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Original poster

Please don't loose book reading to online -

222 replies

oopsadaisyme · 02/05/2014 23:09

This has probably been mentioned numerous times before, but books are so lovely, to kids, to us -

I love being able to turn off the tv and read to the kids, and when their asleep pick up a book and in quiet read a brilliant story from pages I can turn - even the feel of a book I love - marking a page, everything!

How awful it would be to put this all online, or am I wrong?

OP posts:
LumpySpacedPrincess · 04/05/2014 20:47

Books are great but a kindle is awesome. No landfill from all those paperbacks. My book shelves are now filled with hard back reference books and cookery books and all my fiction is on my kindle. It's light and I love the feeling of having all my books with me when I want them. When you finish a book you can just instantly get the next one.

And it smells great. Grin

TequilaMockingbirdy · 04/05/2014 20:48

That's a good point jumping very eco friendly!

Sigyn · 04/05/2014 20:53

I love my kindle so much. So much. I have a whole library that fits into an A5 envelope.

Personally, I'm one for reading my books not sniffing them. I have other things I like to sniff. As far as I'm concerned, books are not for sniffing.

Sigyn · 04/05/2014 21:39

A scented candle, that's what you need, OP.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 05/05/2014 00:14

It doesn't matter how you read a book as long as you do!

Forago · 05/05/2014 00:57

I expect this has been said but reading a book in bed previously downloaded to your kindle is not "online" (and you still have to swipe or press a button to turn the page)

LumpySpacedPrincess · 05/05/2014 09:31

Reading is reading, it's the words that matter not the method it's delivered. I've just given dd a kindle, she's 9 and working through the Harry potter books. They are huge and she was struggling with the size of them, now she can read in comfort.

The only downside is not being able to lend books. I believe kindle users in the states can lend e books.

CoteDAzur · 05/05/2014 09:35

"Scented candle" Grin

Not being able to lend is a good thing, as it prevents people from asking. I wouldn't lend books in pre-Kindle times either, as lent books tend to return in a terrible state years later, if at all.

Jux · 05/05/2014 17:55

I have been lending fewer books in recent years as these days there seem to be more people who can't quite manage to give them back, or not to tear them or spill food on them. I do like handing books round the family. There are 4 of us here, and a few series which we all read in turn.

Does anyone know if you can lend the same Kindle book to the same person more than once? We all reread those series, so if Kindle books are limited to 3 lends, then we'd be stuck.

It is a big problem from my pov, the limited lending aspect.

DuchessofMalfi · 05/05/2014 18:46

There are only two people I trust to lend books to, and return them in good condition - DH and DF. DF is, and always has been, an avid reader of books. He can quite easily read a book a day.

He thought he wanted a kindle and bought himself one recently, only to discover he really doesn't like it. It's currently sitting, unused, on his desk. I've tried very hard to encourage him to take a look at the books I've put on it for him but, at 84, he's not going to "get" ebooks after allSad. Shame, as it would be the perfect companion for his many trips to hospital.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 05/05/2014 19:18

You can lend kindle books in the UK for 2 weeks iirc.

Jux · 05/05/2014 20:42

2 weeks! 2 weeks!!!!! (splutter)
I have lent people books and not seen the book again for a year!

What about when you've lent a book to someone and then a few years later they want to reread it?

What about when you've lent a book to however many people you're allowed to lend it to, and one of them wants to read it again?

I tell you, Amazon have thought this through very carefully for maximum profit, haven't they? I love my Kindle, but I'll still be buying book-books too.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 05/05/2014 20:48

You lend it again for another 2 weeks.

I read far more now I have my kindle in my bag, never sorry of anything to read-love it!

PortofinoRevisited · 05/05/2014 20:57

I think the Kindle is better for authors in my case as I buy the book vs borrowing it or getting it from a charity shop (though they lose out). I buy many MORE books than I would have normally as it is so easy. Read a recommendation on MN - download it in 20 secs. Especially as I live abroad and English language books are VERY expensive.

OwlCapone · 06/05/2014 07:14

What about when you've lent a book to however many people you're allowed to lend it to, and one of them wants to read it again?

