Comments on: E-Books: A Good Read

By: Francesco Levato

Francesco Levato — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:24:24 +0000

I have the same issues with the Kindle, and another problem is the lack of formatting options. This makes publishing poetry, which often requires special formatting, almost impossible. When seeking a format to publish poetry eBooks I went with PDF as it is universal, and allows for books to be viewed as the author intended. Plastique Press publishes enhanced eBooks that can be distributed online or at readings and bookstores on plastic download cards. These cards attempt to give a physical presence to an otherwise intangible digital product.

By: Dana Diaz

Dana Diaz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:44:52 +0000

I love my Kindle DX! Having millions of books (many of them free) at my fingertips and downloaded in seconds has been a major excitement for me. I’m 66 and love to read. The Kindle DX is easy to read, and the font size can be increased for comfort. I don’t have any problems finding my place in a book, and especially love having the instant dictionary ready and willing to give me a word’s meaning just by putting the curser in front of the word. There are too many positives associated with my Kindle DX to worry about the black and white artwork or poor illustrations. I only care about that story or essay that makes its way to me so effortlessly. Another plus has been the ability to surf the web for news and take care of email on the Kindle. All for free! I travel often, and won’t go anywhere without my Kindle DX. As far as I’m concerned, the e-book reader is the third greatest thing ever invented after the clothes washer and dishwasher.

By: Michael Johnston

Michael Johnston — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:22:59 +0000

I loved the idea of the Kindle. Then I used one. Initially, I was very excited. So many books, all available instantly – no need to wait for the UPS man or make a trip to the bookstore. But then reality set it. Everything seems set in more or less the same typeface; the contrast of the screen makes for a poor reading experience; flipping through the book is harder and takes longer; the quality of illustrations is just terrible; everything is in black-and-white, even the cover artwork. In the end, I sold mine and developed a newfound appreciation for just how good – and how hard to improve upon – an old-fashioned paper book really is.

I have no doubt that e-book readers will one day surpass dead-tree books, but if it happens before major strides are made in the technology I will lament the book’s premature passing.