Definitely although paperwhite was a tolerable 2nd. Reading of a glaring tablet doesn't feel right, certainly not relaxing like a book. Joined a library recently and is great...they offer e-reading too but not interested

I also had a paperwhite a few years ago but went back to books

Ditto. The best of the bunch but still not good enough.

At a certain age, it is nice to be able to make the type bigger.

I have reading glasses

I am also going back to physical pictures. Takes a while though. Four years done so far. After 2010 there's too many pictures and before there's too few

Physical media are lindy

FWIW I think ppl are reading paper books more now than when smartphones first became ubiquitous, and I do wonder if Kindles helped ease some of us back to paper format, reminded us neophiles that text didnt have to be squeezed onto a tiny screen

Same. Though my wife still uses hers but only for beach/pool side reading on holidays

I went through a period of doing this with mine, due to the convenience and the fact I largely read intelligent trash on holiday so it was no loss. Then when it broke in transit I went back to books as getting a new one felt excessive.

Went back to Kindle recently due to proliferation of long books (500 pages plus) so find it difficult to carry them on commutes a flights and my old wrists are not what they were. I still buy HBs indeed I frequently buy both - ok I’m mad and an academic but ebooks serve a distinct purpose.

Yeah, looked last year at what a new paperwhite would cost, and was a lot to read books that cost the same in paper (and free in library)

I also would have sworn they were cheaper in 2011. Maybe some student deal, but I don’t recall thinking “that’s half a games console!” before.

My kindle 3 (r.i.p.) was excellent and just over £100

The other thing is that ebooks aren’t really appreciably cheaper anymore

Also at least I impulse bought a lot more. Although some impulse purchases like Pounded by the Pound, turn gay by the socio economic effects of Britain leaving the EU, were worth it but 80% I just bought and never read

IIRC I got a few good deals.. Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy Trilogy (of 4) for £5 IIRC. Also a series of 5-6 ancient Roman murder mysteries that were fun to read on holidays.

They are if you're strategic about buying them. Amazon has loads at 99p all the time and Kindle Unlimited. And even without that it's cheaper for new hardbacks most of the time.

For me it’s about not wanting to lug hardbacks around in my backpack/s hardback landing on my nose in bed, but always being very keen to read new releases.

Yeah that, plus I literally do not have any more room in my house for physical books (my wife being a literature professor...)

Hardbacks are a pain in general; too big, heavy and expensive.

Yes but don’t use Amazon … they don’t pay their people or their taxes

We live in an imperfect world. As long as authors I want to read have their books on Amazon I don’t see much alternative to Kindle books (though I do advocate using local libraries when possible, as they are wonderful).

Exactly, we have all have the ability to micro-vote on the type of society we want to live in everytime we buy something. Easy to use alternatives to Amazon for most things

Ok but that's why you're paying more not because of ebooks per se.

Yea not only is this my main way of buying kindle books but sometimes if I've got the hardback of something (Failed State for example) I'll still get the kindle version for 99p because it's easier to carry around

Probably 50% of my reading is on the Kindle iPad app (mostly cause it's nice for reading in bed as you can have black background/beige text, and no need to have a lamp on to read a normal book) but a standalone Kindle doesn't seem worth it IMO and just something else to remember to keep charged 😂

Yeah, one of my most common uses for my Kindle is when I want to read a new release without risking the integrity of my spine.

They are cheaper for Comics and Warhammer books

Yeah I mostly read ebooks these days because a) I am hyperlexic, we already have so many physical books and my partner does not wish us to perish in a book avalanche b) joint issues mean it's a lot less painful. (Should get an ereader again rather than the app as i better for eyestrain stuff)

Yeah, hardbacks are simply unpleasant to read for me.

My take on why younger people (I do know some) prefer physical over digital is a) it’s a status symbol and b) it’s a conversation starter. “Oh, is that the new X book by Y?” vs. “Oh, is that a Kindle? And tell me, on that Kindle, do you have a preferred genre? And within that genre…”

And pirate ebooks are much easier to access/download

Although see @lsepress.bsky.social (for example) which have free open access ebooks - including the rather good Conflict, War and Revolution- part of a growing trend in academic publishing. This enables a wide readership for otherwise esoteric books that are too expensive for ordinary students …

Love niche physical academic books though. "This book is 500€ but it's only ever printed in 2000 copies worldwide. Everyone who owns it is member of a club"

Were they ever? Remember being astonished at the lack of discount vs actual books.

I have an old Kindle but mostly use the Kindle app on an iPad for reading almost everywhere except outside. Have mostly got rid of my physical books (small apartment + knowledge that I have read them all and won’t reread most of them). Use libraries, Kindle & occasional physical book purchases now.

For old books I buy paper (usually secondhand, partly for environmental reasons, usually on Abe Books), but new books I mostly buy on Kindle (and often read on my phone, on the commute! It’s fine for something that can be read in short bursts).

Blocks out the incessant conversation about finreg.

By far the best of the lot n as yet have gone back. And during travel, I dont think I ever will tbh