Shannon Stacey


The dastardly downside to digital

I might have mentioned I managed to pawn my nook off on my husband. Since I thought he would be the last person on earth to embrace digital reading, this was quite an achievement.

Earlier this evening, he finished reading No Mercy by John Gilstrap. I’d loaded it onto the nook because Barnes & Noble had it for $3.99 last Friday (it still is, actually), I assume to promote the newly released second book, and I thought he might like it.

He did. And he wanted the second book, Hostage Zero.

Me: I can see if the library has it available yet.

(One of the primary reasons we have a nook rather than a Kindle is the ability to check out digital library books.)

Mr S: Don’t they have it on the bookstore site?

Me: Umm…well, probably.

Mr S: I thought that’s how the deal works. You buy it 24/7 and it just shows up on the thing.

Me: Well, yeah, but…

Mr S: So you can just grab it now, then, right?

Me: Well, yeah, but…

Okay, so it was only $4.47, which is a good price for a good book, but that’s my swipey card. My book money. He’s supposed to be content with freebies and library books.

Hoist with my own petard.

8 comments to “The dastardly downside to digital”

  1. Jody W
    Comment
    1
      · August 4th, 2010 at 12:13 am · Link

    I want to pawn my old Sony off on my husband and get a newer ebook reader I can make notes on. He really wants a comic book ereader. My gosh the space we could free up!



  2. Shiloh Walker
    Comment
    2
      · August 4th, 2010 at 12:15 am · Link

    My Dh mostly reads sports bios and then only on occasion. I’m good with that because that way I don’t have to share my nook or book money with him.

    Although my kids are readers. Egads. What happens with THEY want Nooks?



  3. Becky
    Comment
    3
      · August 4th, 2010 at 12:36 am · Link

    I have to agree, instant access to most any book I want is a dangerous thing. The freebies available through Amazon have helped, and my library has an excellent catalog of ebooks for my Pocket. But resisting the urge to buy that new book when it’s only a click away is a lot like dieting in a room full of desserts. You can only resist temptation for so long!



  4. Jane
    Comment
    4
      · August 4th, 2010 at 12:59 am · Link

    HA HA HA HA!!! I love how you were trying to hide the existence of the bookstore from him. It’s all downhill from here. Ned is loving his Kindle and has been caught by one of those promotional freebies. He has already bought the next two books in the trilogy (the first one was free). Of course, this is on my account and I am sure it will be coming out of my allowance.



  5. Annmarie
    Comment
    5
      · August 4th, 2010 at 1:38 am · Link

    My DH doesn’t read for pleasure. He only reads about the stock market (livestock market) and he reads some news. Not much. If he sees something about diet or health on TV he will go online and read more about it.

    He calls the Kindle the Cradle. He thinks I’m texting on my iPod Touch and isn’t aware I’m reading. He thinks all my Cradle books are free. He has no idea I have an Amazon credit card and would likely have a stroke if he knew. (I don’t carry a balance but it’s the idea that I COULD.)

    I’ve always wished my DH was a reader. I love books so it’s hard to fathom a person that doesn’t.

    Thank you for showing me what a blessing it is that my DH isn’t taking my book money and my e-reader.



  6. Shannon
    Comment
    6
      · August 4th, 2010 at 12:12 pm · Link

    My husband was never much of a fiction reader but he usually read three or four books a year. Usually Lee Child, John Sanford, and…*brain cramp*…the Lincoln Rhyme series. Since he started reading on the nook, which was around the first week of July, he’s read five or six books, and one of them was the monstrous Under the Dome. It actually blows my mind, how much time he’s spent reading in the last month.

    I’m not sure how much is the device and how much is having the books under his nose. In the past, while the kids and I were at the library, if I saw a book I thought he’d like, I’d check it out and maybe he’d read it or maybe he wouldn’t. But most of the books lying around the house are romance or belong to the boys. (Mr S plowed through Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl, though.)

    On the one hand, it’s awesome. Reading is like breathing to 3/4 of this family, so having Dad not hovering, trying to get us to go do something fun while we’re curled up with books is a good thing. But using MY card? Dammit.

    He really wants a comic book ereader.

    I bet the iPad would be great for that! There’s a Marvel app for the iPod Touch, but I haven’t checked it out. (TK knows almost everything about every comic book ever, but as far as I know, he’s never actually read one.) I’m not sure if the page would be really small, or if they do one panel at a time.

    Still pondering a “family” iPad for Christmas.



  7. Lori Devoti
    Comment
    7
      · August 4th, 2010 at 2:13 pm · Link

    Hmmm, I’ve downloaded some “free” books I thought my DH would like onto my Nook. I may have to rethink that. I’ve already had to wrestle it away from him when he and DD were playing Suduko on it.
    Lori



  8. Jean
    Comment
    8
      · August 4th, 2010 at 7:34 pm · Link

    Time transfer the nook to Mr. S’s “swipey card” — or get him a swipey card of his own.

    My mom wants a nook. A friend of hers came to visit and had one, and she’s decided she wants one now. I couldn’t think of any reason for her not to get one, so I asked her to let me know how she likes it. I forgot about the Suduko — I wonder if Mom will keep that to herself or if she’ll let Dad in on that. My dad’s the voracious reader. It’s not uncommon for him to read a book a day. Or more.

    For a comic book ereader, the iPad is supposed to be ideal. Color is magnificent, and that would be huge for comics.

    It sound like Mr. S. is the target audience of ereaders — people who didn’t read much to begin with but who become engaged in it once they get the device.







  • Get my latest news straight to your inbox!

    I'll only be sending newsletters when I have news to share, and I'll never share your information. You'll receive an email asking you confirm your subscription (so please check your spam box if you don't receive that). You can unsubscribe at anytime.

    Search

  • Affiliation

    Shannon Stacey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com.

    If you purchase a book listed on the site from Amazon.com, she’ll earn a small commission. Thank you!