this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2023
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Literature

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Do you buy rent or borrow? Or do you have a subscription of some kind? Do you read physical books or do you read ebooks?

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[–] Engywuck@beehaw.org 27 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I pirate shamelessly. Z-lib is my to-go.

[–] PanaX@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I just realized, boy is it refreshing to actually talk about sites like z-lib without being censored. Library Genesis and Anna's Archive are also nifty.

[–] alyaza@beehaw.org 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

yeah if i'm even remotely ambiguous on whether i'd want a book, piracy. i can't buy everything and i can't go to a library every day. but i definitely try to buy books from the authors i know i like—i heard great things about NK Jemisin and Kim Stanley Robinson for example, read one of their books, and then that made me go out and buy large parts of both's output. i think i have physical copies of like a third of KSR's major novels, lol.

[–] PanaX@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 years ago

Exactly. I always read a pirated epub first, then, I always go out and buy that book in hardcover. But many of the authors I enjoy are long dead, and many of their prints are in public domain. So piracy doesn't matter there. That's where Project Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks are incredible!

[–] jiji@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

I didn’t know about Anna’s Archive, thank you. :)

[–] neamhsplach@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

Never heard of this! Thank you!!

[–] ellabella@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Book Depository closed the other month, I don't know if Amazon understood how important it is for people outside US and EU, but the closure really pushed everyone I know to casually switch back to piracy.

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[–] eduardm@feddit.ro 1 points 1 year ago

It feels so good to finally say this outright. Arrr!

[–] bblfrnz@beehaw.org 12 points 2 years ago

I'm a pirate, I download almost everything that I'm going to read. Honestly, I don't even remember when was the last last time when I bought a book.

[–] mycus@kbin.social 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

libgen, anna's archive, scihub if I'm feeling academicky. So I guess renting eh?

used to have a kindle pw2 but nowadays I just read stuff through koreader or mupdf on a smartphone

[–] Limeade@beehaw.org 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I usually check them out from my library through Libby or on my Kobo reader. I just read e-books these days because my library is a bit far away and not open very often. When I lived in a bigger city, I liked to wander around the library and pick out things that caught my eye on the shelves.

[–] lori@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago

Yeah I also check books out (or rent audiobooks) from the local library, unless it's something I desperately want to have on my shelf.

[–] alex@beehaw.org 7 points 2 years ago

I love physical books and rely mostly on my local library, on donation boxes, and sometimes on my local bookshop.

I also love ebooks, so if I'm not 100% sure I'll enjoy a book I usually get it on libgen, and then if I've liked it enough that I want to (literally) showcase it and pass it around to my friends, I go to my local bookshop and get the paper version.

[–] madjo@kbin.social 7 points 2 years ago

My library is huge, I don't have enough shelf space for all of my physical books, and on my ebook reader, I have a big kindle, humble bundle and bookfunnel library. I also have an offline ebook library.
I probably don't have enough time in my life to read all the books I want to read.

So I'm now pretty picky on what books I'm going to buy, rent, 'steal' or borrow.

[–] StringTheory@beehaw.org 6 points 2 years ago

Mostly borrow ebooks from the public library. There is a small new-and-used bookstore near me, one of those classic “open 3 hours a day, more if we feel like it” ones. Very fun to go wander the shelves when I want a physical book.

[–] DJDarren@beehaw.org 6 points 2 years ago

I'm pretty much 100% Kobo for my reading these days, and am not averse to buying things when they're on offer on Amazon then stripping off the DRM. I've had my library account attached to it in the past, but moved recently, so need to re-register with my local library.

[–] neamhsplach@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

I make poor financial decisions haha. I used to live not far from a library though and that was handy for finding books I wouldn't have read otherwise.

[–] courts@feddit.de 5 points 2 years ago

I buy books as epubs and read them on my Tolino Epos. Buying is a no-brainer for me because if you think about it, the hours of entertainment / price ratio is insanely good with books. Paying between 5-15€ for a book here in Germany is less than I pay for a good meal.

[–] AnonStoleMyPants@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I have two apps for borrowing books, one for Finnish and one for English books (Ellibs and Libby). Weirdly the Finnish one sucks balls and literally has like 100 fantasy books in total. I don't read a ton but I do take a gander at stuff to borrow on occasion. I can sync the borrowed books with my Kobo e-reader which is nice. Then I also use the Kobo store to buy books, but my god their app is terrible. Bad enough that I groan when I need to browse books in there. I don't really read physical books but it has been tempting to start browsing libraries as I have two within walking distance. Perhaps during summer.

Haven't really found a good place to find new books. It is mostly though reddit. I know people use Goodreads but eh, for some reason it does not appeal to me that much.

[–] ptman@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There's https://bookwyrm.social/ for fediverse goodreads alternative. For Finnish e-books, try https://ekirjasto.kirjastot.fi/ . It redirects to overdrive/ellibs in the end. In a year or two all of Finland should be served by one huge e-library instead of every library having their own e-library. Let's hope that improves the situation.

