I am currently online at Amazon purchasing a multivolume set of books by Theodore A. Dodge ( Napoleon. A history of the art of war ). I had these books before but they somehow got lost in a move some years back. Informative reading but a tad dry.

I noticed that there are also ebook editions of this book.

Got me to wondering about the reading of real books vs. reading eBooks.

I know thst it is reading regardless of the format but for my own likes, i prefer a real book in my hands when reading history. There is somethmig about the feel and smell if a real book that makes history more enjoyable.

What about you guys?

Salute!

Being a near Luddite, I don't have the smart devices for reading such ebooks.

And as it is, like John, I prefer the feel and smell of a book in my hands.

The same affliction no doubt as my preference for vinyl records and their warm sound over that of CDs.

Regards,

I usually go with ebooks for my Kindle since they are cheaper and I can stretch my book budget further. Also, you can often find free volumes, either older books whose copyright has run out (lots of American Civil War memoirs or histories) or books that publishers make free for a day or two. Stackpole has had several volumes on WWII German units for free the last week or so. If the books are illustration heavy I may order the paper volume but I may just read them on the Kindle Fire where they are easier to look at.

I love books but I think e-books are much more better to read. You can use them more easily (more easy to find a chapter, and to use several books or dictionaries), you can read them anywhere and you can carry your library wherever you go. And you don't have to trouble about where to place your library (I was getting short of shelfs when I had just books).

I remember that I knew about e-books development about fifteen years ago and since then I was looking forward to have one, till I finally bought my kindle a few years ago.

Just one thing. My e-book has a small screen and you cannot use to see maps correctly and that is a problem when you read some history books. I still use books from public libraries or my old books. But I think that prefering books for smell or fell is like prefering manuscripts to printed books. It has no sense, though I understand that is hard to change the way you are used to live or the way you have read for years.

I like both. I have a plethora of Napoleonic ebooks on my kindle & nook on my smart phone because, as mentioned, they are a good deal cheaper than the actual book, but...

I too enjoy the smell and feel of a fresh new book


Ah, so many books and so little time... lol!!

I very well understand all of the wonderful advantages of our computer age. Many valid points have been cited in this post already, but for me...

...I much prefer real books.

Carlos hit the nail on the head, for the maps I must have the books.

Prefer books, though do a lot of reading online and on websites oddly enough.....

Years ago at the iNWC a guy was cleaning out his collection and I picked up some great finds that way. They are about 8 feet to left curently on the book shelf....I consult them a lot....

Bookshelfs? I've got a library of over 800 titles I can hold in one hand and carry with me anywhere I go.

I am with Al on this.

There is something about a real book that makes reading enjoyable. Crisp pages in the new books or the musty smell of old books you just found in someone's garage sale.

I have a 4 volume set devoted to Frederic the Great that was printed in the 1860's. a well read set before i got it and i still enjoy them.

I understand the attraction of eBooks, in fact the Theodore Dodge books mentioned earlier are available as ebooks. They would be a damn site easier to carry around but not as much i think.

Al, I am sooooooooooo jealous. I have a large collection myself but not as large as yours. I will have to count it tonight.

So what is the average age of this club? I get the impression Grecian Formula grey hair removal people could make a killing here. I just turned 59 so I am feeling right at home .... retirement home I assume older software does not attract those young folk, other than your children?