Books Versus Tablets??? What will Happen Next?

With technology changing reader's lives daily.. 

what is the life expectancy of an actual

 physical book these days?

I mean will a book soon be absolute? 

Will everything be on some sort of tablet or 

computerized communication device? 

Are you a Book reader or a Device reader? 

Do you share the love o holding an actual colored

covered book with hundreds or thousands of pages?


Did you know that....
In January 2011, Amazon.com reported that it sold three times as many Kindle books as hardcover books. In the same month, the company also began selling more Kindle books than paperbacks [source: BBC News].

Or do you prefer... 

Taking a 1000 books with you on 

your next vacation all wrapped up in 1 device? 

Easy to store, easy to carry, lots of choices, easy to buy

and no more large clumsy bookcases taking up space in 

our homes and offices.  

But I love looking at books and book cases.

Cons...
On a bright sunny day e readers have trouble in the sunny daytime 
a regular book has no problems. Costs are also a problem for e readers.  A tablet or Kindle or Nook can cost $199 upwards to $800. Books average range is around $9.99.  Sharing books with friends can also cause problems with e readers.  The e readers like Nook have the abilities to share, but still have some glitches and limitations. 

Advantages....
With the instant access online to anything you may ever want to read, 
more space, but what happens to library's?  
Will the librarian's job go away? 
 Will those treasured quite moments spent in the back of a library with heads buried in books be a thing of the past?  
And what about the lessons in school?  
Learning how to locate books and sitting in a circle on the floor in front of your teacher listening and looking at those pretty photos inside 
the books during our reading lesson.   

Here's what I have done in my home.... 

I have condensed my books to 3 book cases and 

store them in my home office.  

I read on a tablet for the most part, but sometimes 

I just grab a book off one of my shelves. 

I cannot part with my books I own!

And I do own more than I can possibly read in my 

lifetime, however, I still love to look at them.

So it boils down to this...

Each reader has his/her own preference which may be enough 

to keep books around for awhile, at least temporarily.  I fear though, that our children's children will no longer have a need or appreciation where

physical books are concerned and by then will become a thing of the 

past. The same way that the 8-track, cassette, 

and the transistor radio has, too. [hmmm dating myself now]

Sometimes we just can't seem to part with our hard 
copies of our favorite novels.  I sure do love those dust jackets
and think of all the artists that design those covers. 

Will they all be out of work? 

Will books head straight into the past like the cassettes and CDs have?  Books may not be everyone's favorite today, but many readers will still hold onto those hard covered wonders for their own collections. 
This author feels books will be collected like art and kept to 
show off to other book lover friends. 

According to the Daily Riff
They listed 21 things that will become obsolete in 2020 and number 8 is paperbacks!

8. Paperbacks: 

Books were nice. In ten years' time, all reading will be via digital means. And yes, I know, you like the 'feel' of paper. Well, in ten years' time you'll hardly tell the difference as 'paper' itself becomes digitized.

Guest House by Barbara K Richardson, Discussion

I finished reading "Guest House " by Barbara K. Richardson. I found this novel to be fast paced and have very true to life characters. Ricahardson depics the thoughts and actions of one of the main characters, an eleven year old boy, with great detail and precise adolescence behavior. It kept me onthe edge of my seat in anticipation of his next experience. I liked how the scenes were not so over indulged on, bringing the main focus of the characters feelings and demeanor as the life line of the stories plot.

The people who lodged at "Guest House" are brought to the reader's attention by their strange and "unfantasized" relationships, which is so true in any real life scenario. Stepping into the minds of these characters and learning about their desires and sorrows is invigorating and makes you want to jump in and help them out or tell them to shut-up? Not sure which I felt at times?

It begins when Melba, one of the best real estate agents in Oregon, witnesses a tragic accident involving a large truck and a bicyclist. It ends in the cyclist's death. Melba, so torn up inside by this experience, swears off her vehicle, leaving it right there on the side of the road, quits her job, and declares to never drive again for fear of killing somone with her car and also to help stop air polution. She finds "Guest House in major need of repair and purchases the place in hopes of gaining peace in a more simpler life.

The "guest" that ends up living with her, Jolee, has her own twisted agenda, which does not always coincide with Melbas. Between that, and Jolees visitors, Melba gets entangled on a long roller coaster ride of daring lifestyle choices, which has her facing her own maternal instincts, and more than she had bargained for. I liked this novel and if you get a chance to read it you won't be disappointed.