[–] AnonStoleMyPants@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 years ago

Thanks I might take a look at bookwyrm.

Then let's hope the book situation gets better soon!

[–] Kamirose@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

I read everything via the library first, unless it’s an author that I am absolutely positive that I will enjoy everything they write. I’ll borrow ebooks or physical books, depending on which will be available faster. Then, if I absolutely love the book and I’m sure I will read it again, I’ll buy a physical copy for my shelf.

[–] fishy_2_0@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

i rarely buy physical books as i like reading during breaks or when im waiting on something and its not always feasible to have a book with me i buy books when they are available for a price that will not bankrupt me as a book thats 10 dollars is around 50 ron wich in my opinion is far too much especially as i need money for other things otherwise i simply pirate them

[–] ArmoredGoat@feddit.de 4 points 2 years ago

I buy and read used physical books, when possible. To discover new books I frequently visit open bookshelves in my area, look into book subreddit/communities, look up similar books to those I already read, or go through the assortment of sellers when I buy used books (mainly to save shipping costs...).

[–] alehel@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago

I just use my local library now. I don't usually read a book twice, so I don't see any point in purchasing books anymore.

[–] boetro@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

I usually use Libby for most of my books, unless I'm in the middle of a series and have to have the book now.

I don't read a ton of physical books. I kind of like getting physical books as "collectors items", if I really like a book I'll try to find a nice hard cover copy of it.

[–] edo@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Combination of my local second-hand bookstore (which has a wildly good selection given that I live in a small country town), my two favourite "regular" bookstores, Libby, and the Kobo ebook store.

If I can't find something particularly niche or out of print, I'll use Abe Books but I try to avoid that since it's owned by Amazon.

Edit: I've started to favour print books most of the time, at least for poetry and non-fiction. I've started to write more again and I find physical books much easier to refer back to.

[–] sortofblue 2 points 1 year ago

I prefer nonfiction to be printed books as well. For some reason I don't seem to take it as seriously as an ebook, maybe it feels too insubstantial for my brain to take it seriously.

[–] Theorize3806@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago

I love physical books, but I always read on my Kindle that I buy straight off from the Kindle store. I'm trying to minimize my physical possessions, and reading ebooks has been a great way to do that.

[–] gingerrich@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Buy them in store or online at Waterstones and I also use world of books for stuff out of print.

I've tried ebooks using a kindle and other pads. I cannot get used to it so I stick to physical books.

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.de 3 points 2 years ago

I have a Kindle for reading ebooks (no subscription though) but I buy comics/BDs physically as it feels nice having them on my Shelf and in my Hands while reading them.

[–] Schedar@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago

Bit of a mix really. I’ll mostly buy them on kindle but I’ve been a bit more mindful of money and just supporting libraries recently so I’ll check to see if it’s available in the local library first.

If it’s a special / meaningful book I’ll buy a physical copy (preferably a signed one!) but I try to keep this limited just due to space! Can get a lot more books on my kindle than I can on the book shelf

I’ve also been into audiobooks recently - as it’s much easier to listen to a book during those late night toddler wakes than it is to read (plus good when I have to drive any long distances) - for audio books I quite like audible (preferably when it supports whisper sync so I can switch between reading on my kindle and listening). I probably need to check to see if my library can provide audio books too!

[–] v_krishna@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 years ago

I mostly buy paper books in person from Pegasus, usually 2 books a month. My wife instead orders in huge stop and start spurts from Amazon. My kids mostly borrow from their school libraries and public library, and they are much more likely to use a kindle than we are.

[–] icanmakesound@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Either Library Genesis for ebooks, or thriftbooks.com. Also some local used book stores, like Half Price Books (not sure if they are everywhere?)

Thrift Books is nice because you can choose the edition you want, if they have it available. Also you might get nice surprises occationally. I ordered Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons and ended up getting an autographed copy. You can also earn credits for free books, and it's free shipping on orders over $25(?), so I usually order 4-5 at a time. (Not an ad, I just really like thriftbooks lol)

[–] jiji@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

I have been 100% ebooks for years, but after a combination of factors such as books not being available from my library on Libby and them being kinda pricey on Kindle, plus getting in to a booktuber (Ariel Bissett!) I got introduced to ThriftBooks and in 2 months I’ve bought over 15 physical books. 😅 It’s a change to be sure and I’m not sure how I feel about all the space books will take up again in my life, but it’s nice to have them.

[–] temporal_spider@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago

I'm print disabled, which means I have problems reading printed text, but am not blind. Mainly, I have to be doing something with my hands or it's really hard to focus long enough to read a book. So I get through a lot of audiobooks.

In addition to Audible and Libby, I am also eligible for the National Library Service, which has its own app. If you, or anyone you know might qualify, here's a link to the US NLS. There are similar libraries in most other countries, and there are treaties to make books available to people living abroad in their own language.

