Paper Books or Ebooks

[NewDigs]

Thanks, I'll try this. I hope that's the problem rather than the original book formatting.

I hope that works for you! I kinda' hate when I get an ebook with no page numbers. And the percentage-read can be equally aggravating. I checked-out Dearie and read and read and read some more. Then when I touched the bottom of the screen/monitor to see how far into it I was, I was only at about 4%! I finished it but, then again, I might not have otherwise even started to read a 500+ page bio of Julia Child. (It was wonderful)

And not being able to physically page forward has made for some rather abrupt book endings. Who knew there was a chapter from the author's next title positioned at the end?

[cherrypj]

I really do prefer reading an ebook--I just carry it with me everywhere. I was shattered, just like the Kindle, when I dropped it (so I could pick up my phone, of course). I've been psyching myself up to buy the Paperwhite. Maybe for my birthday.

 

But I really want to know, and I hope Kromm can chime in here, is how can I get that installment plan Amazon used to offer for the Paperwhite? Five months at around $24/month. I could totally talk myself into that, but I can't figure out how to get that deal back. Does anyone else see that when they hit Amazon's Paperwhite page?

[Kromm]

No clue, sorry.

[bubbls]

I hope that works for you! I kinda' hate when I get an ebook with no page numbers. And the percentage-read can be equally aggravating. I checked-out Dearie and read and read and read some more. Then when I touched the bottom of the screen/monitor to see how far into it I was, I was only at about 4%! I finished it but, then again, I might not have otherwise even started to read a 500+ page bio of Julia Child. (It was wonderful)

 

 

Yes! This  how I've been feeling about this book. Reading, reading, and reading some more with no clue how far I am into it. I'm checking my Kindle tonight to see if I've mistakenly turned off the percentage-read option.

[OakGoblinFly]

I really do prefer reading an ebook--I just carry it with me everywhere. I was shattered, just like the Kindle, when I dropped it (so I could pick up my phone, of course). I've been psyching myself up to buy the Paperwhite. Maybe for my birthday.

 

But I really want to know, and I hope Kromm can chime in here, is how can I get that installment plan Amazon used to offer for the Paperwhite? Five months at around $24/month. I could totally talk myself into that, but I can't figure out how to get that deal back. Does anyone else see that when they hit Amazon's Paperwhite page?

 

 

I think if you're an Amazon Prime member you can purchase the Paperwhite on an installment plan; I know when I look it up I have the option to pay over five months.  If you don't see that option, contact customer service.  Also, if you are a PayPal member there is an option for an installment plan.

[Darian]

But I really want to know, and I hope Kromm can chime in here, is how can I get that installment plan Amazon used to offer for the Paperwhite? Five months at around $24/month. I could totally talk myself into that, but I can't figure out how to get that deal back. Does anyone else see that when they hit Amazon's Paperwhite page?

I'm a nook user (when I first bought an e-reader Amazon didn't allow you to borrow library ebooks or buy from my local indie bookstores) but I checked--the deal is showing up for me here:

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OQVZDJM?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=72124592456&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4033551696956458550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5tr0or9c07_b

 

When I click it gives these instructions:

 

Exclusively for you: Pay for your device in five equal monthly payments: no finance charges, no interest or hidden fees, and no credit check or application required.

 

How it Works

Select the monthly payment option when you Add to Cart.

At checkout, your order total will be your first monthly payment, plus applicable taxes and shipping charges in full. We’ll charge your credit card when we ship your device.

The remaining balance will be automatically charged to your credit card in four equal installments, every 30 days from shipment date. By placing your order via monthly payments, you authorize us to charge your credit card or another available credit card on file with us for each monthly payment. 

Good luck! 

[SmithW6079]

See, it's also very inefficiently laid out there.

 

First, there's the kerning. Aka "the spacing between letters".  It's even, but wider than it has to be.

 

Here's a good example of how kerning can differ (and take up different amounts of space that add up eventually):

 

 

Second, there's the Word spacing.  Which is VERY inefficient there.

 

Thirdly, there's the leading.  Leading is the space between lines of text. It could definitely be FAR smaller there.