This is Barbara K. Richardson's debut novel. She comes from a background of part comedian, part landscape designer, and zen master. She has portrayed her characters to accentuate their despair and ambition allowing the reader to experience hope and salvation through the natural nuturing of a woman who meshes with a child in need of love. She entangles family obligations with her character's actual magnetic inclinations and depicts it all in the landscaping of the country and a sparce little "blink of the eye" town in the desert. An excellent read!! :)

A New Guest Reader Book by Barbara Richarson

   I just received today a copy of this book, "Guest House" by Barbara Richardson, to read for them. I can't wait to get started and see what it is all about...I just wanted to post that I am starting it and will be posting what I think soon...What a fun sounding book.... 

Reading When it Rains Outside

Do you like to read when it rains outside? I do...I especially like to get my favorite "lapghan" and curl up next to the fireplace and grab a good book and read. The only problem is making sure DH stays away long enough to get me through more than a few chapters. LOL.....

I am just starting A Veiled Deception  by Annette Blair, and love it...If you love cozies, get this first-person paranormal mystery. This is a new series and this being the 1st one is one not to be missexd. The main character is a dress designer/vintage clothes collector with paranormal gifts inherited from her late mother. New York designer Madeira Cutler who returns to Connecticut for the wedding of her younger sister Sherry, who she virtually raised when their mother died.  Their father can't deal with the details of the wedding and the hostility of the groom's wealthy mother. Then the groom's former flame shows up, obviously planning to replace Sherry as bride.

When she's strangled at the shower with her antique bridal veil, Maddie has to not only redesign the dress but also make sure neither bride nor groom is jailed for the murder. Helping her -- and vying for her affections -- are her hot FBI sometimes-boyfriend and a local police detective she's fought with since high school. yummy....be sure to grab a copy of this short paperback and curl up by your fireplace to enjoy another wonderful read like I am doing, opps here comes more rain...ta ta for now I am off to read some more.. :)
 

               

What's Happening to the Novel's Future?

The news is saying that the novel is DEAD!!

I read reports that say the novel is dead. What? How can that be? I am still buying them and racking up the $$ on my Visa; aren't you? I mean any "readoholic" is doing the same. And who doesn't love book stores? It just is not the same to use a cell phone to read a book or download it onto the computer. I need that warm and fuzzy feeling I get in a book store. I also need the scones they have there!!

It's no secret that the number of independent bookstores is on the wane. And even big chain stores like Borders are having trouble. Scott Karp, who writes the Publishing 2.0 blog, predicted bookstores would be obsolete in 10 years. That was last year, so we apparently have just nine years left.

Is it time to write the novel's obituary?
More recently, author Richard Laermer wrote that book publishing is dead because editors are too young (oh, please), books are too expensive (maybe), and the publishing industry publishes too many books and spends too much marketing books that don't need it, and not enough on books that do (I'm inclined to agree). Also, the industry generally moves too slowly (I'd second that).

With dying bookstores and publishers, what future is there for the novel?

I predict it will be around for a long time, although maybe not necessarily in the form we're used to.

Though publishers might have to find new ways to make money and structure deals, people have loved novels far too long for them to vanish.A Scholastic project called "The 39 Clues" is already out. This is a 10-book mystery series about the powerful Cahill family; each book is said to unlock one clue (I'm a little worried about the math, given that there aren't 39 books in the series). "Book 1: The Maze of Bones" was written by Rick Riordan, the author of the wildly popular Percy Jackson series. It's likely this will be big with kids. I sure want to read them.

In the most important ways, the future of the novel looks great. People still love writing them, even if they're doing it in their spare time on cell phones, as did the best-selling Japanese novelist. People also still love reading them, as evidenced by the bake sales they'll hold to buy more.

If publishers can't figure out how to make a profit on the novel, that's their problem -- and another story entirely.

Happy 4th to all my Online Friends

DaBookLady will be taking the summer off and will be returning in September, however please leave any comments here and I will be periodically checking in. Or email DabookLady

New Books On the Shelf

I got some new books to brag about...1st my wonderful swapping friend over at BABEs DaBookLady Swap sent me this great read, "Anna Katrina" by Leo Tolstoy. It is about a russian girl in the 19th century I cannot wait to dive into it. Opera's Book Club special...

Then i got from Amazon 2 ordered books I have been wanting "A is for Apron" and "The Apron Book" both excellent reads about the history of aprons and how to make them and love them. And as an apron lover I am I am diving into each of them with a fine tooth comb. They have so much info that I can not digest it all....

The other find I have is called "Black Cat, Black Dog" by John Creed....this book is another one of those spy reads, but beware this is brutal and complex and a real thriller, my favorites!!!!