I'm doing a lot of reading; since getting the Nook over a year ago, you could say there's a renaissance of reading around here. The ability to check out library books from home is an amazing gift.
When I check out a digital library book, it's mine to read for two weeks. This gives me plenty of time to finish it. If it's a good one, three or four days is all I need.
I've also found it allows adequate time for Cliff to read the book after I've finished. When we went on our road trip, I started reading John Sandford's "Buried Prey" aloud, but I didn't even get a third of the way through it. I finished it yesterday, and now Cliff is at it. I'm sure I've read books by John Sandford before, but it's been a long time. Once the action started, this book held my interest just fine. It reminds me of the television show "CSI", only not so ridiculous.
Sometimes, as I'm reading a book, I'll say to myself, "Cliff would really like this."
I haven't been wrong yet.
This actually works out OK, since I do most of my reading in the morning before Cliff gets up or during the day when he's outside. He reads in the evening. I can't concentrate if the television is on, or if music is playing; I'm too easily distracted. Another problem is that in the afternoon and evening, I tend to fall asleep when I try to read.
So the sharing works out fine. Cliff reads when I can't.
Still, I think it would be nice if we each had our own Nook.
Oh Santa?
Showing posts with label Nook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nook. Show all posts
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
I'm still loving my Nook e-reader
Barnes and Noble has come up with a new-and-improved Nook, but I'm very happy with the one I have; I hope it keeps on ticking for years.
I don't spend money on books; for the most part I read library books checked out here at home. The only way I "buy" a book is when I use the Swagbucks I've earned doing Internet searches, and of course, that costs me nothing. At present I have 860 swagbucks; when I have 1,200, I'll be able to purchase an e-book from Barnes and Noble. When I get a book in this manner, I try to make sure it's one I really want and might want to re-read someday, because it will be on my Nook forever if I so desire.
One drawback to checking out library books for an e-reader is that there's a waiting list for popular books, sometimes a very long one. For instance, "The Help": I put a hold on it weeks ago; I'm now number 5 on a list of 103 people. Wow!
Another drawback to checking out library e-books is that you can only have four books on hold at one time, but I'm about to take care of that problem. When we went to get a library card, I told the lady that we didn't two cards; so we got a card in Cliff's name. Next chance I get, I will also get a card in my own name. That will make a way for me to have eight books on hold at one time. This wouldn't be necessary if it weren't for the lengthy waiting lists.
Right now I'm number one on the lists for "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "A Big Little Life", so there's a good chance I'll have two books to read at once; but of course, I have to have them read in two weeks' time, because after that time the books magically return themselves to the library!
I just finished "Up From The Blue" and couldn't put it down. I love reading a book that makes me want to keep on reading until I reach the end!
I don't spend money on books; for the most part I read library books checked out here at home. The only way I "buy" a book is when I use the Swagbucks I've earned doing Internet searches, and of course, that costs me nothing. At present I have 860 swagbucks; when I have 1,200, I'll be able to purchase an e-book from Barnes and Noble. When I get a book in this manner, I try to make sure it's one I really want and might want to re-read someday, because it will be on my Nook forever if I so desire.
One drawback to checking out library books for an e-reader is that there's a waiting list for popular books, sometimes a very long one. For instance, "The Help": I put a hold on it weeks ago; I'm now number 5 on a list of 103 people. Wow!
Another drawback to checking out library e-books is that you can only have four books on hold at one time, but I'm about to take care of that problem. When we went to get a library card, I told the lady that we didn't two cards; so we got a card in Cliff's name. Next chance I get, I will also get a card in my own name. That will make a way for me to have eight books on hold at one time. This wouldn't be necessary if it weren't for the lengthy waiting lists.
Right now I'm number one on the lists for "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "A Big Little Life", so there's a good chance I'll have two books to read at once; but of course, I have to have them read in two weeks' time, because after that time the books magically return themselves to the library!
