I’m embarrassingly uninformed about the new complexities of e-books, new issues with copyrights, and hell, even e-readers. A notorious ‘late adopter’ of new technology, I don’t have an e-reader. There have been a couple of instances when I’ve wished I had an iPad; change is scary and I am one of those people that never carries around expensive sunglasses because I leave things places. So, no iPad for me. I’ve never owned a GPS or MP3 player; I print maps, listen to NPR, and still have CDs sitting around in jewel cases.
However, when I see great deals on e-books, often from the Kindle store, I feel like I am missing out on something. To be able to get that book right now for super cheap, namely. Or when I see campaigns for sales of e-book versions of new work by fellow writers, or newly recommended writers, I want to be able to participate right away–the convenience and value is appealing. However, I still love the heft of a book, I still love the library, and I still love real pages.
Betsy Morais examines the changing field of design for digital books at The Atlantic in “Has Kindle Killed the Book Cover?”
Shelf Awareness examines the Justice Department’s suit against Apple over the “agency model for e-books.”
At Granta, Toby Litt shares a wonderful essay: “The Reader and Technology.”
- Do you own an e-reader? Are you enamored with it?
- Morais uses the term digital books. The Wall Street Journal uses the term e-books. Which do you prefer?
Amber Nicole Brooks 
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