]

57 minutes ago, dennis said:

Money and the publisher restrictions. At $50 a crack and with lower readership, e-book investments are hard to justify. 

Macmillan, one of thee largest publishers in the U.S., changed their terms. Libraries could buy one copy of the e-book for the first two months a book was released. After the embargo, and demand dropped, they could purchase more copies. Imagine NYC libraries being allowed one copy of a title.

Fortunately I'm a hybrid old school ereader.  I actually purchase the books I read so that the author gets a fair cut.  Most of the time I use the library it's to access CT's university library system as I can order up a book to read that might only be found in one or two universities in the state.  The last time I did this was to obtain an english translation of a very obscure book on the engineering of German castles.