I just finished "Up From The Blue" and couldn't put it down. I love reading a book that makes me want to keep on reading until I reach the end!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Books I've read lately
Thanks to my Nook, I've read more books in the last month that I read in the previous two years. I've been surprised to find out that some of the free books really are good ones. "The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen, is an example. I just finished it a couple of days ago and enjoyed it. It was recently featured as a Friday freebie, but I see it isn't free now.
Thanks to the fact that I use Swagbucks as a search engine, I've gotten over $40 worth of Nookbooks free; I trade in my Swagbucks for e-gift cards and buy books I wouldn't otherwise spring for. Most Nookbooks cost $10 or less, so I'm loving my Swagbucks.
If you haven't read "Water for Elephants" and have a Nook reader, it's only $5; it's one of my favorite books of all time, and Cliff enjoyed it, too. I didn't download it, since I kept the paperback. .
The very first book I started reading on my Nook was Anna Karenina. I got to page 669 (of 1180) and then decided to take a break and read "At Home" by Bill Bryson, which I found quite interesting, even though at times I got a little more information that I would have liked (yuck).
Since then, I've read a couple of shorter books. I will get back to Anna Karenina, trust me. I've gotten acquainted with the characters and I want to see what happens to them all.
I've just started "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Excellent, so far! When I'm shopping for Nookbooks, I check the synopsis of the story and read a few of the customer ratings. Doing this, I have yet to be disappointed in a purchase.
Of course, I've read three or four library books on my Nook, too. I do get impatient waiting for some of them to become available; there's a waiting list for e-books, just as there is for real ones. Also, I've had some problem at times getting the library book from my computer onto the Nook.
Since I bought the Ipad, I have both the Kindle app and the Nook app installed on it. I still don't care for the backlighting, though. I prefer the actual e-reader.
Now, I know a lot of people say they'd rather hold a real book in their hands: something tells me they haven't tried reading an entire book on an e-reader, because I find it SO much easier to hold, and I don't have to worry about what to do with the book when I'm done.
However, if I'm at a garage sale and see a cheap book that looks interesting, I will buy it.
Meanwhile, I probably have enough books on the Nook to last me for two years, even if I didn't download any more.
It's been a good winter for reading: the current mess outside my window wasn't supposed to amount to anything, but it looks to me as if we got at least four inches of snow. Way to go, weathermen. You're all fired.
Thanks to the fact that I use Swagbucks as a search engine, I've gotten over $40 worth of Nookbooks free; I trade in my Swagbucks for e-gift cards and buy books I wouldn't otherwise spring for. Most Nookbooks cost $10 or less, so I'm loving my Swagbucks.
If you haven't read "Water for Elephants" and have a Nook reader, it's only $5; it's one of my favorite books of all time, and Cliff enjoyed it, too. I didn't download it, since I kept the paperback. .
The very first book I started reading on my Nook was Anna Karenina. I got to page 669 (of 1180) and then decided to take a break and read "At Home" by Bill Bryson, which I found quite interesting, even though at times I got a little more information that I would have liked (yuck).
Since then, I've read a couple of shorter books. I will get back to Anna Karenina, trust me. I've gotten acquainted with the characters and I want to see what happens to them all.
I've just started "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Excellent, so far! When I'm shopping for Nookbooks, I check the synopsis of the story and read a few of the customer ratings. Doing this, I have yet to be disappointed in a purchase.
Of course, I've read three or four library books on my Nook, too. I do get impatient waiting for some of them to become available; there's a waiting list for e-books, just as there is for real ones. Also, I've had some problem at times getting the library book from my computer onto the Nook.
Since I bought the Ipad, I have both the Kindle app and the Nook app installed on it. I still don't care for the backlighting, though. I prefer the actual e-reader.
Now, I know a lot of people say they'd rather hold a real book in their hands: something tells me they haven't tried reading an entire book on an e-reader, because I find it SO much easier to hold, and I don't have to worry about what to do with the book when I'm done.
However, if I'm at a garage sale and see a cheap book that looks interesting, I will buy it.