 

 

Finally, while we are seeing a justified page (which means the line spacing is somewhat adjusted line per line to not have empty white space on the right margin), that's not always the most efficient way to get maximum info on a page. Sometimes allowing hyphenated words does. But even better, the ability to flip the page orientation and show it landscape mode rather than portrait. In landscape mode you have to tinker with word spacing and/or using hyphens a lot less

 

Even with a font that large, I'm just saying, with better kerning, leading, word spacing, justification and orientation, there could be a heck of a lot more info between page flips.

I think I love you for this.

[Kromm]

I was a typesetter back at a school paper many years ago.

[cherrypj]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OQVZDJM?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=72124592456&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4033551696956458550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5tr0or9c07_b

 

Argh. Nothing. And I *am* Prime. I even opened that link in three browsers to see if I could get around any cookies. Maybe I'll try it with a VPN.

[OakGoblinFly]

Argh. Nothing. And I *am* Prime. I even opened that link in three browsers to see if I could get around any cookies. Maybe I'll try it with a VPN.

Contact Customer Service - 1 (888) 280-4331 or use their link . I find that Amazon has been very responsive to calls and quickly resolved any issue that I had.

I use the link and open a 'chat' - I find it takes less time then calling the customer service number.

[Darian]

Argh. Nothing. And I *am* Prime. I even opened that link in three browsers to see if I could get around any cookies. Maybe I'll try it with a VPN.

That is so weird. I'm not Prime and not only do I have that link with the info, but I couldn't put a Paperwhite into my cart without choosing whether I want to choose the 5 month plan or pay all at once!

 

I second the suggestion to contact Amazon. I've had good luck with their customer service. I think I chose the option to have them call me and it took seconds.  

[cherrypj]

Ah, I took the easy way out. I just bought the thing. It was the same price either way, so I'm not sure what I was waiting for. 

 

Here's hoping the backlight is nice and bright. Really looking forward to more words on a "page" than I get with my phone.

[Crim]

Thanks, everyone. I'm the happy owner of a Kindle Paperwhite - the new 300ppi one, it's lovely.

[cherrypj]

I didn't update my post did I.

 

The Paperwhite is amazing. Nice and bright, exceptionally clear. I miss the hardware page turn buttons, but that's a minor thing.

[NewDigs]

I have been steering clear of lighted pixels, (thanks for valuable info Kromm) and pondering switching to the Paperwhite. Will have an Amazon xmas gift card so am good-to-go.

Thanks Crim and cherrypj for the updates.

Edited December 8, 2015 by NewDigs

[cherrypj]

Too bad Kromm's not getting any Amazon referral links!

[AuntiePam]

I just saw this on Facebook and am sharing everywhere I can think of.  There's a software update that has to be downloaded by March 22 for many of the older Kindles.

 

Here's the link -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201994710

 

It's not clear what will happen if the update isn't installed, but it sorta sounds like your Kindle will be unuseable. 

[auntlada]

You will have to download the update and install it manually, somehow. I believe if you have connected to WiFi or 3G or 2G, depending on your Kindle, then it will have updated. Mine had updated, and I had not done anything to make it do so.

[AuntiePam]

You will have to download the update and install it manually, somehow. I believe if you have connected to WiFi or 3G or 2G, depending on your Kindle, then it will have updated. Mine had updated, and I had not done anything to make it do so.

 

Looks that way.  If we miss the deadline, we'll be able to download the update using a USB connected to a PC -- it's a bit more cumbersome.

 

I'm hearing (learning?) that if the Kindle is left connected to WiFi, or in Sleep mode, downloads are automatic.  I only turn on my Wireless when I'm downloading -- maybe once a month.

 

Amazon sent emails about a month ago, but my Kindles were gifts, so I didn't get the email.

[OakGoblinFly]

Looks that way.  If we miss the deadline, we'll be able to download the update using a USB connected to a PC -- it's a bit more cumbersome.

 

I'm hearing (learning?) that if the Kindle is left connected to WiFi, or in Sleep mode, downloads are automatic.  I only turn on my Wireless when I'm downloading -- maybe once a month.

