[Outdated, please look at pinned post] Casual Conversation

Is that how you are supposed to read paper books?

e-reader were a gamechanger for me.

on one side they are super convinient, because of the backlight alone.

on the other side: piracy

Audio books. When I have a book in my hand, I try to reach for a screen.

When I have a screen, I waste time with games/Lemmy/Youtube/Netflix etc instead of reading books.

But I can listen to audio books when I am walking/driving/cooking etc.

I adore real life books, but I read at night whilst my partner sleeps. The backlit ereader is an absolute delight.

I also disagree with calling audio books "reading".

I'm not saying is is a worse way to experience the content of the book, and I enjoy it myself, but it is a fundamentally different experience based on different senses and different mechanisms.

Ereaders definitely. I hate audiobooks because they take so long to read, I prefer listening to music when travelling. And physical books take up so much physical space, besides ebooks' added benefits such as customisable brightness for reading in the dark, remembering the page, highlighting and copying/defining/searching for text, and more.

I love the thought of paper books, but the functionality of my eReader is just too great. I can carry my books with me in one tiny little thing, it's got a light built in and doesn't weigh too much. Also saves so much shelf space.

I used to love physical books, but I just can't do them anymore. It's eBooks all the way - on my phone, namely.

I love to read so much and the ability to have my book on me at all times is irresistible. Going to the bathroom? Waiting at the doctor's office? A few minutes break at work? Snuggling in bed at night and I don't want to turn on a light and disturb my partner?

I've tried a few times to read physical books in the last few years, and having gotten addicted to the pleasure of reading whenever the hell I want, I just can't anymore.

Audiobooks are great for long car drives, but I rarely do those, so they're a very occasional treat for me.

Ebook these days.

I borrow digital copies from my library. If I really love a book, and I know I'll re-read it, then Ill by a hard copy.

Audiobooks, I listen while I’m working. I like paper books too, it’s lovely to sink into the pages. I don’t like reading stuff on a screen because I was born too soon.

Ereaders. They're light, have adjustable font size, can hold an extensive catalogue of books and have less distractions, in comparison to using a tablet with an ereader app on it.

Moreover, they allow me to escape international shipping fees which have really risen over the years.

On the other hand, nothing compares to the smell of a book and the sensation of holding one in your hand. I wish I could had hardcopies of some my ebooks for times when I want to get away from tech.

I like the first two and use both regularly.

Audiobooks are torture because the human voice doesn't read at even hald the pace of the human eye so it. feels. like. being. drip. fed. Even when you speed it up to x2.

Paper.

Ebooks are a tolerable alternative if there is no paper available.

I'm a fairly fast reader so audiobooks are way too slow paced for me and I don't like when they attempt to put emotions into their readings it always comes off as too inauthentic.

But that's just me, I'm a picky reader.

I really appreciate the ability to reference terms and characters with an e-reader.

I was a strong e-reader user for a few years around 2012, but have gone back to paper books. I like the feel of them and also like having books as physical objects in my big book shelfs in my living room. It's a bit of the decoration and signaling aspect of it too. Yet from pure practicality the e-reader was way more convenient.

As a dyslexic, audio books are awesome.

Audiobooks. So amazing to be able to “read” while you’re doing other things that are required of you.

e readers! Open Dyslexic font lets me read so fast!

Me reading in the dark without having to hold the crease of a book, reading on my side with my ebook: yeah I think I can pick a favorite

I need an E-reader that smells like a paper book!

I've never listened to an audiobook, but I'm about tied on physical vs E-reader books finished.

Paper books always. I have a second-gen kindle and I hate it. The reading experience is so inferior and I hate having to charge the stupid thing.

As someone with hearing issues (I lose speaking tones completely) I prefer books. Nothing better than curling up with a good book and hiding from the world for a while.

I prefer a paper book but love my e-reader for travel. Packing several books into my carryon bag sucks.

E-Reader. I had a Kindle I never really used, until pandemic. It was great to sometime reading again, to “go to the library” without leaving the house

I just tried an audiobook for the first time and it was not a good experience. Or maybe it’s just YouTube not being a good experience. Too many ads, it doesn’t want to keep track of what you read or where you were in it, nor does there seem to be a way to go back

E-reader because being able to set the font and brightness so I don't get eye fatigue.

My favorite is paper. I love the smell of old books, but also, I download a ton too because it is easier to carry them around this way.

I love ereaders. I can pull them out at any time, I can take thousands of books with me at any time, I can read at night without issue, if I drop my reader in the pool it’s not such a big deal. If I drop my book case in the pool it’s all damaged and everyone is giving me weird looks for bringing a book case to the pool.

Audiobooks all the way. I'm a crafter so I like to paint, knit, crochet, cross stitch or quilt while listening. Not possible with tangible books. I've listened to the whole Wheel of Time series and all of Brandon Sanderson's cosmere novels.

Fuck paper books marry audiobooks and kill ebooks

Paper books in the evening, audio books on my commute each day.

Audiobooks. Sounds strange, but I actually haven't got 3 or 4 hours to read a book. Even half an hour a day is a stretch. When I was in my 20s i'd lay down with a bucket of graphic novels and books and didn't stand up, only for snacks and toilet. Can't do that anymore. When I lay down and begin to read I'm sleeping after 10 minutes. Guess I'm a bit busy in my 40s.

I tried audiobooks but I couldn't last more than 30 minutes without my mind wondering somewhere else.

Started with physical books in the 90s now I read ebooks on my phone. Hoping to buy a dedicated ebook reader someday.

I will die on this hill: listening is not reading. And I love listening to audio books when I have a long drive or something. ereader is what I use 99% of the time though.

Can I be a little bit of a shit and say none?

It's not that I don't like books or am proud of not reading - it's that my ADHD makes books damn near impossible unless I'm fully gripped immediately, and then I will hyperfixate and read the book in it's entirety in one day (ask me about the bender that was the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series). And one would think audiobooks would be the solution, but man they just bore me hahaha.

Radio plays (or podcasts in the same style) and deep dives into history, however? That's the spot.

E-readers are too convenient, especially with how quickly I go through books.

Yes.

My preference has changed over time.

Originally I went through stacks of books. Even when ereaders came out I didn't like them. I built two massive floor to ceiling bookcases to hold them all. It's full with most shelves doubled up.

Then I started traveling all over the globe and I couldn't pack enough books for two weeks and 20+ flights. So I got an ereader and eventually transitioned to a tablet. Last I counted I have around 10,000 e-books.

Recently audiobooks have been my go-to. I drive a lot for work now so I listen to them on my trucks speaker system. When I am home I am always doing something else like cooking dishes, yardwork, etc. I have gotten use to listening to a book through my earbuds as I do other things. In the evening I often relax and listen to a book while playing a video game. I will go through 20-30 audiobooks per month.

Ebooks. I love how I can carry my entire book library on my phone with me everywhere I go. And read books on my phone anytime, anywhere. Also do enjoy audiobooks. Though they tend to take up lot of space, compared to ebooks.