What are you currently reading?

[QualityBookReviews]

An open discussion on what everyone is currently reading. Make recommendations to others, discuss what is new, hot, bestsellers, anything and everything related to books and the authors.

[RJ Edwards]

Greg Isles' Third Degree. I'm having a difficult time getting into this one but I'll keep reading.

[Harley Sachs]

As an author of books offered in both ebook and paperback formats, I'm curious about how many in this group read books on ereaders versus print media. Our local library offers downloads of ebooks from Great Lakes Digital Libraries. What's your experience? ==Harley L. Sachs www.hu.mtu.edu/~hlsachs

[Kemosabe]

I have a Kindle, Harley, and I love it. I will even pay nominally slightly more for a book in that format. The books read I keep on my file at Amazon and can retrieve at any time to reread or check the notes I've made in them. I used to have a large bookcase with over a thousand books and I prefer this to that.

[Joy Calderwood]

I have such a large collection that space is important. Ebooks don't take up shelf space. I read either one. I don't have an e-reader, though, so the ebooks are on computer discs.

[K Barrett]

Finally got around to reading 'Mr. Clarinet' by Nick Stone. Well written, keeps me turning pages. Someone once said it was pretty grim, and while that may be true, its no more grim than much of crime fiction. Definitely an easier read than Mo Hayder's stuff, LOL!

[Harley Sachs]

I think the Kindle downloads are overpriced, as other downloads run from free to about five bucks. I await the second round on the iPad. Usually first generation gadgets need improvement, like never buy a brand of car the first year it comes out. Customers do the road testing and the flaws presumably get fixed later. If am am a test driver, I want the car for free.

[I. J. Parker]

But surely that applies to the gadget and not the books. It's the gadget that may be flawed. The books have been around before.

[Harley Sachs]

right, it's the gadgets. I have a "Bookman" I got for $50 and is no longer made. Conversion of books to read on the gadsget was not difficult. But I hate to have to poke a screen with a stylus to change to the next page. The Bookman would get amnesia if the AAA batteries failed, which was frequent, and then you had to reboot the whole system off your computer, I installed a memory stick to back up the system, but it was tedious and irritating. If the manufacturer made the memory permanent and used a rechargeable battery the thing would have been a success, as it also recorded message, had back lighting, and other good features.

[Kemosabe]

It's not that flawed. Of course it will get better and cheaper. Kindle just reduced their price. This thing from Apple looks like it might be competition although it's bigger and more costly.

[Joy Calderwood]

I agree that they are massively overpriced. There's no justification for charging as much for an ebook as for a print book. The materials hardly cost anything once the file is set up.

[Christopher S. Tolley]

When I take the plunge it's going to be one of those micro computers, like an Asus or Acer. Yes, more money, $300 or so, more than the reduced prices they're selling Nooks and Sonys and Kindles for these days. But you get a real computer that you can do other stuff on.

[Harley Sachs]

Are you alll familiar with Giga alert? It's an on line clipping service. The first couple of hits are free and if you want depth you can pay a bit. I just learned that nine of my 24 books are available on Kindle. There's a price reduction for so-called Kindle club members, a bit over $6 a title. Giga alert will find references to you anywhere on the internet, and it is sometimes puzzling. For intance, many years ago I was on the faculty senate at Michigan Tech and from time to time a reference pops up. Giga alert is useful for tracking down potential pirates. Puzzle: how did my book "Scratch--out!" turn up in a Bombay, India bookstore? Some of this stuff is amazing.

Trouble is, though I see reviews posted of my books, I await royalty checks. Hmm.