Science Books Galore!

[pattylt]

I love reading real books but my arthritis is getting so bad in my shoulders and neck that I can’t read holding a book for very long. With my iPad propped up on a TV tray, I only need to use my arms to turn the page…much better! I, too, highlight passages in the kindle app…and they are saved for easy retrieval.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I can't do reading books on a screen. I just don't jive with it. I needs me some paper.

Same, I just can't do it.  Even long-form articles I'm interested in on the internet I copy n paste and print out.  Books I own I mark up with a pencil like I'm still in school.  I still trek out to my local library to have book in hand though allegedly it would be more convenient with some kind of Ipad or screen.

It's an eyeball thing for me. Reading from a screen is much harder on my eyes. Eight or ten thousand words okay, I'll slog through it, but any longer and I want hard copy or a good precis.

I don't, and won't, mark up any books I own. A reverence thing on my part -- I don't feel like I own a book, I only have custody of it for a time, and so I don't mark them up because later readers should read for themselves.

I know, that sounds pretty weird, but I've had several thousand books, many used, pass through my hands, to be donated once I'm done. I always hated buying a book second-hand only to find on page 122 that someone has decided that I should really pay attention to this or that sentence.

[Alan V]

I don't, and won't, mark up any books I own. A reverence thing on my part -- I don't feel like I own a book, I only have custody of it for a time, and so I don't mark them up because later readers should read for themselves.

I know, that sounds pretty weird, but I've had several thousand books, many used, pass through my hands, to be donated once I'm done. I always hated buying a book second-hand only to find on page 122 that someone has decided that I should really pay attention to this or that sentence.

For most people, there is no compelling reason to highlight certain kinds of books, like fiction.  The majority of published books are fiction.

Non-fiction books are a different story.  It's all information, some bits more relevant than others.  Since information is likely to become obsolete within a few years, I don't feel too bad about the books I have highlighted.  And those are the books I am most likely to save to read again later, and usually only the highlighted bits. 

I've been highlighting and underscoring my favorite books for over fifty years now.  It's just one of the things I have always done as a reader.

However, my wife agrees with you.

[polymath257]

I have 7 sets of 8 ft tall bookshelves for my dead tree books (which were pared down when I retired). At least 1000 books there.

I also have an extensive collection of electronic books. At least a few thousand books there. I like the convenience of carrying almost my entire library on my tablet.

Topics range from sci-fi to history, biology, philosophy, math, physics, and literature.

[Szuchow]

I love reading real books but my arthritis is getting so bad in my shoulders and neck that I can’t read holding a book for very long.  With my iPad propped up on a TV tray, I only need to use my arms to turn the page…much better!  I, too, highlight passages in the kindle app…and they are saved for easy retrieval.

Reading Pipes "Russian Revolution" was fucking nightmare thanks to how heavy it was so I definitely can get behind using ebook readers. But owning x ebooks ain't the same as owning x books and proudly showing one collection. 

[TheGentlemanBastard]

Same, I just can't do it.  Even long-form articles I'm interested in on the internet I copy n paste and print out.  Books I own I mark up with a pencil like I'm still in school.  I still trek out to my local library to have book in hand though allegedly it would be more convenient with some kind of Ipad or screen.

It's an eyeball thing for me. Reading from a screen is much harder on my eyes. Eight or ten thousand words okay, I'll slog through it, but any longer and I want hard copy or a good precis.

I don't, and won't, mark up any books I own. A reverence thing on my part -- I don't feel like I own a book, I only have custody of it for a time, and so I don't mark them up because later readers should read for themselves.

I know, that sounds pretty weird, but I've had several thousand books, many used, pass through my hands, to be donated once I'm done. I always hated buying a book second-hand only to find on page 122 that someone has decided that I should really pay attention to this or that sentence.

I got a copy of a book once where some asshole decided that the author had misspelled an alien character's name, and proceeded to "correct" it throughout the book. Intentionally misspelling (in print) or mispronouncing (in film/television) is a very common way for writers to come up with unique, alien sounding names.  If I could have found that person, I likely would have beaten them with that book!

