Something I miss with the decline of the printed word

[Feraud]

I miss seeing what books people are reading while commuting! My wife and I always share stories of seeing people on the subway about to burst out laughing and check the cover of their book. We've made many mental notes and shared titles and authors based on how engrossed and entertained public readers are.
I've had more than one total stranger engage me in conversation based on a book I was reading.
Book covers display information and pique potential readers with attractive covers.
Unfortunately this is lost with electronic reading devices.

 

[Edward]

I'm in two minds about them, really. I know Kindles and the likes are the devil to many round here, but here's a thing I've seen... I don't run a car, and travel daily by public transport. It seems to me that with the arrival of these devices, I don't necessarily see fewer books on the go on the tube, but I certainly seem to see more people reading. Which is nice. (For myself, the Kindle is a wodnerful tool to take travelling on a ten day business trip, but at home I prefer a "real" book. Not unlike, I suppose, iPod vs a good LP...).

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

If this isn't a nail in the coffin than I don't know what is. The world's first all digital library just opened in San Antonio, Texas.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/lo...on-idea-of-books-in-4184940.php#photo-4012897

 

[LizzieMaine]

It used to be you could tell exactly what kind of person you were looking at just by glancing at the newspaper they were reading at the lunchroom counter.

The local weekly -- provincial, probably belongs to the Grange, family probably lived here for generations.

The Bangor Daily News -- ordinary, salt-of-the-earth regular person, doesn't have overly high expectations.

The Portland Press-Herald -- Probably a traveling salesman.

The Boston Globe -- A sophisticate, thinks he's middle-class even if he really isn't.

The Boston Record-American -- Working-class, hard-core sports fan, probably belongs to a union.

The New York Times -- Ain't from around here, are you bub?

 

[Feraud]

That is what I miss. Seeing people and their particular reading material. The New York Times, Daily News, the latest Stephen King thriller or some hilarious musings by David Sedaris.
I realize people are still reading, I miss observing what people read. A subway car full of people looking into bland little rectangles isn't the same for me..

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Well put.

Around here, if you read the Daily Register, nobody thinks anything of it.

If someone's reading the Wisconsin State Journal, they're one of those people.

It used to be you could tell exactly what kind of person you were looking at just by glancing at the newspaper they were reading at the lunchroom counter.

The local weekly -- provincial, probably belongs to the Grange, family probably lived here for generations.

The Bangor Daily News -- ordinary, salt-of-the-earth regular person, doesn't have overly high expectations.

The Portland Press-Herald -- Probably a traveling salesman.

The Boston Globe -- A sophisticate, thinks he's middle-class even if he really isn't.

The Boston Record-American -- Working-class, hard-core sports fan, probably belongs to a union.

The New York Times -- Ain't from around here, are you bub?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Where I am it's: "Newspaper? What's that?" :eusa_doh:

 

[Derek Cavin]

Great topic. I thought of that the other day about being able to look at the book cover to see what someone was reading. It could lead to a nice conversation. But then again, now everyone walks around looking down (at their device) and have earbuds/headphones in. Lost to the world.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Well-bound books with quality paper are my preferred medium of reading. I have been trying to read a book on the ipad for literally more than a year and I do not enjoy it, nor do I progress as quickly as I do with books.

But, as Edward pointed out, if tablets or smart phones mean more people are reading, then that's encouraging.

 

[celestial]

I'd take a book over a bright, flickering screen any day. It is a shame that they're not all made out of hemp though.

 

[Shangas]

Due to my disability, my main modes of transport are shoes, trains and trams.

As a result of this, I keep a novel in my daily bag at all times, to pop out when I need something to read.

Right now, It's Paul French's true crime novel, "Midnight in Peking", about a real murder that took place in Peking, China, in 1937.

I could never make the switch to electronic readers. "My book ran out of batteries" is something that nobody should ever have to say.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Another thing you can't do with a Kindle is walk into someone's house and get a good grasp of their personality from what's on their bookshelves, whether it's current best-sellers, genre books, coffee-table volumes, old textbooks, or The Classics. If you go into my living room and look around you'll see a mixture of 1930's agitprop, technical books on radio writing and production, obscure Bible commentaries, collections of humorous essays, Ellery Queen mysteries, baseball histories, and P. G. Wodehouse, which tells you about as much about me as you need to know.

E-Readers may be convenient, but they take a lot of fun out of visiting a friend's home for the first time.

 

[Edward]

Not unlike downloads in that respect. Mind you, I don't fully trust anyone who doesn't have real records or CDs in the house... and I do tend to judge people on their musical taste.

 

[J.W.]

Well put.

Around here, if you read the Daily Register, nobody thinks anything of it.

If someone's reading the Wisconsin State Journal, they're one of those people.

Well, I occasionally read the PDR even on this side of the pond! What does that make me?

 

[Captain Lex]

Actually, I like this aspect of it, for the reverse. In addition to all the other reasons why I consider the Kindle to be the perfect complement to a my physical library (which I assure you is enormous), I also occasionally appreciate the opportunity to read what I wish without having to be self conscious about what those around me have to say on the matter.

 

[Feraud]

Another thing you can't do with a Kindle is walk into someone's house and get a good grasp of their personality from what's on their bookshelves, whether it's current best-sellers, genre books, coffee-table volumes, old textbooks, or The Classics. If you go into my living room and look around you'll see a mixture of 1930's agitprop, technical books on radio writing and production, obscure Bible commentaries, collections of humorous essays, Ellery Queen mysteries, baseball histories, and P. G. Wodehouse, which tells you about as much about me as you need to know.

E-Readers may be convenient, but they take a lot of fun out of visiting a friend's home for the first time.

Yes this is also what I am referring to. Getting to know people by their stuff. What kind of books are on the shelf. Cookbooks, fiction, biographies, etc. I'm interested in seeing what magazines are laying around, music they listen to, and movies they collect.

 

[Edward]

Actually, I like this aspect of it, for the reverse. In addition to all the other reasons why I consider the Kindle to be the perfect complement to a my physical library (which I assure you is enormous), I also occasionally appreciate the opportunity to read what I wish without having to be self conscious about what those around me have to say on the matter.

Very good point. I've been trying to find the time to wade through Mein Kampf for years, but as on an average week most of my personal reading time coincides with being on the tube, this hasn't really happened. As a rule I'm disinclined to give an airborne fornication what other people think of me, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

 

[Feraud]

I could probably read Mein Kampf on the train and no one would bat an eyelash. This is due more to ignorance of the subject than to indifference..

That is not to say digital readers shouldn't have a place. I may purchase my wife a Kindle this year for X-mas. She does most of her reading on her commute and on her lunch break. Some books are large and with everything else in her day bag it's become a physical toll on her. A thin, light e-reader is the solution to what's become a burden.

 

[LizzieMaine]

When I took a cross-country bus trip in the early '80s, I took along a selection of fringe religious magazines and read them openly the entire 3000 miles. Kept seat cruisers at bay for the whole trip.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Very good point. I've been trying to find the time to wade through Mein Kampf for years, but as on an average week most of my personal reading time coincides with being on the tube, this hasn't really happened. As a rule I'm disinclined to give an airborne fornication what other people think of me, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

It's a great book to read in the bathroom.