[–] mortuum@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I buy books only when I really love the edition. Otherwise, I'll buy some on kindle and rent others through my local library, or Libby. I only buy physical copies of books I am happy to re-read.

[–] kCNrnHcEkvqdtLCQoQbK@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 years ago

I only read ebooks now, because a Kobo is what got me to read again (after a long time of only reading for school).

How do I get the books? Usually torrent (it's the convenience, price, and format that works best for me). Other times it's through the library or if I really want to support an author (like Cory Doctorow) then I buy the ebook.

[–] darylsun@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

When I was still in school, I used to buy physical books and magazines from local bookstores.

Nowadays, I buy e-books, mostly from Humble Bundle.

[–] Midnight_Ice@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

I use the Libby app and check out ebooks from my local library usually. I have a bunch of physical books as well, but I am out of room to put them now. I also find ebooks to be more convenient. I can read whenever I want because I have all the books I'm reading on my phone.

[–] ZuCO@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

I have some great used bookstores near me that I can browse on a lunch break and have established a decent relationship with the store owners. I love to have a physical book and the interactions with a store owner that lives and breathes books can't be overrated, they always have a suggestion for me based on current interests.

I do own an e-reader though and will occasionally buy books that I just can't get in print, I've been really into the Warhammer 40k universe lately and while I could find them used on ebay they are generally pretty pricey. I did score two collections at my local thrift store last week though for $3 a piece and was pretty happy about that.

[–] constantokra@lemmy.one 2 points 2 years ago

Ebooks on moaan inkpalm, which is a small cellphone sized e reader. I've used kindles and nooks, and I prefer the smaller form factor, because it's easier to always have with me. I don't have as much free time as I used to, and being able to read when the opportunity arises really helps me read more. I also listen to audiobooks. I have a problem with keeping books, and eventually it's just too much, so as much as I like physical books I don't buy many anymore.

[–] DidacticDumbass@lemmy.one 2 points 2 years ago

Anyway that is convenient. Used book stores, new book stores, libraries, Costco, dollar shops, eBay and whatever other webstores, yard sales, online archives, open hard drives, random websites, humble bundle and friends, itch.io...

For ebooks I have a couple of Kindles I load using Calibre, PDFs I use whatever, but they are best on my iPad Pro using Yomu. On Android they all seem to suck, but I haven't tried any outside of F-Droid.

I used to use Scribr, but I found the selection to be severely lacking. I guess it is good if you want a steady stream of best sellers, a meaningless accolade, or junky weird ass titles that no one should waste their time reading. I suppose their magazine access is super nifty, just the articles and no ads. It is relatively cheap, cheaper as a student I believe, and it comes with perks like Pandora premium and Mubi. It is worth it, but in the end their formatting is just the worst. Reading an ebook on a tablet is the worst of both worlds. Still, I think it is a service worth paying for just for the sheer amount of stuff, not to mention the user submitted stuff that is a gold mine.

The best book subsciption I ever had was Safari Books, which I think is now just O'Reilly. When I used to want to be a programmer, it was the best thing in the world. I even scored a pretty good deal at $200 a year. My dumbass didn't renew one year, and now it is stupidly expensive.

[–] Fearofthefamiliar@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

I mostly read on royalroad an scribblehub (if you consider web serials to be books)

[–] DiscoShrew@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago

I read a mix of ebooks and physical books. Usually the choice is determined by the type of book. For example, usually more genre fiction gets an ebook, whereas more so called "literary fiction" gets a physical copy.

For example I've picked up House of Leaves at a local independent bookstore, along with the Molloy books by Beckett and the Norton Annotated Moby Dick. I don't think house of leaves would work at all as an ebook and heavily annotated items I prefer a physical copy.

Alas I am running out of bookshelf space so I have to be much more selective these days. As for finding books, it's usually word of mouth or on storygraph. I also follow the book youtube Leaf by Leaf whom I can thoroughly recommend.

The ebooks I prefer on eink devices, for portability I have a Kobo and for notetaking or needing a bigger screen I have a supernote A5X

[–] fallendusk@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

I usually buy ebooks from ebooks.com and DeDRM them with calibre and read them on my iPad. Pirated a handful of books but I can’t always find what I’m looking for. :(

I also use my partners Audible account to listen to books at work lol

[–] toiletwhole@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago

I only read physical books, but i also try to buy only used ones. Worked actually pretty good for the past 10-15 years and still works for me

[–] bran@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

I buy physical books for every book I read, other than humble bundles (typically for programming e-book bundles). I put a lot of my income toward books though, which is maybe not advisable, but I simply love having a ton of books in my home

I typically buy used books on ebay when I want something specific (often technical books), but for fiction I often browse one of the used bookstores around me, or grab a random book from one of those little library book-boxes-on-a-stick. I like to follow the whimsical approach of reading books that come to me

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