 

Amazon sent emails about a month ago, but my Kindles were gifts, so I didn't get the email.

 

 

That's true, updates are automatically sent/recieved when connected to WiFi (you can only receive updates in sleep mode when connected to WiFi).

 

I only use my WiFi for downloading books as well - however, that should be enough to caputure any software updates.  If you're not sure, you can always connect to WiFi and check for downloads.

 

If your operating system is too old, then you'll have to transfer manually (not difficult, just cumbersome).

 

Even if you Kindle was a gift, once you registered it, emails regarding updates should have come to you.

[NewDigs]

Too bad Kromm's not getting any Amazon referral links!

No kidding!

Because info from you and Kromm and OakGoblinFly and others I asked for and received a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas.

And I love it. And I love the added bonus of reading outside. Plus it's really lightweight. The operations seem a bit clunkier and slightly less responsive than tablets but I'll take it for the eye ease.

I was badly amazed to have ads pop up so emailed Amazon Customer Service and, I'm assuming because of my buying history, within minutes the ads were gone.

Thanks, all.

Edited March 27, 2016 by NewDigs

[SmithW6079]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but it seems to be a cross between a paper book and an e-book:

Julian Fellowes's "Belgravia"

The author of "Downton Abbey" has written a new book, which he is releasing as a serial once a week via an app for 11 weeks, starting today. It will be released complete as a hardcover in June.

Julian Fellowes’s BELGRAVIA marries cutting edge technology with the age-old art of storytelling. The first episode is free and a further ten episodes will be released week by week, building up the story in bite-sized instalments [sic] complete with twists and turns and cliffhanger endings.

Apparently, there will be links to photos or maps to "enhance" your reading pleasure (and you can switch to audio and back at any time). Granted, these things have all appeared in paper books, but I've never found them to enhance my experience when reading a book on my Kindle, because a Kindle is basically a one-page-at-a-time view. Constantly switching back and forth was annoying to me, which is why I stopped reading several books that had reference materials like maps and genealogy tables and pictures. Edited April 14, 2016 by SmithW6079

[Cherry Cola]

I love both, actually.  Real books are the best, but, ebooks have their benefits.  Such as, reading a huge book in bed is easier if it's an e-book! An e-book doesn't have the same charm.  And sometimes I feel like I Didn't really read a book.  It's weird.  I'm weird, so whatever.  

[OtterMommy]

Both, honestly.  There are certain books that I prefer in print (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is one that comes to mind) and I'll always opt to have a doorstopper in electronic form.  Plus, there is the shelf-space issue....100 eBooks takes up a heck of a lot less space than 100 print books (says the person who owns nearly 800 books that I have yet to read....)

[Hanahope]

I still have to say both.  While I do like my kindle, I sometimes find it a bit cumbersome to manage/organize the books (you can create your own "folders", but when you want to organize them or add some new books to a folder, the program shows "all books" and then not only do you have to scroll through pages of books, you have to remember which folder you'd previously put a book into - did I put this book into fantasy, scifi, mystery or 'generic' fiction?).  

And there is always the possibility that your kindle (or whatever device) is going to go "poof" on you and the most inconvenient time.  Happened to me in the airport starting my vacation.  My kindle suddenly when blank, recharging did nothing, it just shorted out. I was headed to Europe to visit family, so I couldn't do a thing about it until I returned 2 weeks later, when Amazon had me try a few things, then simply said, 'oh it just must have died since its 2+ years old, sorry about that, want to buy another?"  I wasn't pleased.  Course in the meantime, I had to buy a book at the airport, and a couple more (trying to find english versions) while on vacation.  

Needless to say, whenever I leave on vacation again, I still bring a paperback.

[Browncoat]

I much prefer paper books, but if I'm travelling (especially flying somewhere), it's e-books all the way.  I read a fair amount, and toting enough books along for two weeks is impractical. 

