Reading, ethics and costs.

[Time Waster]

I'm not a big reader but my partner is in two book clubs and often buys charity shop reads or used the local library link. I'm very bad at reading a physical book but can on holidays although my kindle is easier.

So I was in the big city yesterday and popped into a Waterstones. Saw a few interesting books do googled them to see the reviews on on them. That was when I saw the price differences. Physical store £17, Amazon £14 or kindle £0.72. so that led to a discussion with my partner on ethics of buying books.

We had an interesting discussion on things books related from environmental matters through to ethics of things being too cheap and perhaps that's devaluing.

That's all well and good but I'm these times, is it really bad to buy the 72 pence ebook Vs the full price of £17 at a physical bookshop? Amazon's physical book price is £14 but is that any better? Where does your ethics of reading lie with this,

PS I'm possibly going for the 72 pence kindle version because it be could be the only way I actually read it.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I would have no qualms about buying the Kindle version. In fact, I often buy things on Kindle at a low price to try something different, it helps broaden my reading habits.
Charity shops are great too. That said, there's an argument that you shouldn't buy from charity shops as the author doesn't get anything from the sale. But then, the charity gets something.
Don't overthink it, would be my advice.

 

[Ian H]

I suppose it depends whether you feel you owe the author anything.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

That's all well and good but I'm these times, is it really bad to buy the 72 pence ebook Vs the full price of £17 at a physical bookshop? Amazon's physical book price is £14 but is that any better? Where does your ethics of reading lie with this,

Hi,
Should it not be the other way around?
The Ebook is more ethical because paper, ink and glue are not produced, no need of transport, so little carbon footprint.
You can't throw an Ebook to landfill either.
You can buy an Ebook from other retailers than A****n if you feel the retailer is unethical.
Personally, I'll happily ready an Ebook on any platform, but if I want to own an illustrated cookery book I'll want the hard copy.
Some art books, graphic novels, technical manuals, really are a better experience on hardback.
For light reading I head to the charity shops, but often I found some really great challenging reads in them.
Even your local library lets you borrow online, no problem of ethics there.

 

[a.twiddler]

I often use my local library. Sometimes I buy new books. Occasionally buy secondhand books from the market or charity shop. I also have a Kobo e reader, preferring to avoid Amazon if I can. It's hard to believe now, but Amazon had its origins in books and music before it expanded into the all pervasive behemoth it is now.

There is just something gratifyingly substantial about a physical book in your hand, particularly a new one with the feel, the weight and the new book smell and crispness of the pages. I like the e reader when I use it, but it's far more straightforward to pick up a book.

You might say that buying a new book is the way to go, so that the author at the end of a long line of people involved in promoting, printing, distributing and selling it gets the benefit, but somewhere along the line every book is bought by someone before it goes to a library, second hand bookshop or market stall, or charity shop or is shared between friends. That is the unique thing about a book as unlike many products it can live on to give pleasure to a large number of people before it starts to disintegrate and is recycled. Books may appear passe to some, but books still have the power to change people's lives as well as provide casual entertainment.

Although nowadays most things that I read are online, I can still enjoy a thundering good read of a physical book. Just imagine - it works without needing to be recharged, can be put down and picked up where you left off. It's fairly portable, you don't need any special equipment to use it. Reading helps keep your mind active, among other things.

If you have eyesight issues, they can be had in large print or even Braille, and audiobooks for those who prefer, or would rather listen to someone reading while they jog or pursue other activities.

You might have a suspicion from what I've written that I like books. That, dear reader, I leave up to you to decide!

 

[Fastpedaller]

And I entered the thread thinking it was referring to a Town in Berkshire

 

[Reynard]

Book exchanges are also a good way of getting hold of books. Community-based, mostly free to use (some ask for a small donation), and if you don't like the book, plonk it back on the shelf. I've one in my village, one in the next village along, and there's one in Tesco as well. I take full advantage of them, especially for cookery books and stuff to keep the parental unit entertained.

Ely also has a great little independent bookshop. They don't have a massive stock compared to some, but they can order in pretty well much anything you want, and they organize literary evenings.

Also, my bestie owns / runs a bookselling business, so I can get some more unusual stuff from him.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I won't buy an ebook. If the licence expires or the device becomes unavailable then that book becomes unavailable as well. I only buy physical books.

I use Waterstones and Amazon (which is often forgotten started as a book shop) for my new books and will also walk into any independent shop for a browse, and then spend hours in many, many, many second hand book shops as well.

Couple of shout outs for book shops I'd recommend as well:

North Berwick
https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/25214440.new-charity-book-shop-cafe-opened-north-berwick/

Isle of Arran - Corrie
https://www.arranalmanac.com/

 

[All uphill]

I read a lot and use the library and Abebooks to find the books I want.

Abebooks works well if, like me, you are less interested in the latest publications and more into well-written books, both fiction and non-fiction. You buy through their website and the order goes to a bookshop that has your book in stock. It connects readers to the secondhand books they want. Most of the books I buy from them cost less than a cup of coffee.

When I've read the books I give them to our local charity bookshop.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Books are good in all their forms. Even so, we sometimes need reminding that a packet of paper for the printer costs around £4:00, add to that the ink, printing, binding and shipping and you can easily clock up £5:00 of costs before you have even identified an author to write the work. Printed books can be works of art but you have to pay for the materials as well as the author's rights. An ebook costing £1:00 may bring an author as much as a hard-bound book costing £20:00 — it's all a question of contracts and royalties. Publishing is in a state of dynamic change at the moment. Ethically, the cry must be 'Support the author', any other strategy leads to the kind of writing for which nobody wants to pay anything. Keep reading, keep writing.

 

[Dadam]

While I'm not going to defend some of Amazon's ethical practices, Kindle has drastically lowered the bar for new authors to get published. You can self-publish on Kindle, it is by far the largest ebook platform and is likely to get a lot more exposure than if you did manage to stump up the costs for a print run. Many thousands of new authors have been launched on the platform, and grown enough to go into print.

That said, in protest at Amazon removing the ability to read Kindle books on other devices, I recently purchased a Kobo reader and migrated my entire Kindle library into non proprietary epub format with no DRM. The books are also backed up on multiple devices so I can't lose access to them short of some apocalyptic event.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I never got on with ebooks, I much prefer the printed version. Since I fully retired in March I've probably read more fiction than at any time sine I was in my twenties. Mostly obtained from the library unless it is one of my go-to authors (Mick Heron, Jodie Taylor) when I can't wait for the newest edition and Amazon saves the day.