Reading

[mauveme]

I really enjoy reading and getting to the library is very difficult for me ,, especially in the winter. And buying books can be so expensive. I found out that my library loans ebooks (who knew??) so I decided to take the plunge and buy one with my income tax refund. I asked my brother to research some for me as he is more tech savvy than me. He emailed me today, He purchased a Sony for me and it is on it's way to me now . What a great brother I have,( or it could be the knee surgury he is having next month and is hedging all bets )

[MaggieM1750]

I have become a frequent patron at my library.. its in the perfect spot.. right on my commute to work. I am there at least once a week picking up and returning items. I check out CD's and DVD's mostly- the harder to find independent movies and documentaries but also regular movies. Using my library has really helped me save money at Blockbuster!

I also check out audio books and listen along as I stitch. I had a few books I wanted to read, and always a stitchy project of some sort that I am working on. I can't read and stitch at the same time.. but I can certainly listen to a book and stitch.

Look into library outreach programs. Starting in March, I am volunteering by delivering items to people who have difficulties getting to the library. My library system also has a program that will mail items to people.

[K1nS]

Sounds good, I have an e-reader aswel, they are so good! I normally only buy the older e-books though as the newer ones are still quite expensive

[kerbear879]

I've got a kindle..I LOVE it..it doesn't support the ebooks from the library but you wouldn't believe how many books amazon gives away for free and a lot of them are new books, they usually only have them free for a few hours or a day or two. I probably have about 40 books I've gotten in the last month that were free.

[kota]

Barnes and Noble also does free eBooks. You don't even need a reader. You can download the Nook for PC application. Some are only samples but some are the full book and I've gotten some from my favorite authors for free. Its great. I will be looking into the the Amazon though since I'm sure they will have different offerings.

[Rose]

I love Audible.com they have so many books and I can choose what I like. I then put them on CD's and I can listen while I stitch and in the car whenI have to deliver parts or pick them up. It is great to have them. I looked in to our local library and they don't carry any books on CD which I thought was very strange.

[mauveme]

I can't use the audio books. My hearing is the problem. I can't understand what they are saying (that is the type of problem I have, what people say and what I hear are very different) hearing aids help but do not give me normal hearing. ( this is something most people don't understand about hearing aids, they do not give you normal hearing, but they give me 80% of normal hearing where I have 40% with out them.) And then there is the tinitis to deal with. Constant noise in ears, like a woodpecker on speed usually a good 80% of my day is never noise free.....

[talenaya]

mauve I've found that it's just easier to ask people to speak up. I'm suppose to be wearing hearing aids due to nerve damage but after I put them in it drove me nuts. Between the noise and sounding like I'm talking though a microphone I start thinking they just weren't right for me. Then after I got to hear my friend's dog bark I KNEW they weren't right for me! LOL

[mauveme]

mauve I've found that it's just easier to ask people to speak up. I'm suppose to be wearing hearing aids due to nerve damage but after I put them in it drove me nuts. Between the noise and sounding like I'm talking though a microphone I start thinking they just weren't right for me. Then after I got to hear my friend's dog bark I KNEW they weren't right for me! LOL

Asking people to speak up really doesn't work for me. They say the first sentence (if that much) then it goes back to normal. I ask them not to turn their back on me and speak, Doesn't work either. They seem to be annoyed about it. Happens all the time so I find it easier not to bother talking to anyone. My own doctor is the worst. He says a couple of words loud then right back to the mumble. I often get the feeling that they are annoyed about MY handicap inconviencing them.

[Mabel Figworthy]

I often get the feeling that they are annoyed about MY handicap inconviencing them.

That's just so insensitive it's breathtaking! Hope the e-books work out for you and give you lots of pleasure.

[Jilly]

I often get the feeling that they are annoyed about MY handicap inconviencing them.

That's just so insensitive it's breathtaking! Hope the e-books work out for you and give you lots of pleasure.