[Mabinogia]

I was never one who loved books for the paper, I love them for the stories so I'm ebook all the way. I haven't bought an actual book since I got my Kindle years ago. I have a few paper books that I had before my kindle but I never pick them up to read them. I find holding the kindle easier, and I can make the text big and adjust the lighting.

I do agree about the difficulty in sorting books though. Sometimes the navigation drives me buts. But overall, I'm happy not to have to read paper books anymore.

[auntlada]

I like being able to search ebooks easily. When I am reading a mystery or suspense novel and I come across a name or fact that I think has been mentioned before, I can find it easily to see if it really is important.

[blueray]

Paper by far. I love the feeling of holding and curling up with a book. I can't do that with a tablet. I'd end up hurting my neck if I looked at it too long.  I have a nook, but I never use it to read.

Edited March 4, 2017 by blueray

[MelinaBallerina]

I like both - it really doesn't matter so much, as long as I have stuff to read.  :)  But, that said, I'm in the process of packing up the house to move and when bringing all the boxes down out of the attic, I found all my paper books.  I had moved them up there when I was de-allergifying my room and had started using a Nook instead for reading.  I'm really torn now because there are SO many books that I have (over 1,000) and I don't have to worry about losing them to digital hacking or whatever.  ie.  recently bought a 5 book series from B&N and only 2 show up in my library, but all 5 show up on the front page of my Nook Galaxy tablet.  It's really frustrating to not be able to find books you KNOW you have.  B&N support wasn't helpful at all.   It's nice to have that physical proof that you own that book and it can't be taken away arbitrarily.  Someone up thread mentioned that we're basically just renting these ebooks and that kinda ticks me off.  If I'm paying the same money as buying, I want to OWN the book!

  But, darn it, I really want to start re-reading all those books I just brought down!  I had forgotten that I have almost every Star Trek/TNG/DS9/Voyager/New Frontier, etc book published!  The OCD part of me wants to plug the holes in the sets, too, but I haven't been able to find them online yet.

[WritinMan]

I prefer paper books--and still buy many--but I have been trying more ebooks. For some series that I really enjoy (Hap and Leonard, Dresden Files) I like to have the paper books. But ebooks are a good way to try new authors or book series. Sometimes the first book in a series is free at Amazon. Also, some of the books on my "To Read List" are the book equivalent of a B-movie. I don't really need a physical copy of that.

[Rio]

E-books all the way! I have to say that my eBook conversion was not entirely voluntary though. I lived for a few years in a very humid region, my books got moldy, and I had to get rid of them. I was pissed not only because of this but also the money i had spent shipping them there. Now I have a very large library on my Kindle and don't have to worry about any of that. I still like browsing bookstores but if I like something I get the eBook. I am currently writing my own book and i have been researching a lot on the different templates available. I stumbled upon this as i was researching and i think i want to hire a professional to do my template. Is there anyone here who can recommend me to someone?

[smileonmyface]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet, but I love the instant dictionary on eReaders! I have a Kindle Paperwhite and a Kobo (yes, I have two dedicated eReaders...what if one broke??) and both have the dictionary feature. Instead of skimming over words I don't know or guessing at the implied meaning, I can find out right away without having to pick up a dictionary or google!

[surreysmum]

Interesting question - and as I thought about it, I wondered if my response is generation-specific (I'm older) or just me being weird.  I read in both formats, and I enjoy in both formats, and I see advantages to both formats, but the books have different status with me, and I treat them differently. If I've bought (or been given, or traded for...) a book in paper, then once started, it gets finished, and I give it at least a bit of thought, probably enough to write a little review on Goodreads.  And after I'm done, I also give a bit of thought about what is to happen with the physical object - do I lend it to a friend? do I drop it in the book exchange at work? does it earn one of the very rare spaces on my bookshelves (there are only about 3 authors and about 3 general subject areas that routinely do earn that space). If it's on my Kindle, then (a) I probably haven't paid for it, because I'm cheap that way, and somehow buying the rights to download and read - but not really own - a digital product doesn't really feel like "buying a book" to me and (b) I don't really care if I finish it or not; failing to finish somehow doesn't feel nearly as "wrong". If I do finish it, I may or may not write a review on Goodreads - I do try, but again if it doesn't happen, it doesn't feel so much as if I've, you know, missed a step in my routine. And while I do occasionally run through my device and delete things as having been read (knowing full well I'm not really deleting them properly, because Amazon insists on holding them in my account on the cloud), there is no sense of, as it were, finishing up the relationship the way I do with a physical book.

