Comments on: Are Baby Boomers Ready for E-Books?

By: Karen Summey

Karen Summey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:21:19 +0000

The jury’s still out for me. I haven’t tried one of the e-book readers yet, but I have my eye on them. I’ve been following them closely since the first version of the Kindle came out. Now, I think I’m ready to compare the different models and types.

Like those who have already commented, I have fond memories of curling up with a good (printed) book. I don’t know that an e-book will hold the same comfort.

On the other hand, I’m back in grad school, and it would be nice to download a textbook or a research article in pdf format. The ability to take virtual notes and bookmark is also attractive. We’ll see!

By: Tina Marie Hilton

Tina Marie Hilton — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:14:38 +0000

Mary Ann,
I have very mixed feelings about the e-reader. The girly geek in me loves the idea of being able to pop a small, thin device in my purse that can hold not only my latest novel, but also newspapers, business books, etc. I always find myself at the airport wishing I’d brought that ‘other’ book I was reading or finishing the first book in a series while relaxing by the pool and desperately wanting to move on to the next.
This would solve that problem.

It is also a very ‘green’ thing, which I’m also a big proponent of, being a virtual assistant and all.

But like you, I have fond memories of getting lost in the pages of a book. Books took me away to new places and led me on amazing adventures throughout my life. Part of the experience of getting lost is a good book is curling up with a cup of tea and getting lost in the pages. And I would be sad if we forever lost that magical smell and feel of the local public library, as it holds so many wonderful memories for me. As a child, the library was such a special place to visit.

I don’t think we’re ready to replace traditional books just yet. But the e-reader does have it’s perks.

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By: Mary Ann

Mary Ann — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:15:21 +0000

Somehow I don’t think I’ll be jumping on the e-reader bandwagon!
I love to curl up in my easy chair with a cup of coffee and immerse myself in a good book. I like turning the pages, placing the special bookmark given to me by my best friend to mark my page when I have to leave my book for a spell. . A rainy or snowy afternoon with the fireplace going, a little background music and a good book is one of the special treats I look forward to. Maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Somehow holding a digital device doesn’t give me the same comfortable feeling I’m used to.

I’m a voracious reader and have been since I was a kid. I can still remember the excitement of having my own library card and being able to chose any book I wanted. The joy of walking through the rows and rows of books, the smell of the volumes, the quiet reverence in the library shared by the other readers I felt as though I had entered a magical place. Books transported me to faraway places and introduced me to characters that I wanted to meet personally. To me, there was nothing better during summer vacations than going to the library and returning home with a large towering stack of books. And then having to decide which one should I read first?

With the holidays approaching, I remember the thrill of opening a much awaited new Nancy Drew book on Christmas morning and the anticipation of an afternoon laying across my bed getting caught up in the mysteries Nancy and her friends were solving.

Today when I l enter my local Barnes and Nobles, used book store or library, I still get a thrill when I discover a new author or a new found book by a favorite author. I can’t wait to open the book and read the flyleaf and turn the pages Somehow downloading a book to an e-reader doesn’t have the same cachet.

Then there is the problem of how to donate my used e-books – how does one do that? When I travel I always take paperbacks so that when I’m finished I can leave the book behind, in the hotel room, or lobby, or in the airport hoping that someone will appreciate the treasure I enjoyed and want them to find.