What are you reading?

[jjohnwm]

My wife told me, I have to either stop buying books or stop buying fish tanks Of course, somewhat joking, but not really. I have never gotten into digital books. I don't like reading on standard tablets (my eyes get tired), but maybe a higher quality tablet would help. I get all my books used, mostly on Amazon re-sellers.

Lol, I generally hate reading on standard tablets or on my phone, although I did a lot of both back before I retired. I read a lot during the day when I was ostensibly "working"...

You should get an actual e-reader, like a Kobo or Kindle or similar. Completely different reading experience, much easier on the eyes, and completely usable outdoors on a bright sunny deck or beach.

To be honest, I still far prefer the experience of reading an actual old book; it's a visceral thing...the feel of it in the hands, the turning of pages, the creaking of the spine (the book's, not mine...), even the smell of old paper. E-readers just can't provide those; it's like the difference between listening to satellite radio versus putting an actual vinyl disc on an old turntable and relaxing into the sound, watching the label spin as the needle gently lowers into the groove.

But...e-readers are super convenient, completely portable, and allow you to buy all those e-books without pissing off the wife, so...

Sci-fi wall:


General non-fiction wall:


miscellaneous:


birds and birding:


...plus a stupid number of other smaller collections throughout the house. When we moved out of our Ontario home I donated literally thousands of softcovers to hospitals in the area. Just can't bring myself to part with the rest of these...despite having no room for them in our current small home. I like books!

 

[jjohnwm]

I don't know how your library system works up there John, but with a library card you can use either Libby or Hoopla free for tons of audio or ebooks. Depends on what your library system offers. I usually just listen, rarely have the time to sit and read these days.

I don't know how it works either!

Apparently there is some way to borrow digital books but I have no idea what it entails; haven't had a library card or visited one physically in decades. I am just starting to accept the idea of paying a nominal fee to "purchase" a few zillion highly-organized electrons that let me pretend I have a "book". The idea of borrowing them makes my head spin.

Besides, favourite books of mine are re-visited and re-read, often numerous times over the years. I find the idea of having them comforting; should make the coming zombie apocalypse a little less tedious and boring.

Just can't get into audiobooks. To put it into perspective...that would be like paying somebody to maintain my aquariums and change water for me. Unthinkable and joyless.

 

[JackEmerson]

jjohnwm Wow! your collection is impressive.

 

[esoxlucius]

OP........"What are you reading?"

jjohnwm ........"Everything!"

 

[jjohnwm]

OP........"What are you reading?"

jjohnwm ........"Everything!"

Lol, far from it. I only have so much time to devote to reading each day, so I am actually pretty picky about what I read...but there are a lot of books out there and more every day, so a person can usually find something they enjoy.

The key to reading enjoyment is simple, but for some people tough to do: Select a book based upon your own tastes, the recommendations of others, previous experience with the same author, published reviews and a host of other factors. Start reading it. Give it a chance, maybe a couple chapters at least...but if you aren't enjoying it...drop it! Life's too short to read/eat/drink/listen/do things that you just don't enjoy. Maybe even pick it up and give it a second chance sometime later; sometimes you might just not be in the correct frame of mind to appreciate a given book, and then a week, a month, a year later...you try it and love it. I'll finish a few books a week, but there are very few weeks that I don't start a book and quickly say "Nope..this sucks!" I'll abandon it without regret.

Some people seem to think that it's some kind of noble goal to slog through a book that they hate once they have started it. Doing that is a recipe for growing to hate reading. Just like fish-keeping or any other hobby...it's supposed to be fun. Don't allow it to become a tedious chore.

 

[esoxlucius]

It's hardly surprising you're good with words reading that lot.

Me on the other hand, I hardly read at all. Does everything make sense now, lol.

 

[Backfromthedead]

If you like scifi, you should like the expanse. I really liked the tv series as well but the story is a bit tweaked from the books.

 

[jjohnwm]

If you like scifi, you should like the expanse. I really liked the tv series as well but the story is a bit tweaked from the books.

Haven't read the books, but I like the series. It's true sci-fi; human interest and interactions set in a world where one basic scientific premise is accepted as reality; everything else has to build upon that.

I must admit that I tend to prefer fantasy a bit more than "hard" sci-fi. In fantasy, anything goes. I like my fiction to be as escapist as possible.

Anybody here a fan of Roger Zelazny? He was a fairly prolific author of fantasy and sci-fi who created some outstandingly original and unique worlds and settings. He had some series like the "Amber" books, and also a bunch of wonderful stand-alones like "Lord Of Light" and "Creatures Of Light And Darkness". Hard to pigeonhole his stuff, but I love most of it. He had some odd-ball-length novellas and long-short-stories that apparently had difficulty finding a market until he was an established success, but things like "Home Is The Hangman" and "The Doors Of His Face, The Lamps Of His Mouth" just flabbergasted me despite their awkward length. One of my all-time favourite authors; not to everyone's taste, of course.

 

[JackEmerson]

For SciFi fans, has anyone read the ancient books of Enoch (Ancient in the sense of written around 300-100 BC). While largley religious in nature, it is not consider part of the Bible by most Jews/Chrisians. But, it does have some seriously interesting space/traveling themes. Somewhat like the movie Prometheus. I have not made it the whole way through these books , but I find them interesting.

 

[JackEmerson]

speaking of Sci Fi, I just saw the trrailer for the upcoming Apple TV show: silo. Which is based on a book series. Anyone read the books? Here is the trailer:

Comes out Friday and looks great