Yeah, maybe I'm just weird. :)  But I do think it's partly an age/generation thing - for me, an e-book, although highly convenient and all that jazz, will never quite be a real book in the way physical books have been for me for most of my half-century-plus.  I'm sure, though, that as the physicality of paper books becomes more and more inconvenient for me (too heavy to hold, or print too small), I'll be glad to have the e-book option there to prolong the enjoyment of reading.  I have at least one very elderly relative who has taken to e-books in a big way for those reasons.

[justcris]

I find myself reading more and more on my Kobo. It's so unbelievably convenient, I just carry it around with me all the time. I'll even read while queueing at the supermarket if I'm in the middle of a really good book!

Also, it's the best thing for traveling, hands down. I always end up buying books when I travel, but I never take any with me anymore. 

I'm more picky about the books I buy now. I tend to gravitate toward special editions, signed books, spraypainted pages, beautiful hardcovers, anything that makes it worth buying the actual book. However, I do love browsing bookstores and discovering titles, and will buy more books, even if they're just regular editions, if I'm somewhere with a different selection than I'm used to. For example, I was in Australia recently and I loved browsing their Australian fiction sections and seeing what the staff recommended. It goes without saying that I bought quite a few books on that trip.

[Bill1978]

I recently read my very first eBook cause I couldn't find the physical copy anywhere near me Adam Silvera's They Both Die At The End. Loved the book and discovered my local shop had his debut More Happy Than Not in physical form. The whole process has confirmed my gut feeling I had about my hesitation towards embracing eBooks. I am 100% a flicker and jumper in books. I like to randomly jump to a page and see what is happening, or if a character is still in the story. It's very hard to do that with an eBook and keep track of the page you are actually on. I see the advantages of eBooks when travelling, but for now I'm gonna be a physical book reader.

[DearEvette]

I was an early adopter e-reader.   Had a first gen kindle.  Got it mainly because back in the early days before the Big Six/Apple collusion lawsuit Amazon was offering ebooks at a huge discount as a lure to move Kindles.  At any rate, have been an e-book reader for so long, I find it difficult to adjust back to paper.  I do read graphic novels exclusively in paper, though.  But novels I prefer now to read in e-format.

I like the search function.  Sometimes if I am reading a book and have a bad feeling that a character I like might not survive in the end, I'll cheat sometimes and search their name to see how far into the book they make it.

8 hours ago, Bill1978 said:

I am 100% a flicker and jumper in books. I like to randomly jump to a page and see what is happening, or if a character is still in the story. It's very hard to do that with an eBook and keep track of the page you are actually on. I see the advantages of eBooks when travelling, but for now I'm gonna be a physical book reader.

I think it takes a little getting used to the functions on an e-reader to get good at this.  On the kindle, if you swipe your finger up, the reader keeps the page you are reading in the background and it superimposes a copy of the page you are on in a large box over the front of your current page that with arrows on the edges of the text box so that you can flip through (and arrows at the bottom to quickly navigate forward and backward by chapter jumps).  If you tap outside the superimposed box, it takes you back to the page you were on.    Or you can tap in the upper right hand corner and get the bookmark symbol and bookmark the page you are on and then flip around.

[Black Knight]

I use e-books for traveling or if it's out-of-print and so an e-book is the only option.

But I do wish I could make the switch, because space is a problem for me and yet I keep adding more books. I came across this line in a book I just read: "Her apartment is what happens when a used bookstore and a grandmother's bedroom love each other very, very much." Omit the "grandmother's" part and that's basically my home.

[Garden Wafers]

18 hours ago, Black Knight said:

I use e-books for traveling or if it's out-of-print and so an e-book is the only option.

