I didn’t used to like ebooks. I couldn’t hold them in my hand, and there was no where to get them signed. I missed the atmosphere of an old book shop or quiet peaceful library, but now I’ve seen the light.
I still love a bookstore, but now there is no closing time. When I peruse the shelves, I have an almost endless choice of books instead of whatever shelf space is available. When I discover a new author I love, it has become so much easier to find their past works.
There is also the indie author. The works that I might not have gotten to enjoy before the ebook revolution started, because the gate keepers of traditional publishing thought they weren’t marketable. Books like Wool come to mind. Would I have ever gotten to enjoy them without ebooks?
Some say the market is becoming flooded. I say the more the merrier. Can there ever really be too many books?
September 22, 2013 at 4:24 pm
I think almost anyone “of a certain age” agrees with the feeling about e-readers. I was adamant for a long time about not wanting one. Then my daughter got me one for Christmas and in a scarily short time I was hooked. However, the ‘indie’ revolution leaves me quite conflicted. I agree that it vastly opens the availability of books that would otherwise not see the light of day, but the total lack of editing or proof reading drives me to distraction. It contributes to the absolute “dumbing down” of the populace and ruins completely the joy of reading something that would otherwise give me great pleasure.
September 22, 2013 at 7:38 pm
I agree with you about the ebooks. I spent several years arguing why paper books are better than electronic ones. For me, you could never replace the feeling of holding a book in your hand, feeling the texture of each page as you turn it, and even the smell that accompanied each book. But then I had to go and get a kindle. Everything changed after that. I enjoy the fact that you have millions of books at your fingertips. To answer your questions, no. There can NEVER be such a thing as to many books. 🙂