Welcome, havisham! As a Kindle user, I totally agree with you about e-books. And you will find many people who love books here on Readers Paradise. What are some of your favorites?

Welcome Havisham,

You are in the right place here at RP. We have a great group of people here and the books we read and discuss contain many genres. Feel free to jump right into our discussions. I've been here over a decade and there's just no other place like it on the net. The people here are great folks, each and every one of them is a friend.

I totally disagree about e-books. Give me good old real books every time. Besides, it's tough to write in the margins on a Kindle. (not that I do this all of the time but some books just scream for a red pencil.)

PAM - I always sign my name in all caps because there are quite a few Pam's here.

Thanks for the welcomes - and I see the e-book subject is divisive. :)
So, what do I like to read? Hmmm...my favourite books are Beach Music by Pat Conroy, Wuthering Heights by Bronte, and Fear Nothing and Sieze the Night by Dean Koontz. Eclectic is my middle name.

Mainly I like mysteries, thrillers, suspense. I also confess to a penchant for 'sassy girl kicks vampire/witch/werewolf butt', but I don't admit that too much. I love Kim Harrison and Janet Evanovich, because they make me laugh, if nothing else. I also really liked "We need to talk about Kevin", but couldn't read "My sisters keeper".
Right now I'm struggling with Robin Cook's "Foreign Body" - I normally like his stuff but this isn't grabbing me.
Basically, I can read the 'heavy, sensible stuff' but for the most part I want to be scared and enthralled. :)

I can't function without a book - I get very anxious as I get down to only a couple of books waiting to get read. That's part of my passion for the e-book - it's small and light enough to go in any purse and so if I have ten minutes waiting for my kids, or in the doctors or something, I've always got something to read.

How about you guys?

Joanna

welcome Joanna,
I bet nearly everyone here understands that "anxious" feeling when they realize there is only part of one book left in the pile.
I like your reading style. Sounds alot like mine - try anything and enjoy most of it.

Ruth

HI Joanna,

Welcome! I think I recall a thread here that asked RPers if they read more than one book at a time. Most folks said they did. I think that points in the direction of most of us feeling a little out-of-sorts whenever we are without a book in our hands - Kindle or paper!

OK - off topic, but I just used the phrase 'out-of-sorts'. Where on earth did that phrase originate? Is it used in other parts of the world or only in the midwest USA?

thyrkas, 'out-of-sorts' is a common expression over here and means feeling slightly unwell/under the weather etc.
I had never given any thought to where the phrase had come from so looked it up and found several possible explanations (mostly copied from the last thing someone checked via google ;-))
I like the one below the best.

Here is a link that might be useful: Out-of-Sorts

Thanks, Vee!
Joanna - for either good or bad, these types of 'off topic' interludes seem to happen with regularity on RP. Hope you didn't mind the diversion.

Oh, goodness, no. I often find myself 'meandering' in my thoughts - it's nice to meet others like that. I wonder if it's a by-product of being deeply in to words....

It's like 'knackered' - a good old English expression, that is one of the ones that doesn't translate well now that I live in Canada. Comes from when old horses were sent to the knackers yard to be made in to glue - for those who were bemused. :)

I have to confess I ordered four 'real' books today - only because they're not available on e-book. :)

Question - does anyone else feel driven insane by people's terrible use of the English language? I'm constantly stunned by the way people don't check spelling, and post barely literate messages on forums. I mean, how are they not embarrassed? And on pet peeves - see, I said I'd go off on tangents with you - those who use double negatives. I actually heard a politician on TV say irregardless the other day.

Ok - I'm climbing down off my soapbox now. :)

Thanks for making me feel so welcome! Heading off to start the new Dan Brown, now.

I'm pleased to hear from a Sony reader user. That is the one I'm looking into right now (especially since Kindle is not available in Canada). I've put it on my wish list for Christmas and keeping my fingers crossed.

I often am stunned by the way people are sloppy with language, but I teach English so it has become part of my daily life. I have learned to separate my teaching life from reality. This way I don't annoy people by trying to correct them. I do, however, correct my students when they email me with poor grammar, spelling, lack of punctuation and lack of capital letters. I actually edit their emails and tell them I will no longer respond to a poorly written email from them. They roll their eyes at me a lot, but they learn...so I guess it works.

Rambo - the Sony is fantastic! I've had mine over a year now, and I love it. Also the Sony store has some great bargains. I did read a review recently of the new touch screen vs the old one that I have and the reviewer said in all honesty he'd probably go with the older one as the touch screen has some issues that turned him off. I don't know if that's true, but it might mean you can put down the cheaper model on your Xmas list - increase your chances! :)

Sounds great. Although I should correct myself. Just yesterday I saw that the Kindle is now available in Canada on amazon.ca. I know someone mentioned on another thread that it was coming to Canada, but it wasn't available for purchase until now. That is kind of exciting too.

I spotted the Sony at Best Buy the other day. Was amazed at how thin it is (I guess I shouldn't have been--so many electronics are incredibly thin...).

Let me ask you folks: When you're on a plane, and the flight attendants say it's time to put your electronic devices away, I gather this means your Sony or Kindle, too, no?

I was on a flight home the other day and was racing to finish my book (a paperback) before the plane touched down! If I were on an e-book, I think I might have been arrested for refusing the flight attendant's order!

(But I have to say, I had 2 thin hardcovers and the trade-size paperback with me, and my carry-on bag could've been a lot easier to carry with an e-book device instead. But I am a loyal library customer.)

I'd love to see a brick-and-mortar store display the Kindle, I really would... I might have to put out a plea at work to see if someone there has one.

Hi, Pammyfay,
I don't believe it would have been included in the electronic devices on the plane - it has no signal to anything at all. Also, if you use it in the leather cover, I doubt anyone would pay that much attention.
I know what you mean about not having to carry other books. The e-reader is very light - about the weight of a regular paperback, and I love that I never have to worry about running out of a book.
I've not physically seen a kindle, but I love my e-book, that's for sure.

The new kid on the block for e-books this season is the 'nook', which will be in Barnes and Noble stores, avaialble for handling, by the end of this month. There was a thread on the 'nook' a few weeks ago.

Hi Havisham

I generally prefer physical books rather than eBooks, though I do have some in my comp. But the problem is that they distract me a lot more that physical books. Though i don't visit a physical bookstore to buy one, I get it online from sites like a1books.com and get it door-delivered..you are right that the smell and the feel of the pages are simply irresistible. :) But after reading this post I just feel like inquiring about the kindle which I have already heard a lot..But still with online bookstores providing me such a great service, I am still bound to use physical books :)