[/quote]

I'm with you Mabel..that's just appalling!
The e-books sound great Linda...happy reading

[Charmed]

I cant really get why people buy these kindles etc.... I much prefer the actual book. It seems to me that the ebooks are not that much cheaper than real books. Still I guess I shouldnt knock something before Ive tried it I dont mind reading on the computer, but not for too long.

Im supposed to wear a hearing aid too! but I dont wear it as much as I should! and with 3 children it gets very noisey!! mostly I guess what people are saying to me, or just ask them to repeat themselves. I dont tell people I cant hear them because then mostly they speak to me like Im stupid, its very annoying!I had a health vistor that did that to me, like my hearing had an effect on how I cared for my 3rd child!! I also have the subtitles on the TV, which is why I tend to watch dvds mostly. My hearing is mostly normal but I cant hear medium and high pitch sounds. I never hear my phone ring unless its close by and I rely on it vibrating, and people with accents is a whole other story!!

[ChicagoMay]

I want one of those e-book readers, like a Kindle. But I also like having each book on a shelf so they make me look like a reader

Right now my think is Audiobooks on the bus and while stitching. Don't have time to sit and read, and I can't read on the bus cause of motion sickness!

[mauveme]

The other thing I really wanted a reader for was holding the books. My wrists start to burn holding a book. I like "books" but I tend to read 7-800 page ones, they get quite heavy. It's a shame really as just the other day I heard on the news that a big publishing house in Canada went belly up... Probably the fault of all the new tech. People want what is new and conveinient. I like the feel of a book. Turning pages etc.

[koko]

I hope you enjoy your e-reader! I just got the Barnes & Noble Nook for Christmas and I love it!! I too love my actual books as well, but this is definitely more convenient for holding if you read a lot of large books (I do!) Also it is very convenient for traveling - usually if I go away for the weekend I will bring 5 - 7 books with me, now I can just take my little e-reader and not have my suitcase weigh 100 pounds!
Some of the e-books seem to be around the same price as buying regular books, but most libraries have e-books that you can borrow, and there are a ton of free e-books offered online. Enjoy it!!!!

[Jilly]

This thread has caught my interest so much I have been looking at e-books..I am so tempted to buy one with some money I had for Christmas. usually my Christmas money just gets absorbed into paying for food etc..it will be a big change to actually spend it on me Thank you Linda

[Sarah83]

I cant really get why people buy these kindles etc.... I much prefer the actual book. It seems to me that the ebooks are not that much cheaper than real books.

My mum asked for one for Christmas (and got one). She's finding the print in the regular books too small and not all are available in large print. And she can't get on with a magnifier either. Plus holding the books hurts her hands and wrists.

I'd love a Kindle or something simply to be able to carry multiple books around with me without needing a huge bag that weighs a ton

[~threadbear~]

I'm a 'real book' person, I just love books!
Having said that, I've never tried or even seen a kindle, so maybe would LOVE it, if I actually did.

I like the thought of it weighing nothing and fit easily in your bag etc, but I just wonder if I'd get the same pleasure as I do from a book.

For those of you who have difficulty holding the books though, I imagine it's a wonderful help.

Linda I'm appalled that people would be that way with you.

[Jilly]

I love real books..so much that it would cost a fortune to buy all the ones that interest me...the very attractive draw of a Kindle, the one I am looking at as we talk, is that many of the older classics are free to download..I would never buy them in book form..not enough space or money.
But as a book lover I would probably still buy some books in Hardback form if they became a favourite after reading them on a Kindle.

[kerbear879]

The biggest reason I bought my kindle was because my wrist and fingers would hurt from holding a paperback for too long..plus now I am taking the bus a lot and it's so convenient to just bring my kindle..I can read whatever I want and it's so lightweight. I have the lighted cover case for it too and that thing is awesome. It doesn't need batteries because the kindle powers the light. And you can seriously go almost a month without recharging it as long as you turn the wifi off.