Meanwhile, I probably have enough books on the Nook to last me for two years, even if I didn't download any more.
It's been a good winter for reading: the current mess outside my window wasn't supposed to amount to anything, but it looks to me as if we got at least four inches of snow. Way to go, weathermen. You're all fired.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
We're back to our regular daily walk
Well, perhaps you couldn't call our walk "regular" just yet. It's pretty full of adventure and surprises.
In some places, we're still wading snow. Thank goodness for our Muck boots.
In spots, the snow melted and then re-froze on our path, so we had to walk beside the path unless we wanted to ice-skate, which we were neither one inclined to do.
We've seen deer tracks and raccoon tracks in the snow, but this one really puzzled us; it went on for yards and disappeared down a ravine. From a distance it looked like a tractor tire track... a tractor with one tire. We're still puzzling over this one.
It's hard to tell, but there are rivulets of water running in this shot. Thawing is a wonderful thing. I could learn to like mud.
To those who offered suggestions on my problem with the disappearing library books on my Nook: I know the books disappear after two weeks. That isn't the problem. I check out the book, which puts it on my computer. I immediately connect the Nook and drag the book to it.
Sometimes I can find it and read it after I do this; other times it's nowhere to be found. However, if I try to drag it to the Nook again, I'm told the book is already on there.
What puzzles me is that it's only an occasional thing, because I go through the process the same way, every time.
To those who offered suggestions on my problem with the disappearing library books on my Nook: I know the books disappear after two weeks. That isn't the problem. I check out the book, which puts it on my computer. I immediately connect the Nook and drag the book to it.
Sometimes I can find it and read it after I do this; other times it's nowhere to be found. However, if I try to drag it to the Nook again, I'm told the book is already on there.
What puzzles me is that it's only an occasional thing, because I go through the process the same way, every time.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Learning new things
Today I learned how to gain access to the library books that were hiding on my Nook, thanks to a little help from a friend.
The lady I spoke with at the library when I got my card said that, although the library books automatically disappear from my computer after two weeks, they are on my reader forever, or as long as I want them there.
That sounds to good to be true; we'll see.
Not every book you're looking for at the public library is available as an e-book. I imagine there will be more and more of them, as time goes by. But just don't think you'll be able to borrow every single book you want to read in the form of an e-book.
I found out there's a dictionary on the Nook, so if I come upon a word I don't understand it's easy to learn the meaning, without losing my place in the book I'm reading. There's also quick access to footnotes, which is really handy in the lengthy book I'm reading now, "Anna Karenina".
Didn't I just say here yesterday that I don't like love stories?
Guess what? I'm reading a love story, sort of. But it's also a book about farming and horse-racing and who knows what all; I'm not yet halfway through it, so anything could happen.
Anyhow, if I skip a day or two of posting on my blog, you'll know it's because I'm reading. And reading. And reading.
The lady I spoke with at the library when I got my card said that, although the library books automatically disappear from my computer after two weeks, they are on my reader forever, or as long as I want them there.
That sounds to good to be true; we'll see.
Not every book you're looking for at the public library is available as an e-book. I imagine there will be more and more of them, as time goes by. But just don't think you'll be able to borrow every single book you want to read in the form of an e-book.
I found out there's a dictionary on the Nook, so if I come upon a word I don't understand it's easy to learn the meaning, without losing my place in the book I'm reading. There's also quick access to footnotes, which is really handy in the lengthy book I'm reading now, "Anna Karenina".
Didn't I just say here yesterday that I don't like love stories?
Guess what? I'm reading a love story, sort of. But it's also a book about farming and horse-racing and who knows what all; I'm not yet halfway through it, so anything could happen.
Anyhow, if I skip a day or two of posting on my blog, you'll know it's because I'm reading. And reading. And reading.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Reading
My Nook ereader arrived Saturday; I'm figuring it out one step at a time. It's very user-friendly, so I'm not having much trouble.