I too hold your reverence for the printed word, though for different reasons. I do feel I own my books, but with that ownership comes a feeling of stewardship. From the privilege of ownership comes the responsibility to preserve those words. It probably comes from seeing how my mother cared for her extensive library, but it was certainly reinforced by my time volunteering in libraries, both school and public. It was in that environment where I learned there are two basic types of readers. Those who used bookmarks, and beasts who dog-eared the pages.

[TheGentlemanBastard]

I don't, and won't, mark up any books I own. A reverence thing on my part -- I don't feel like I own a book, I only have custody of it for a time, and so I don't mark them up because later readers should read for themselves.

I know, that sounds pretty weird, but I've had several thousand books, many used, pass through my hands, to be donated once I'm done. I always hated buying a book second-hand only to find on page 122 that someone has decided that I should really pay attention to this or that sentence.

For most people, there is no compelling reason to highlight certain kinds of books, like fiction.  The majority of published books are fiction.

Non-fiction books are a different story.  It's all information, some bits more relevant than others.  Since information is likely to become obsolete within a few years, I don't feel too bad about the books I have highlighted.  And those are the books I am most likely to save to read again later, and usually only the highlighted bits. 

I've been highlighting and underscoring my favorite books for over fifty years now.  It's just one of the things I have always done as a reader.

However, my wife agrees with you.

I keep post-it's handy for note jotting in non-fiction books. 

On my Kobo, that's not an issue, of course.

[mordant]

It's an eyeball thing for me. Reading from a screen is much harder on my eyes. Eight or ten thousand words okay, I'll slog through it, but any longer and I want hard copy or a good precis.

My wife uses white text on black background and an enlarged font.

Personally I prefer something more paper-like, such as e-paper, so I like my small Kindle dedicated reader over an iPad.

Recently I checked out the novel, The Ministry for the Future from the library and it's the first lengthy book I've read on paper in years. Biggest problem is needing ambient light to read it. In the living room at night my wife likes very low lighting and reading in bed, same thing. Took me about 3x as long as normal to get through it because every time I was in the mood to pick it up, I couldn't see it ;-)

Excellent book BTW, it is near-future SciFi about how the climate crisis actually COULD be solved. In the process, one gets quite an education in economics and politics. Recommended.

[TheGentlemanBastard]

It's an eyeball thing for me. Reading from a screen is much harder on my eyes. Eight or ten thousand words okay, I'll slog through it, but any longer and I want hard copy or a good precis.

My wife uses white text on black background and an enlarged font.

Personally I prefer something more paper-like, such as e-paper, so I like my small Kindle dedicated reader over an iPad.

Recently I checked out the novel, The Ministry for the Future from the library and it's the first lengthy book I've read on paper in years. Biggest problem is needing ambient light to read it. In the living room at night my wife likes very low lighting and reading in bed, same thing. Took me about 3x as long as normal to get through it because every time I was in the mood to pick it up, I couldn't see it ;-)

Excellent book BTW, it is near-future SciFi about how the climate crisis actually COULD be solved. In the process, one gets quite an education in economics and politics. Recommended.

Yes, reading on tablets/phone screens SUCKS! But, I still do it on occasion. 

Whole I will always have a fondness for print, especially signed firsts, there are some undeniable advantages to the electronic format. Every business trip I take, I'me never without my next read, even if I read four books and change my mind about what the next read will be twice between each, because I have hundreds of titles with me on any given trip. There are also sources for thousands of free, DRM and copyright free, public domain books that are no longer in print and so rare, or so expensive, in print that I will likely never own a copy.

[pattylt]

@TheGentlemanBastard Bookmarks! Yes, yes, yes. I always use a bookmark even if I have to tear a piece of a bill or cereal box to use. I enjoyed paper crafting and I made a ton of cute girly bookmarks (I could make masculines too). I’ve so ingrained this in my daughter that she yelled at her best friend when she returned a book with dogears in it! If you keep that book for twenty years, you have a book with missing triangles all through it….blasphemy!

[jerry mcmasters]

I've been highlighting and underscoring my favorite books for over fifty years now.  It's just one of the things I have always done as a reader.

I have too, but with a pencil, underlining.  You fucking barbarian.