Dead Tree Books and The Kindle.

[Mikuto]

I've only had my Kindle for a few weeks now, but I've noticed a trend.

I no longer even look at my dead tree books. Which is a slight problem because I have a shelf and a half full of books I've barely touched. Reading on the Kindle is so easy and enjoyable, that the idea of cracking open that hardcover of Duma Key I got on the day of the release is far less appealing than just re-buying it for the Kindle.

Sure there are plenty of books that I have that are unavailable on the Kindle as of yet, but what about the ones that ARE available? Does anyone else have this lack of interest in dead tree books, compounded by a desire to buy more for your Kindle? What do you do? Is the answer to simply give away any books that are in non-Kindle format to a local library (charity!) or keep them on your shelf and resist the urge to have them in a more pleasing format?

[Bacardi Jim]

It's not an issue for us, since we share a Kindle.  Always plenty of real books around for one person to read while the other one is on the Kindle.

[Teninx]

I had "Legacy of Ashes" on my Kindle 'Saved For Later" list until my brother in law gave me the print volume as a gift. I tried to read it, but, being spoiled by the Kindle, found myself buying the electronic editon.

[Jesslyn]

I am in the same boat as you.  I have only touched one dead tree book since April and that was out of desparation (and a very long story).

They just don't appeal to me anymore.  And when it comes to books that I want not yet on the Kindle?  They stay on my secondary Amazon wish list until the publisher gets it together.

[jah]

I have to agree that reading dead tree books has loss it appale to me since I got Faith, now that I think about it I have not read a dead tree book since March when I got Faith.

Jodi and Faith

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

There are DTBs on my shelves that I want to read, but I just can't bring myself to pick them up.  My hands just keep reaching for Gertie K.  

On the other hand, I've replaced some of my DTBs with Kindles and can't seem to bring myself to give away the "real" books.  

[jdsmke]

I will be "bound" to dtBooks for a while.  My "please read me" shelf is still overflowing. I am still alternating between reading on my kindle and reading one of my dtBooks.

[Sailor]

I would never get rid of my dead tree books!!!  Some books need to be in ancient forms...shall we put the Dead Sea Scrolls on Kindle? Hieroglyphics on Kindle instead of papyrus?  The signed copy of the Declaration of Independence Kindle-ized?  LOL  I'm sure it will come out soon.

I will still have my bookcase full of 'real dead tree books'.  I think there is just something about holding them, looking at them, and knowing that people through the start of civilization actually held these and learned and enjoyed good books.  So when you get that urge for some nostalgia, pick one up and remember what it used to be like...back in the days of yesteryear.

[Snapcat]

Since I've gotten the kindle I've put all my books on trial.

Lol. What I mean by that is I am rereading all the dead tree books on my shelves that I don't remember well, or haven't read yet and if I don't think I will read it ever again after "giving it a chance" then I put it in a box.

I have two boxes full of these books so far (luckily I read quickly) and when I'm done I plan on taking all the books that "didn't pass" to a used bookstore and selling whatever they will take. The rest I plan on donating.

I still love my dead tree books, but since I have so many shelves of books I think this is a good opportunity to get rid of the clutter. I will always keep the special books, or the beautiful hardbacks, but the books that I will never read again won't be taking up any more space.

[Mikuto]

Though I do know where you're coming from Sailor, and there are a few books I wouldn't give up either (I have an ancient gorgeous copy of Canterbury Tales) but I live in an apartment with very little space to just put things on shelves and look at them.

[ABC]

I am trying to alternate between the dead tree books I have sitting on my shelf already with my wonderful new Kindle books I "earn" by reading the dtbs.  

[Sailor]

I know what you meant Mikuto...I think I sounded a bit too serious.  I find that I really have only read Kindle books also, except for cookbooks, since Kindle arrived.  It is so light, handy and convienient to have and takes up hardly any room, that a bookshelf seems a waste of space.

I notice that I am now filling Kindle up with LOTS of reading material, and the bookshelf sits.  I like what Snapcat says and I think I will do that...and make my bookcase 'book worthy'.

[soapy70]

I love my Kindle but find that I do go back and forth to my paperbacks. I still occassionally buy paper books if I really want to read it and it hasn't come out for Kindle yet. -I have only weeded out maybe 20 books off my shelves to trade in since February. I just can't part with most of my books once I have read them. Thank goodness for Kindle, because now I don't have to!

[hazeldazel]

yeah, I'm just not interested in DTBs either.  I'll definitely not be buying another DTB, I've got so many books to read or re-read that it will be easy to wait for the publisher to get their act together.  I've been sorting thru DTBs at home (yay - down to a single layer of books in all my bookshelves!) and I've got a whole shelf of not-read-yet-and-not-available-on-Kindle books, but just can't seem to gather enough interest to start one of them.  I'll always have some DTBs, some that will never be converted or too full of color photographs, but I'll convert as many of my old friends to Kindle as possible. 