I can make myself more comfortable now when I read. I lay the nook down on my lap, only reaching down to "turn a page".
Thanks to bloggie and Facebook friends, I've found I have access to lots of free books on the Internet; Inkmesh is great for finding the freebies. There are classics I've always wanted to read, and great old books like "The Good Earth" and "Grapes of Wrath" that I read in high school and will certainly read again, if I live long enough.
Looking at the free downloads on the Barnes and Noble site, most of the newer free books on the list don't much appeal to me. There are love stories, which I dislike unless there's a bigger theme in the background, and several vampire-themed stories. I don't care for fantasy, fairies, witches or vampires. I was once in a reading group whose monthly selection was "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". I understand the symbolism in the book, but talking animals just don't do it for me unless we're talking about comic books.
I actually lean toward biographies: My two recent favorites are "The Color of Water" and "The Glass Castle". Those are true-life stories that amazed me; Cliff enjoyed them, too.
I loved "Water for Elephants", which isn't a biography but sort of feels like one, in the same way "Green Mile" does.
I'm not quite sure about this business of reading library books on my Nook and how it's going to work: I downloaded a book I wanted onto my computer, registered my computer and did all the right things. The Nook shows up on my computer, but I'm not allowed to click and drag the book onto it. One of these days I'll go to the library, talk to someone, and see what's going on. I have plenty of books to keep me busy in the meantime. I'm tackling "Anna Karenina" at present; wish me luck, it's a long book. I hope I don't get discouraged trying to remember which character is which. I thought the old Germans around here had long last names, but that's nothing compared to Russian surnames.
I'll keep you posted.
I can make myself more comfortable now when I read. I lay the nook down on my lap, only reaching down to "turn a page".
Thanks to bloggie and Facebook friends, I've found I have access to lots of free books on the Internet; Inkmesh is great for finding the freebies. There are classics I've always wanted to read, and great old books like "The Good Earth" and "Grapes of Wrath" that I read in high school and will certainly read again, if I live long enough.
Looking at the free downloads on the Barnes and Noble site, most of the newer free books on the list don't much appeal to me. There are love stories, which I dislike unless there's a bigger theme in the background, and several vampire-themed stories. I don't care for fantasy, fairies, witches or vampires. I was once in a reading group whose monthly selection was "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". I understand the symbolism in the book, but talking animals just don't do it for me unless we're talking about comic books.
I actually lean toward biographies: My two recent favorites are "The Color of Water" and "The Glass Castle". Those are true-life stories that amazed me; Cliff enjoyed them, too.
I loved "Water for Elephants", which isn't a biography but sort of feels like one, in the same way "Green Mile" does.
I'm not quite sure about this business of reading library books on my Nook and how it's going to work: I downloaded a book I wanted onto my computer, registered my computer and did all the right things. The Nook shows up on my computer, but I'm not allowed to click and drag the book onto it. One of these days I'll go to the library, talk to someone, and see what's going on. I have plenty of books to keep me busy in the meantime. I'm tackling "Anna Karenina" at present; wish me luck, it's a long book. I hope I don't get discouraged trying to remember which character is which. I thought the old Germans around here had long last names, but that's nothing compared to Russian surnames.
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
I ordered my Nook ereader
I wanted to wait awhile longer, but here's what was happening.
Nook introduced the Nook Color edition, which costs $100 more than the basic Nook.
I thought how wonderful it would be to read magazines on this reader and be able to see the pictures in color. I wanted it, but when I'd mention it, I didn't get any go-ahead signals from Cliff.
The more I looked at the Nook Color model, the more it reminded me of an Ipad, except that the Ipad does more things. A lot more things.
So I went to the Apple website and drooled over the Ipad. Wow, it's just like a computer, only shaped differently. The cheapest one is $499. You actually could buy a laptop for that price.
I don't need an Ipad, but I really, really started wanting one. I didn't even bother to run this option past Cliff, because it made no sense.
Dave Ramsey tapped me on the shoulder a few times and told me I didn't need any of these toys. He accused me of having "stuffitis".
