Random Literary Fragments; Please Share Pics of Your Bookshelf Here~

originally posted by: incoserv
a reply to: zosimov
Another benefit of digital; it's easy to always have something to read on hand.

To be honest, wouldn't it be just as easy for someone to say another benefit of actual books are that it's easy to always have somethig to read on hand? Whenever I have to go to a doctor's appointment or a waiting room for something, I always carry a book to read to pass the time. I mean, if you have to carry a digital device to read, coudn't you just as easily carry a book? To me, they kind of equalize out, making no advantage one way or the other. It's all from your particular perspective.

But, to have no books in your home, that is what I consider a crime. I was once in a band and the drummer bragged about never having read a whole book in his life. Pitiful! He doesn't know what he missed.

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

I think with the digital device the advantage is being able to carry a small library in a device the size of one book. That was what my aunt likes about her digital.

I'm like you - I would miss the weight and feel of the book itself. I do usually end up packing at least two wherever I go though.

And I think it's been found that kids who grow up in a literature rich environment with parents who actively read and take the time to read to them are far more likely to become readers themselves. Our kiddo devoured the 'I Am Number 4' series over the summer in about 3 weeks as a 10-year-old. He's well ahead of most kids his age with reading, but we encourage him to read, read a lot ourselves, and still read to him. I am thinking about digging my copy of World War Z out and previewing it and then reading it to him in October as a Halloween read.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: incoserv

My fear with digital is that it's inconstant. How would you know if someone were to silently alter what you possess? Or what if we suffer a Carrington type event? Or what if they decide that you should no longer possess that digital copy for "reasons"?

You don't hold the actual copy in your hand, so how do you prevent it from being taken from you?

As to content being altered or banned on eReaders, that can only happen with books that are leased from distributors like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. (You don't actually own the music or books or movies that you "purchase" from digital providers.) I remember awhile back when Amazon pulled a book from their store because of copyright issues and just deleted every copy on anybody's device (though they at least refunded the purchase price). The fact that they an have that kind of control is certainly disturbing, and given the atmosphere of agenda-driven censorship, that kind of power is even more concerning.

I'm watching the development of tablets with e-ink screens and hope to get one when prices come down a bit and the technology is fully matured. (The latter may already be the case.)

The reason I use a Nook is that it allows sideloading of epub books from sources like Project Gutenberg. Those are mine and I don't think that they have the capability to remove them.

As to a Carrington-type event, that'd suck but if that happens, I think literature might be pretty low on the list of priorities for a long time, bumped by things like basic survival. Though having a nice book to read as the world comes crashing down around one would be good.

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind

originally posted by: incoserv
a reply to: zosimov
Another benefit of digital; it's easy to always have something to read on hand.

To be honest, wouldn't it be just as easy for someone to say another benefit of actual books are that it's easy to always have somethig to read on hand? Whenever I have to go to a doctor's appointment or a waiting room for something, I always carry a book to read to pass the time. I mean, if you have to carry a digital device to read, coudn't you just as easily carry a book? To me, they kind of equalize out, making no advantage one way or the other. It's all from your particular perspective. ...

I keep some books on my phone and most always have access to it, so that makes it easier. My Nook acc't is on my phone and I put any ePub books that I'm currently interested in on it.

Incidentally, I use an app called FBReader to read across multiple devices. I purchased the pro version. You can store your ebooks on a folder on Google Drive and then sync your reading across multiple devices. The app really rocks if you are into reading digitally.

I had to build another bookshelf because I've got so many books. Here's one I built in my bedroom, beside the bedroom French doors. It hadn't been painted yet in this picture and I have almost 10 foot high ceilings:



The top shelf is general fiction.
2nd shelf is the Elizabethan Age.
3rd shelf is classical poetry and Greek plays and writings.
4th shelf is Classics from the 1800s.
5th shelf is Classics from the 1800s and early-to-mid 1900s.
6th shelf is my Perry Mason collection. Every book but one that's hard to find.
Bottom shelf is more general fiction; police procedurals, war-time dramas, Ernest Hemingway, etc.

And over to the left on the little half-oval table, Mack Bolan - The Executioner books. I prefer the original 38 by Don Pendleton.

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

Looks like a lot of great reads on there!

Nice shelves, too.

a reply to: IAMTAT

LOL, Awesome. I'm proud of you, TAT.

Ive pretty much moved entirely to digital as well.

I use a pretty heavily hacked Kobo Aura. My only complaint about it is the lack of an SD card slot. My only real two "requirements" for an e-reader are physical page turn buttons and an SD card slot. Very difficult to find in a reliable platform, sadly. The Aura only has internal memory, which means I cant put my full collection on there. Still was the best choice out there for me.

All my other books are in boxes :3 I just dont have the space for them! I have a few hundred though, and my digital collection is.. rather large.

I absolutely love older books though, and have first editions of works like Tarzan and Morals & Dogma.

Oh darn! Fun thread! I would love to play but have my bookshelves packed up at the moment. Lots of fantasy novels, how to books, history, lore, equine, gardening, self sufficiency, metals, sculpture, anatomy, etc. Next time!

a reply to: zosimov

Good call...
I only have a digital bookshelf and the few books i keep until read.
Habits of a nomads life...

a reply to: Starcrossd

We'll be here when you unpack!!

a reply to: Terpene

Traveling light... nothing wrong with that at all!

originally posted by: IAMTAT

I might have to borrow some of those especially the German Shepard for dummies

All my books are stacked up on the floor and in boxes cause my book shelf is filled with video games. I used to have a really nice set up for my comic book collection too but I ended up selling it to make room for a new gun rack so now my comic collection is in water tight containers.

a reply to: IAMTAT

We could do a shelf like that with PIG guides (Politically Incorrect Guides).

Ok found this awesomeness today:

One way to stop the digital world from changing history is to get a good set of encyclopedias from the early nineties ... just before digital really became a thing and another set of much older ones.

I have one set where WW2 hasn't finished.

These old tomes also showcase peoples attitudes at the time they were written.

Bye the way, most old encyclopedias can be had for a few dollars since no one wants them.

P

a reply to: pheonix358

my earliest book is from 1908 and it is a Manuel really about how to make gears. If i try to google some of the things in this book comes up empty, it speaks alot for what the internet is and supposed to be.

After finding that video a couple of posts above I bought myself a birthday present (the mini zoltar fortune booth)

Looks pretty cool on the shelves!