E-Reading

Well, the e-book reader is here and already it contains 117 books. These are all books I have already read and really want to reread, or they are books I really want to read. I am managing them using a great free program called Calibre which enables me to sort them in several ways and upload them in the correct format.

I immediately read the Sherlock Holmes story 'A Study in Scarlet'. From that I moved quickly to a Douglas Adams book I had not heard of - 'The Salmon of Doubt'. This turns out to be a collection of short items which had already been published and some other pieces rescued from the hard drive of his beloved Mac computers after his too early death. It also includes some introductions and appreciations by friends that really give the flavour of the man and make one wish one had known him.

In a way I was quite surprised to find so readily over 100 books to add to the reader, though apparently it will hold up to 350. I restrained my packrat instincts and actively did not add things that in all truth I probably would never read, always, when it came to the point preferring something else. Think 'War and Peace'. 350 books sounds like a lot but as a portable library it still needs some discipline. 


I did upload the works of some authors in full, including Terry Pratchett. So far I have only read two or three of Terry Pratchett's books but I do enjoy them and they will be ideal retirement reading. I added the complete 'Lord of the Rings' because it is about time I revisited it; I do so about every 10 years. That reminds me that I also have the complete boxed set of the videos still in their cellophane wrapper, awaiting a time when I would have more time to enjoy them. The time is now :)

Having read the Sherlock Holmes story I will probably delete it and add more. I have in the past read Sherlock Holmes in his entirety and may eventually do so again. Although I do now enjoy some of the newer detective writers also, the really early pieces remain classics.

So how is e-book reading different from reading a normal book? It feels very different in the hand, and, although encouraged by John to buy a leather cover for the gadget, I wanted initially to try it naked. I hasten to add that it is the gadget that is naked. On Luing, even in August, the alternative is not really a viable proposition.

I have the pocket version, as it really will sit in the pocket of my walking jacket and also fits neatly in the extra pocket of the netbook bag. That means that the screen is a little smaller but apparently slightly clearer than on the touchscreen version. 'Turning the page' is very simple and one soon learns to facilitate the smooth flow of reading by clicking to turn the page part way through the final sentence. There are three sizes of font and the medium size is normally adequate, but it does depend on the initial font size of the document. Somehow the small size of the page seems to make turning the page more compulsive and I found it quite hard to make myself stop and put it away for a time. 

I know I love my gadgets but all, or almost all, have proved to be helpful on a regular basis and I'm fairly sure this will be no exception. For travelling, or even for walking in the hills, it will be an excellent companion.

More later ...