[marianneg]

LOL!  I can sooo relate.  I haven't bought a single DTB since getting my Kindle in July, which is probably an all-time record for me!  I also have plenty of old-fashioned books that I have been meaning to read, but with a pretty much lifetime supply of Kindle books, I'm not sure if I'll ever get to them.  I need to go through the shelves again and see what I can part with - I'm sure that there are many that I can get on the Kindle next time I get the urge to read them again, and some I'm probably just not interested in anymore, now that I have so many books at my fingertips just waiting to be 1-Clicked onto my Kindle.

[Leslie]

My mother gave me two books for my birthday (in July) and I just sighed. Put them on the shelf and there they sit...

L

[Angela]

DTB's have no appeal for me right now. It didn't take long to become spoiled by the Kindle. I can't see myself going back.

[Wannabe]

Ha! Never heard them referred to as "Dead Tree Books." Funny and sad at the same time. One of my biggest rationalizations of getting a Kindle was to save trees. I cannot seem to be able to reach out for any of my DTB's (and I have a lot of unread ones) since Harper arrived at the end of October. I just went through my wish list and found most of them in Kindle version so I doubt I'll ever go back to DTB's. However just like a previous poster, I'll keep copies of my very favorite DTB's on my shelf for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.

[Jen]

My fiance and I are both avid readers, and both of us have a ridiculous amount of books.  We just moved into our new house a few months ago, and finally (long story) bought some bookcases.  Over the weekend we unpacked all of our hundreds of books and loaded off of the shelves.  I think I've read one or two dead tree books since I got my kindle in April, really just haven't had much desire although I have about 10 on my 'to read' shelf that aren't available on the kindle.  I'll definitely be waiting until I'm desperate, or as others said, until the publisher gets it together. 
Although there really is something wonderful about all of these books put together in our 'library area', I almost wanted to pick one up and read it. 

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Although there really is something wonderful about all of these books put together in our 'library area', I almost wanted to pick one up and read it. 

I rented a huge house for a year and had a dedicated library.  Tons of shelving, cd player, comfy recliner, reading light and soft throw.  It was heaven.  It's good when a dream comes true and then you have the memory ... like how good jelly doughnuts used to taste.

[Ann in Arlington]

I rented a huge house for a year and had a dedicated library.  Tons of shelving, cd player, comfy recliner, reading light and soft throw.  It was heaven.  It's good when a dream comes true and then you have the memory ... like how good jelly doughnuts used to taste.

When searching for our current house, the selling point for my husband was the large garage.  Not for cars. . . . for tools.  The selling point for me was the built in bookcases in the living room.  We actually looked at a house I liked better -- more bookcases -- but didn't have workshop space.  I gave in knowing that he could (and would) build any additional bookcases I wanted.  Which he has.  He only grumbles a little when I ask, mostly just to tease and because he can.  He's happy with my Kindle because I pointed out to him that I wouldn't need him to keep building more places to put books.  Or, at least not as often. . . . I'll still buy paper books.  I especially like the ones in nice bindings.  They're readable decor!  Dual purpose!  Practical!

(That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.)

Ann

[MikeD]

My wife and I used to keep a very large library of books to be read. Unfortunately, these unread DTBs still existed when we bought our Kindles.

We've made a pact to purchase no more DTBs. There is enough reading material available on the Kindle to keep us occupied. But we still are working at reading those existing DTBs. We're not going to replace them with e-books, but we are both reading at about a 3-1 pace (3 e-books to 1 DTB) until we get our unread DTBs completed. That will take awhile, but we can't justify replacing them with e-books. Just too much $$$ involved.

[Mom of 4]

There are some books I read that I am constantly flipping back pages to check on things.  Good example right now is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  I keep flipping back to check the dates on the letters, or who wrote what letter.  I would find it very difficult to do this on the kindle.  But, I have to add, this is the first DTB I have read since May!

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

There are some books I read that I am constantly flipping back pages to check on things.  Good example right now is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  I keep flipping back to check the dates on the letters, or who wrote what letter.  I would find it very difficult to do this on the kindle.  But, I have to add, this is the first DTB I have read since May!

It's easy to search within a Kindle book to find what you want.  I've done it a couple of times. 

[Teninx]

I only buy print volumes if the paper is made from pulp taken from the Giant Sequoias, ancient California Redwoods, or any species logged in a rainforest.

[Angela]

I only buy print volumes if the paper is made from pulp taken from the Giant Sequoias, ancient California Redwoods, or any species logged in a rainforest.

silly boy... lol

[Kimblee]

I really plan to severely cut back on my DTB. The only ones I plan on buying are ones that are truly special to me, and those I REALLY want to read but are not out on kindle. For those I want to read but are not available, I figure I can wait.

Slightly off topic, what are people's experiences for waiting for books to become available on Kindle. Does pushing that request button do anything? Has anybody miraculously seen their book appear Kindleized?

[Angela]

Slightly off topic, what are people's experiences for waiting for books to become available on Kindle. Does pushing that request button do anything? Has anybody miraculously seen their book appear Kindleized?

Some books seem to be appearing overnight... others in a week or so... and still others, not yet!