But I do wish I could make the switch, because space is a problem for me and yet I keep adding more books. I came across this line in a book I just read: "Her apartment is what happens when a used bookstore and a grandmother's bedroom love each other very, very much." Omit the "grandmother's" part and that's basically my home.

When I was a kid and shared a bedroom with my brother, my books used to be stacked up all over the place - including both under and on the bed. So if I started to accumulate too many books, I would literally run out of room to sleep. This at least forced me to go through the backlog of books I had picked up "just in case" and trade in old ones at the used bookstore to keep inventory at a manageable size. These days, I can't remember the last time I stepped foot in a used bookstore; at any given time, I usually have 100+ books loaded on my Paperwhite and another 25+ on the iPad. 

[Darian]

19 hours ago, DearEvette said:

I was an early adopter e-reader.   Had a first gen kindle.  Got it mainly because back in the early days before the Big Six/Apple collusion lawsuit Amazon was offering ebooks at a huge discount as a lure to move Kindles.  At any rate, have been an e-book reader for so long, I find it difficult to adjust back to paper.  I do read graphic novels exclusively in paper, though.  But novels I prefer now to read in e-format.

I like the search function.  Sometimes if I am reading a book and have a bad feeling that a character I like might not survive in the end, I'll cheat sometimes and search their name to see how far into the book they make it.

I think it takes a little getting used to the functions on an e-reader to get good at this.  On the kindle, if you swipe your finger up, the reader keeps the page you are reading in the background and it superimposes a copy of the page you are on in a large box over the front of your current page that with arrows on the edges of the text box so that you can flip through (and arrows at the bottom to quickly navigate forward and backward by chapter jumps).  If you tap outside the superimposed box, it takes you back to the page you were on.    Or you can tap in the upper right hand corner and get the bookmark symbol and bookmark the page you are on and then flip around.

Yes, well explained! I find it easier to flip around on my Kindle. I have also checked to see if a characters lives and it's easier than paper. But if I want to go to the end of the book, I can do that easily, too. If I forget who a character is, I just highlight (by holding my finger on the word) and get a description of the character. If it's not a character but a place or something else I want more information about, I hit the search button and can see a list of results for every time that word appears. Scroll and I can see where the first and last times are, and get some context. I adore my Kindle Paperwhite for skipping around. 

My first e-reader was not a Kindle, because Amazon didn't do library books, and I wanted the option to buy from local indie bookstores (back then, you couldn't buy Kindle books in local bookshops either). I stayed with my nook for three more e-readers because for years you couldn't do the kind of book sorting I wanted (I sort into library books, read books, classics, next to read, etc). Now that Amazon does library lending and sorting, I got a Kindle. I love everything about it. At first, I wanted it to show me page numbers, but now I sometimes want to see how fast I'm reading, or I want location, because )I think) that pinpoints better when you bookmark. 

[Mabinogia]

3 hours ago, Darian said:

At first, I wanted it to show me page numbers, but now I sometimes want to see how fast I'm reading,

This is my favorite thing about it. That it will tell you how many minutes left in a chapter/hours in a book. Very handy when it's late and I want to read one more chapter. "Oh, only about five minutes for the next chapter. Yay". or "Oh, can I really do 20 minutes? My eyes are killing me." I also love the dictionary feature. It is so much easier than going to find a dictionary to look up a word I'm not familiar with. It's also great for reading at night, I don't need a light on, or laying on my side. I only need one hand to turn the pages. lol I'm quite a practical person so the Kindle made reading easy for me again. I have a few regular books I need to read but I keep putting them off for an ebook because it is more practical for me.

 

Though I was always more into the story than the book itself. I do have a friend who loves the whole book experience, the feel of the paper, the smell of a book, etc. Me not so much.

[JAYJAY1979]

I had an e-reader/kindle when they came out.. but there was a short/glitch and I lost all of my book purchases... it took Amazon a few weeks to retrieve them for me.... but the catch was that it wasn't the same format that i had before the glitch.  I realized at that point that I'd rather have an actual book that I know I won't lose unless I leave it somewhere (which I never do).