They could try buying the book Wink

Jux · 06/05/2014 16:49

Yes, but Dame that would probably count as another of the limited number of lends you're allowed, wouldn't it? So you couldn't lend it to them because you would almost certainly have already lent it to that number of people.

If I read a good book I'll lend it to as many people as I can so that they all get to enjoy that author. They then buy other books by them. That's good for authors and publishers etc. Limited lends benefits no one except Amazon.

OwlCapone · 06/05/2014 17:27

Has lending Kindle books been made available to countries outside the US?

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 06/05/2014 19:52

I don't think lending is limited.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 06/05/2014 19:56

*Loan a Kindle Book from the Product Detail Page
You can loan eligible Kindle books to a friend from the product detail page of a book you purchased on Amazon.

During the loan period, you will not be able to read the book that you loaned.

Visit the Kindle Store from your computer, and then locate the title you'd like to loan.
On the product detail page, click Loan this book. You will be sent to the Loan this book page.
Enter the recipient's e-mail address.
If desired, enter a personal message.

Note: Be sure to send the Kindle book loan notification to your friend's personal e-mail address and not their Kindle e-mail address.

Click Send now.
Note: If the loan is not accepted after seven days, the book will then become available in your Kindle Library and you will be able to loan the book again.

VIDEO: LEND OR BORROW KINDLE BOOKS

Loan a Kindle Book from Manage Your Kindle
You can loan eligible Kindle books to a friend from the Manage Your Kindle page.

During the loan period, you will not be able to read the book that you loaned.

Visit Manage Your Kindle.
In the Actions menu, select Loan this title. If Loan this title is not an option, lending is unavailable for the title.
Enter the recipient's e-mail address. If desired, enter a personal message.
Note: Be sure to send the Kindle book loan notification to your friend's personal e-mail address and not their Kindle e-mail address.

Click Send now.
Borrow from a Friend
You can borrow a Kindle book from a friend. When the book is available, you will receive an e-mail notification that will allow you to download the book to your Kindle device or reading app.

Open the e-mail message "A Loaned Book for You."
Click the Get your loaned book now button. Your web browser will automatically launch to Amazon so you can accept the loan.
Sign in to your Amazon account.
If you have a Kindle device or reading app, select which device you would like the book delivered to, and then click the Accept loaned book button.
If you do not have a Kindle device or reading app, click the Accept loaned book button. Follow the on-screen instructions to download a free Kindle reading app.
Return a Loaned Book
Visit Manage Your Kindle to return a loaned Kindle book.

Visit Manage Your Kindle
Click the Actions menu next to the borrowed book.
Click Delete from library.
Click Yes to confirm the return*

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 06/05/2014 19:57

That might be helpful , it's from the Amazon site.

ruthie48 · 07/05/2014 06:13

Kindle: think of all the extra space in suitcase on jolly hols!! Only books I buy now are by Alexander McColl smith as mainly book form anyway!

EduardoBarcelona · 07/05/2014 06:45

Op. Feck off

Booboostoo · 07/05/2014 07:21

Kindle all the way. It's really helpful to make the font larger, you can take hundreds of books with you on holiday without building up a sweat, it's so easy to buy new books and I am much more likely to try out a book by an unknown author, no need to stockpile endless paperbacks, very easy to self-publish - the kindle is brilliant!

ImAThrillseekerBunny · 07/05/2014 08:34

I agree that being constantly online gets in the way of concerted reading of real books. Will Self argued it typically well in his article linked above. But a Kindle (or Nook or whatever) is not "online" - it bears the same relationship to the Internet as a book does to a bookshop - when I read a paperback I'm not "shopping.

And yes, if you have no home internet you can download a month's supply of books in the lobby of your local library, or while browsing in a department store, or loitering outside a coffee shop. The more expensive Kindles don't even need Internet access.

The inability to borrow/sell/donate; whilst inconvenient for users, is in the interests of creators, who might actually get remuneration from each of their readers, not just the first one in the chain.

Jux · 07/05/2014 13:19

Dame, thank you! I had read online somewhere that you could only lend a book 3 times.