All I originally wanted was an ereader.
This morning, with Cliff in bed sound asleep, I went to the Barnes and Noble site and ordered a Nook, the basic one. Not 3G, not color. The reader I wanted in the first place. You see, if I fooled around any longer looking at all these deluxe toys, I'd be liable to end up with something I don't need, and that we really don't have money set aside for.
I had my friend Astaryth giving me tips through this journey:
"Donna... unless you want to read magazines, the basic Nook is just fine. Be aware that the color one uses the LED screen instead of e-ink. E-ink is easier on your eyes and easier to read outside... although the LED screen has the advantage of being able to be read in the dark. I have the 3G version because I don't always have access to wi-fi and I don't read magazines on mine.
Be aware that the I-pad does NOT allow library checkouts. Also, B&N has as many if not more free books as Amazon and you don't have the keyboard at the bottom."
The only reason I chose Nook over Kindle was the fact that my library can lend books to me by way of the Nook; Kindle is not compatible with the library. Library books are free. Free is good (right, Dave Ramsey?).
Now, here's hoping I can figure out how to use my Nook when it arrives.
Nook introduced the Nook Color edition, which costs $100 more than the basic Nook.
I thought how wonderful it would be to read magazines on this reader and be able to see the pictures in color. I wanted it, but when I'd mention it, I didn't get any go-ahead signals from Cliff.
The more I looked at the Nook Color model, the more it reminded me of an Ipad, except that the Ipad does more things. A lot more things.
So I went to the Apple website and drooled over the Ipad. Wow, it's just like a computer, only shaped differently. The cheapest one is $499. You actually could buy a laptop for that price.
I don't need an Ipad, but I really, really started wanting one. I didn't even bother to run this option past Cliff, because it made no sense.
Dave Ramsey tapped me on the shoulder a few times and told me I didn't need any of these toys. He accused me of having "stuffitis".
All I originally wanted was an ereader.
This morning, with Cliff in bed sound asleep, I went to the Barnes and Noble site and ordered a Nook, the basic one. Not 3G, not color. The reader I wanted in the first place. You see, if I fooled around any longer looking at all these deluxe toys, I'd be liable to end up with something I don't need, and that we really don't have money set aside for.
I had my friend Astaryth giving me tips through this journey:
"Donna... unless you want to read magazines, the basic Nook is just fine. Be aware that the color one uses the LED screen instead of e-ink. E-ink is easier on your eyes and easier to read outside... although the LED screen has the advantage of being able to be read in the dark. I have the 3G version because I don't always have access to wi-fi and I don't read magazines on mine.
Be aware that the I-pad does NOT allow library checkouts. Also, B&N has as many if not more free books as Amazon and you don't have the keyboard at the bottom."
The only reason I chose Nook over Kindle was the fact that my library can lend books to me by way of the Nook; Kindle is not compatible with the library. Library books are free. Free is good (right, Dave Ramsey?).
Now, here's hoping I can figure out how to use my Nook when it arrives.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
I've made my decision on an e-reader
I haven't purchased it yet, but Nook is the clear winner for one reason only: Once I have my library card, I can check out and read books on the Nook. That's right, friends and neighbors, I won't have to depend on Cliff to take me to the library, because I will be able to check out books from home!
Thanks to Astaryth (Jeanie) for giving me a heads-up on Nook originally, and for sharing the information about the libraries. Even our lowly little hick-town library has joined the modern world!
Kindle is the cheapest, but it is not on the library's list of compatible readers. Books can be downloaded to a PC or Mac, but I spend far too much time in this chair now; I certainly don't need to be sitting here to read a book. Besides, I'd be distracted all the time: I'd be reading a chapter and think, "I need to check my email" or "Oh, my potatoes are ready to harvest in Farmville."
Now all I have to do is wait until the price of the Nook drops for Christmas. If I'm able.
The Ipad was never in the running. It's just too pricey, and I have no need for a multi-purpose device.
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