[OtterMommy]

I was an equal opportunity reader--I'd usually have one eBook and one print book (and one audiobook) going at once.  However, I've been dealing with some eye issues and, for some reason, print has been hard for me.  I'm not sure why, but I think it might be the contrast of the print on the page?  Anyway, I don't have this issue on my Kindle, although I do sometimes tinker with the contrast.  Because of that, I'm powering through eBooks, but I've been working on the same print book for over a month now.

[surreysmum]

[Short version: Project Gutenberg Canada is likely to be gutted within a very short time]

Thought I'd add a "word to the wise" here, for those who enjoy acquiring and reading Project Gutenberg books (i.e. free text-only or html-only digitizations of books in the public domain). Although not beautiful in font or layout, these digital copies are generally very well-edited and read easily on e-readers.

You may not have been aware, after the US drastically changed its copyright law to basically freeze the US public domain for decades, that other Project Gutenberg sites (such as PG Australia and PG Canada) continued to provide PG files for some works that have come into public domain in their particular countries, mostly English-language authors from not just their country, but Britain and US as well.  Legally, of course, only people whose home country has a similar term of copyright can download and use these files, and there is a warning to that effect in each file. (As far as I can tell, there is no technical impediment for anyone to download).

The new North American Free Trade Agreement has unfortunately seen Canada collapse on the subject of copyright terms, which will be brought into alignment with those of the US. This means that as soon as the agreement is passed in Canadian parliament (it's already passed in US and Mexico), a lot of the files on Project Gutenberg Canada will by law have to be removed.  http://gutenberg.ca/index.html  Scroll past the political indignation to reach the main index to their rich holdings.  As a Canadian, knowing that the legislation will pass soon, I am busily downloading items of interest to me while it is still legal to do so (and while the files are still up). Any Canadians interested in acquiring basic free copies of authors - chiefly novelists, short story writers, essayists, and some historians - who died in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s are advised to go and look for themselves.

I am duty-bound to remind everybody here that this note should only be of interest to Canadians and citizens of countries where the copyright term remains death of author+50 years.

[topazann]

I prefer paper books but I basically read 80% ebooks. 
It's cheaper; it's more comfortable when I'm reading long books or when I'm in bed and I'd need to keep a light on; I also have a commute and in general, I'm often traveling on public transportation, so an e-reader is easier to carry than a physical book; and last but not least, I read in more than one language, and I don't have to deal with the hassle of ordering books from other countries.

[cherrypj]

Susan Orlean:

Quote

I’m not a traitor to the cause of books. I would hate to have this be interpreted as 1)I don’t love real, live, three-pounds-of-paper-and-ink books. I do love them or 2)I don’t love bookstores, because I do. But I also love convenience, and backlighting, and simplicity, and I love not clogging up my life with stuff I don’t want but can’t throw away. So if I see you at a reading sometime and you want to tell me you read my book on a Kindle, please don’t apologize: I understand.

 

[RealHousewife]

Paper books. My eyes need a break from screens. 

[samajo]

If I have tons of time to sit in my own personal library by the fire drinking coffee and reading I choose paper books, for sure. But in real life I read ebooks and listen to audiobooks too. 

[WinnieWinkle]

I'm a recent convert to e-books.  Still prefer my "real" books and have the bookcases to prove it, but with the pandemic I've found it so much easier (and cheaper!!!) to get books for my kindle.  Another huge bonus is you can get a sample chapter for free to give you a taste of the book before committing to buying it.  This is a big plus if you're like me and are avoiding stores as much as possible - and especially avoiding handling products others may have touched.  Like books!

[Ohiopirate02]

I am a polyamorous reader.  Paper, ebook, and audiobook.  I really don't have a preferred format, it all depends upon the particular book I am reading at the time and how busy I am.  I read too much to be able to outright purchase everything so I am dependent upon my local library.  Some books work better as paper books especially when I am outside and reading ebooks on my device is difficult.  I don't have the fancy Kindle that can be used out in the sun.  I also like to read in the bath, and replacing a paper book is cheaper than replacing my device if an accident happens.  Some books work better as audio.  If the book is heavy, I prefer ebook.