[BBQMan]

has been reached. eBooks are replacing conventional (dead wood) books at an increasing rate. The local bookstores are already gone and the big ones will follow soon. Some interesting facts:

1. Amazon is both the largest American and International seller of books with Barnes and Noble second and Borders third. On the current sales trajectory, Amazon will be larger than both of them combined by the end of 2010.
2. For all of their bestseller lists and the NY Times bestseller list Amazon eBooks outsell the sales of paperback and hard cover books combined.
3. Barnes & Noble put itself up for sale earlier this year because of declining sales volume, is remaining somewhat profitable thanks to Nook sales.
4. Borders is now closing stores at an accelerating rate and has it store sales falling by double-digit percentages. They may wind up in default on their debt in the early months of 2011.

Most of us will miss the shelves of books that are a part of our home and the feel of a beautiful, leather bound piece of art. But we will wind up not missing them and embracing the new technology. After all, who wants to go back to mucking stalls?

[zcaveman]

That is a shame. Nothing like a nice book to read when you want to relax.

I guess when the libraries or whomever starts lending them for free, I will look and see what the most popular reader is and invest in one - or two since my wife reads also.

[K9-Lovers]

Libraries already lend them for free for e-readers. I love my Nook, but I'll never give up my bookshelf full of my favorite "real" books.

[duffysmom]

I have a kindle and enjoy it; I also collect art books and have to have the paper book to really enjoy the artwork. They put me in my comfort zone and when things get too hectic I sit down and open my art books and zone out. I love the smell and feel of a "real" book.

[Avista]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

That is a shame. Nothing like a nice book to read when you want to relax.

I guess when the libraries or whomever starts lending them for free, I will look and see what the most popular reader is and invest in one - or two since my wife reads also.

I have a Nook and it is loaded with library books. The Villages library doesn't offer them yet--they say they will be.
I use the Philadelphia Free Library. It costs $15 if you live outside of PA, but has loads of books. Sometimes you must put them on hold, but they will email as soon as it is available.

My husband and I both have Nooks. Any book we buy will "fly" into both Nooks as we are on the same account. We started with one Nook, but I'm an only child and not good at sharing. (smile)

[dominick]

Yeah, I know I'm ****ing into the wind, but I'll go down with the B&N ship. You'll see my fingerprints on the carpet as they drag me out on the last day. I love hanging around that place, browsing, having coffee, etc.
Oh well, as the man said, gotta get with the times, I suppose.

[Barefoot]

I love to read. I have an iPad and I have ebooks stored on it. But I still prefer to go to the Library or a bookstore to pick up real books. I guess I'm a creature of habit.

[Avista]

Well, I was just on a 2 week cruise. Had my Nook with me and did quite a bit of reading on it. Our ship had a really nice library, and I found a book I wanted to read, so checked it out.

Well, the book was a good read, but I sure didn't like reading on it as well as my Nook. I am so used to the size font I want and the Nook is so much smaller to carry around. The old fashioned book was a good read, but I missed my Nook.

Once you get used to a Nook or Kindle, it is hard to go back to a big heavy book. With paper backs--the print is too small. I want my font just the way I want it!

[jblum8156]

I love my Kindle. I have a couple walls full of "real" books that I love and will keep forever, and I will continue to borrow real books from the library, but my days of traveling with a suitcase full of books are over, thank God.

[kandj]

I still prefer to read from paper if I am going to read.

My of my book enjoyment though is from Audible. That way I can knit and listen to someone else reading to me

[Avista]

Originally Posted by kandj

I still prefer to read from paper if I am going to read.

My of my book enjoyment though is from Audible. That way I can knit and listen to someone else reading to me

The Philadelphia Free Library also offers Audible Books to download.

[Pturner]

I've gotten so use to reading on Kindle. I have some hard books I won't part with, including art books that can only been enjoyed and experienced in non-digital format.

However, like Avista, I too find it difficult on my eyes to go back to paper reading with small type. I didn't realize how much easier the e-readers are on your eyes than paper books, unless the paper quality is really good and the print size and quality are excellent.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by dominick

Yeah, I know I'm ****ing into the wind, but I'll go down with the B&N ship. You'll see my fingerprints on the carpet as they drag me out on the last day. I love hanging around that place, browsing, having coffee, etc.
Oh well, as the man said, gotta get with the times, I suppose.

Hi dominick,

I will be the one you see being dragged out alongside you.

Yeah, I know. Someday I probably will get an e-Reader, but for now.....

not only do I buy books, I also make sure I buy them at an actual bricks & mortar bookstore. Every now and then, I will order from Amazon, but only after giving the bookstore a try.

Another issue facing bookstores is that big-box stores like Target sell books as loss-leaders, At those lower prices, the books can entice some customers to come in for a book and end up buying other stuff. Oh my! Go in for a bestseller and end up in the checkout line with a cart piled high with many things they did not even know they needed.

I really hate to see the bookstores disappear, though I think most of them probably will. Not only will there be more and more of those neglected, ugly, empty commercial properties everywhere across the country, we will lose yet another really nice piece of the way we were.

I have a little glimmer of hope though. And, yeah, I know that I said someday I probably will end up with an e-Reader, but there is this little hope of mine that's still there....

I wonder if when the big bookstore chains gasp their last breath, we will see the rise of the independent booksellers, once more. The ones the big chains ran out of business.

A couple of summers ago, we went to the Outer Banks where I found the loveliest independent bookstore that was in a little house. They sold new books. (Some were on shelves. Some stacked, here and there. I liked that cozy feel.) And they also sold local art.

So I bought a book and a small painting. I gave the painting as a gift. It was a simple beach scene - a little bit abstract.

But I can't remember the name of the book......

WAIT! YES! OF COURSE! What else would it have been?

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks.

Ohhhh, nooooo.....Nicholas Sparks......ohhhhhhh, I read it in the car on the way home and Mr. Boomer had to listen to me sniffing and sniffing and finally just plain crying. That's what Sparks does. (Hey....I wonder if tears mess up e-Reader screens.) -- and, oh yeah, that book also had lots of those waves crashing on the beach.

Oh well, I have not been on here digressing for a few days.....but I sure did just now.....

So anyway, when I get back to TV, I hope B&N is still there. (Hey, if anybody needs any last minute gifts, maybe take a little golf cart ride to B#N, and if you do, please give those bricks & mortar a little hug from me.)

Bibliophile Boomer

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Avista

The Philadelphia Free Library also offers Audible Books to download.

Thanks Avista. I'll have to experiment with downloading audible books on my iPad.

We love listening to talking books as we drive from Canada to TV. A good story makes the 26-hour car ride fly by!

[BBQMan]

Borders has advised its suppliers that payment for book delivered is going to be delayed. One publisher has stopped shipments to Borders and others are considering doing the same thing according to today's Wall Street Journal.