Reading List 2011

Enough already.

I'm sick of buying new books only to display them on my shelf. I'm sick of starting to read a book and then abandoning it with equal enthusiasm.

What is the point of having a bookshelf full of books if they're only there for decorative purposes?

I've made myself a promise this year: I will not buy any new books before I have read every book on the shelf.

I'm writing this at work so the list below may in incomplete. First draft:

THE LIST OF DOOM:

READ:

Pride and Prejudice
Northanger Abbey
Persuasion
The Painted Veil
Masterclass in writing fiction
The art and craft of storytelling
Bridget Jones's Diary

STARTED READING:

Wuthering Heights
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Emma

UNREAD:

Mansfield Park
Sense and Sensibility - part of my Reading Challenge
Victorian Life
A Journal Of the Plague Year
Ulysses
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Middlemarch
Anne of Green Gables (not yet received)

I'm happy about one thing: that most of my books are still back home so I can't possibly read those (excuses, excuses...).

After that I should move on to my e-reader. That's still chock-full of partially-read books. But that'll come later. Let's start reading! Once I finish one of them, I will write a review.

Books vs. E-readers

I bought the Sony Pocket Edition E-reader a while ago and have been using it for months now. As such, I would like to discuss the advantages of e-readers and compare them to those of regular books so potential buyers might make up their mind more easily.

E-reader:

* Light and relatively small. Makes it easy to carry and enables you to read without getting in anyone's way.

* Modern, pretty design. Will make it look as if you are up-to-date on technology. 

* Room for up to 300 books so you only need one device to keep yourself entertained.

* Automatically keeps track of your progress. No need to use bookmarkers.

* The eBook library allows you to transfer PDF, Word and other text files to your e-reader.

* When you order an e-book, you don't have to wait for delivery. You can download it instantly.

Cons:

* New product so not all books are available yet as e-books.

* Don't come with bookcovers.
* Not the same as a rare first edition on your bookshelf.

Books:

* Have a lovely cover that looks good on your bookshelf.

* Are available in different editions that can be quite valuable.

* More books available than e-books.

* Give one an air of intellect (also a potential con when viewed as a bookwurm)

* Perusing a bookshop can be a nice experience, looking for the purchase that's just right.

Cons:

* Heavy and usually quite big.
* Books take longer to be delivered when ordered online.

* More fragile - can tear rather easily. 

Conclusion:

The e-reader clearly has the advantage in terms of storage space and comfort but books still hold a certain charm. You don't really sit down with an e-reader and a glass of wine so books have the edge when it comes to ambiance. It's fun to visit a stuffy bookstore or read a book at Borders with a cup of coffee. The e-book market is one that is limited to cyberspace and that is not a very welcoming or friendly environment. Practical? Yes, certainly. But I understand why some readers are hesitant to make the switch.

Any thoughts? Anyone agree or disagree?