A couple of weeks in and the buzz surrounding the shortlisted titles is really getting loud. Students throughout the school are reading the mini-reviews up on the library board and the gossip around these books is spreading as half of us spend most of break and lunchtime talking about them!
Marvelous.
We're all a little distracted today by the release of Patrick Ness's new novel, A Monster Calls, which was supposed to arrive in multiple copies at some point during the day but hasn't yet appeared. *shakes fist at Amazon* Clearly they don't understand the importance of this day! Fingers crossed, they'll be here soon.
The temptation to buy the Kindle edition is very strong, but at £6.39, it's only 30p cheaper than a hard copy. Can this be right? An electronic copy that simply downloads to a device that you've already paid out for, costing only 30p less than a real, true, paper copy that you can hold in your hands, sniff (yeah, I know, I'm weird) and lend to other people? I know that the price of the hardback on Amazon is heavily discounted, to the extent that we no longer even look at the recommended retail price, but what do you guys think about book pricing? If they're discounting physical books, should we be expecting a proportionally cheaper electronic copy?
Discuss.
My personal opinion is that we shouldn't read from a kindle or any other electrical book devices! Part of the reading process, is that exciting smell of a new book. When you first open it and you're scared the bend the bind but gradually throughout the book is gets torn and tattered, that's the fun of it! So personally I think the electronic book prices should go up to stop people from buying them. Don't let computers take over the world, buy a real book!
ReplyDeleteLouise 8TLa
I totally agree with Louise- although i do have the Kindle app for my phone I would never buy a book for it. I only read the free books as I think it's a waste of money because for the same price you can buy a paper copy. Real books are much better than electrical devices!
ReplyDeleteEleanor 8DCM
I do think there's a place for ebooks - I have the Kindle app on my phone and I do have about ten books on there, but there're all ones that I've read as proper books first! They're on there for when I'm stuck somewhere with noting to read and they are very useful for that.
ReplyDeletePersonally I'm with the two of you - ebooks will never replace my loved paper ones. But do you think there's a use for ebooks in libraries though? A book that can't be damaged, returns itself automatically? I also read somewhere that students who 'don't like' reading can be fooled into it using ebooks, as they for some reason don't think that reading off a screen is reading! (This is true actually - I get lots in the library, doing research on computers, y'know, reading on a screen, but they won't touch a book because that's 'reading'. ?!?)
First names and year group only please, just to be on the safe side :)
Yeah, I do agree that ebooks would be a good thing to have, to con some studenst who hate reading to read! But isn't this very expensive for a library, and would you buy something like a kindle or download books onto the computer?
ReplyDeleteLouise Year 8
Exactly - when a Kindle book costs that much, why would we ever switch AND pay out for a piece of equipment that might get broken? Makes no sense yet. There's a service that public libraries use called Overdrive, which lets them lend out ebooks to be downloaded to computers or mobile devices. At the moment, that's the way to go if thinking about ebooks for a library. But it's still expensive, and clunky, and not right yet. Maybe one day.
ReplyDeleteIf you're members of the public library you can use their system though, and get access to ebooks. If anyone's interested, let me know and I'll show you next week.
I think Kindles and ebooks would be handy for going on holiday, or on trips, as if you are like me and have to bring 10 books with you, it will save a lot of room in your bag. Also if you run out of books to read you can buy a new one straight away.
ReplyDeleteBut real books will always be superior. I agree with Louise about the new book smell, and being afraid to make a dent in the spine. You wouldn't get the full reading experience with a kindle. But I still want one for my birthday!
Elle 8TLa
Yes, that's a good point actually. You could take tons more books with you on holiday without having to minimize the amount of clothes you bring! I see that kindles do have there time and place where they are very handy but I REALLY hope that they don't override the book in the future.
ReplyDeleteLouise Year 8
I doubt that ebooks will ever replace real books as it is definitely not the same but I would happily have a kindle for Christmas!
ReplyDelete