E-BOOKS TURN 40!
That's right - it's been forty years since Michael S. Hart created the first "e-book". For a more in-depth look at the history of e-books please see this web page.
In a CNN interview with Cherise Fong, author Rita Y. Toews, author of several e-books and the founder of Read an E-Book Week, dismisses the false competition between e-books and paper books:
That's right - it's been forty years since Michael S. Hart created the first "e-book". For a more in-depth look at the history of e-books please see this web page.
In a CNN interview with Cherise Fong, author Rita Y. Toews, author of several e-books and the founder of Read an E-Book Week, dismisses the false competition between e-books and paper books:
"E-books are great for people who travel a lot on business, for vacationers, or for people with limited space," she says. "They are also the perfect application for material that changes on a continual basis."
"Print books, on the other hand, have their place. Nothing can replace a beautiful art book, or a book of photography. E-books are simply a different format for something we've had for hundreds of years. When penny dreadfuls were introduced in the 1800s they were scoffed at, as were paperback novels in the 1930s."
Also in the 1930s, as farmers were being signed up for rural electrification, one of the most common responses was: "Why do we need electricity? We have lanterns!"
And now for a bit of shameless self-promotion!
My e-book publisher, Smashwords, is offering a wealth of free and deeply discounted e-books for Read an E-Book Week. They also have Read an E-Book Week catalogs in Stanza and Aldiko.
The two novels I have listed on the Smashwords site, The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton, are on sale during Read an E-Book Week for 50% off! Yes, that means The Man from Shenandoah, which is regularly priced at $2.99, is going for only $1.50 this week only! Ride to Raton, Book 2 in The Owen Family Saga, sells any other day for $3.99, but it can be purchased during Read an E-Book Week for only $2.00! In case you miss the discount code on the site for checkout, it's RAE50.
And don't forget, my recipe book, Rapid Recipes for Writers . . . And Other Busy People, is FREE!
Even if you don't have a Kindle, nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, or other dedicated e-reader device, you can read e-books on your computer, SmartPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Don't miss out on the great savings on e-books you can discover during Read an E-Book Week!
If you're into challenges, here's an on-going one at The Ladybug Reads to participate in the 2011 E-Book Reading Challenge. What better time than Read an E-Book Week to join the challenge?
How do you read e-books now? Do you plan to purchase a dedicated e-Reader sometime? If you don't read e-books at the present time, why not?
The two novels I have listed on the Smashwords site, The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton, are on sale during Read an E-Book Week for 50% off! Yes, that means The Man from Shenandoah, which is regularly priced at $2.99, is going for only $1.50 this week only! Ride to Raton, Book 2 in The Owen Family Saga, sells any other day for $3.99, but it can be purchased during Read an E-Book Week for only $2.00! In case you miss the discount code on the site for checkout, it's RAE50.
And don't forget, my recipe book, Rapid Recipes for Writers . . . And Other Busy People, is FREE!
Even if you don't have a Kindle, nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, or other dedicated e-reader device, you can read e-books on your computer, SmartPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Don't miss out on the great savings on e-books you can discover during Read an E-Book Week!
If you're into challenges, here's an on-going one at The Ladybug Reads to participate in the 2011 E-Book Reading Challenge. What better time than Read an E-Book Week to join the challenge?
How do you read e-books now? Do you plan to purchase a dedicated e-Reader sometime? If you don't read e-books at the present time, why not?
Great information! I did get your recipe book, it had yummy recipes.
ReplyDeleteI read kids e-books to my kids when we are on car rides. They read them on the itouch in places we are supposed to be quiet.
I personally like audio books more than e-readers. I like to hold a book and smell the pages. I will try to read more on the e-format this week in honor of 40 years
Thanks for commenting, Leesa. Print books will be with us for many years to come, but there is a convenience factor that can't be beat with electronic books.
ReplyDeleteNever have considered it, but maybe I should.
ReplyDeleteInteresting history of the ebook in the article. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAfter using a kindle, I can't imagine NOT having an ereader. I read too fast. I was stuck at the hospital with a friend's kid. I didn't need a big bag. Just my kindle and cell phone. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the classics are free or like, a buck. Also very cool.
You should, Terri.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Valerie.
You rock, Jolene!
I can't believe e-books are 40. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI don't have an e-reader, but I've downloaded an e-book onto my computer to read when the print copy was backed up with holds. I can definitely see the advantage and will probably get one . . . someday. :)