For those avid readers here

[OldMcDonald]

RobertN, I do not want to stir things up unnecessarily, but the recommendation from ebook publishers is that they SHOULD be priced below the cost of the same book in print because the publishing costs are much lower. I simply could not have afforded a print run. Even a short run, and no point in printing 10,000, would run to many thousands (of € or £ in my case) whereas the ebook set up cost me an amount I can afford to lose. Sorry, not prepared to divulge it because I received a special rate from my designer/technical specialist. He is a friend, neighbour and someone I share farm equipment with.

What you will find in ebooks, and not in print ones, is that many titles are actually free of charge because the author wants to become known sufficiently to have a "following" of readers that will eventually be willing to pay for future books because they liked the previous ones. OK for someone who turns out fiction, but I only had one book in me.

 

[PatasColo]

So, back to the books.. :thumbsup:

Books I've re-read:

• - Watership Down ("How can a novel all about a bunch of rabbits be any good?")
• - Edgar Rice Burroughs "Barsoom" series
• - Lord of the Rings
• - Stranger in a Strange Land (Heinlein)

If you finish Watership Down and then think it's about a bunch of rabbits, you're not thinking too hard. I loved it as a teen and as an adult.

I've always been one for historically-based novels and westerns. Specifically for farmer/rural/rancher/tractor-lover types (well, maybe there is no one type, but you get what I mean), I'd recommend:

• - Plainsong (Kent Haruf)
• - Eventide (sequel to Plainsong)
• - The Meadow (James Galvin)
• - The Crossing(Best book of the Border trilogy, by Cormac McCarthy - good along with the others, but each book stands on its own)

Amazon has reasonable descriptions of each if you want to know more... these are real down-to-earth books.

-Mitch

 

[RobertN]

That was what I expected too. But the books I have read, have been the same price as a paperback.

I'm sure lower priced books are out there. I was looking at books by Anne McCaffrey, her son, and Naomi Novik; all priced the same as paperbacks.

I think you are right, and reason along the same lines. Just not what I have seen in the above authors.

RobertN, I do not want to stir things up unnecessarily, but the recommendation from ebook publishers is that they SHOULD be priced below the cost of the same book in print because the publishing costs are much lower. I simply could not have afforded a print run.

 

[forgeblast]

to answer the question about libarys and ebooks.
Public Library Books for Kindle
You can borrow Kindle books from more than 11,000 libraries in the United States to read on any generation Kindle device, free Kindle app, or in your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader. Public library books for Kindle provide the same unique features as Kindle and Kindle books, including Whispersync technology that synchronizes your notes, highlights and last page read, real page numbers, and more.

How do I get library eBooks for Kindle?
稗rowse and check out a Kindle Book from an OverDrive-powered digital library site.
匹lick the 'Get for Kindle' button. This opens the Amazon.com website. You may be required to sign in with your Amazon.com account if you are not already logged in.
百elect a Kindle device or Kindle reading app. Click the 'Get library book' button and sync your device or app to download the book, or choose to send it to your device via USB.
柊n active Wi-Fi connection is required for wireless delivery to a Kindle device.
肘f your Kindle is not Wi-Fi capable or you do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, read Amazon's instructions for transferring files via USB.
If you choose to purchase the book from the Kindle Store or check it out again at a later date, all of your notes and highlights will be preserved.

 

[PatasColo]

You can also get a lot of free e-books, for the Kindle and many other readers. The Gutenberg Project is the most well-known source of these. But Googling "free ebooks" (leave the quotes out) will get you so many sources that you may never get any real reading done! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

My wife and I recently got Hewlett-Packard Touchpads (at $99, they were worth it after the first day of laughter and fun; We have Touchpad Thursdays with my brother now, who also has one). There are several e-reader applications for it, and I've already downloaded books from the above sites to read on our mini-vacation in December. :thumbsup:
-Mitch

P.S. I've also heard that there are online "book exchanges" for books you've purchased, but have not really looked into this... I'm a big fan of public libraries.:thumbsup: Heck, we're paying for them. aren't we? :laughing:

 

[retiredmgn]

I don't read books, unfortunately I never read books in school, as much as they tried to force me. I went to summer school for reading one year, one on one with a nice old lady, must of worked cause I can read anything. Wish she taught spelling too
I just have a short attention span and can not get into reading a novel, I'll fall asleep after a few pages.

But the guy who owns this house must be into books
I did a job in his basement a couple months ago.
These pics are from his basement, the garage was full floor to ceiling as well, his wife wont let him keep any in the living quarters of the house though.

I had to use a jackhammer down there, I was worried about setting off a chain reaction and getting buried alive :laughing:

JB

Holy crap. For a classic case of 'hoarding' that would make a fine example.
My uncle, now gone, took over my grandparents house when they died, and proceded to fill it. His sons, my cousins, kept up the practice. Anything they can get their hands on they have a need to bring it home. You can't even walk through the place anymore without pushing crap aside. There are rooms no longer accesible because of all the ****.
Me, I try to be a Shaker. If it doesn't serve a purpose, get rid of it.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Our county library not only provides free access to downloadable e-books and audio books (via Overdrive) but also loans out e-book readers (Nook) with a dozen books already loaded. They just opened a "tech bar" with an iPad, Nook, Motorola tablet, Kindle, etc - designed for patrons to go and touch. Pretty cool.
Mike

 

[JDgreen227]

OP here...My township has no library, although one has been proposed numerous times. Of course, funding is the main issue, although the township has expanded 300% in the last twenty years since I moved here. The problem is, the majority of the population growth has been student housing near the local university. Given the temporary and seasonal nature of the growth, I can well understand the difficulty in setting aside funding. I have served as part of a group trying to make progress to fund a library, but with little success.

What I personally find most frustrating about the inability of my township to establish a library is that basically, we really have no community meeting place aside from the senior center. The students have numerous bars and nightclubs near the campus, but there is nothing really available for older residents.

Thank you for listening. I sincerely appreciate the input you have all provided about your reading habits here. I truthfully DID NOT start the thread with that as my intention, but you have given me ideas about how to proceed further toward my goal...thanks again.

 

[Soundguy]

any chance the campus library could be tasked as public??

soundguy

 

[JDgreen227]

any chance the campus library could be tasked as public??

soundguy

Good question, but the campus library is so busy (Michigan State U) and so far out of my rural township (7 miles) and parking is such a huge headache we doubt if any residents would want to travel that far. There is another township library half the distance away but still many residents here are reluctant to go there. I do appreciate your suggestion.