Doesn’t anyone read books anymore?

Since I’ve had to take a forced break from my crafts, I decided to clear out my bookshelf a bit.
I enthusiastically browsed the internet and got a huge letdown. Apparently, books aren’t worth anything anymore!
On various buyback sites, you sometimes get as little as 1 cent per book!
The major auction site offers just as little hope of success here, since the books don’t sell even at a starting price of one euro.
Does nobody read anymore?
I myself don’t like e-books (unless they’re patterns) and actually enjoy smelling and feeling the paper when I read.
But I never would have thought the value would drop so quickly. Oh well, so my bookshelf will just stay full, because they’re too precious to me for a few cents in profit.
What do you think about this? Do you still read books (if you happen to part with your knitting needles for a bit;) )
Or do you prefer e-books or audiobooks?
I’m curious to hear your answers...

When I have time, I like to read a good book every now and then. Best regards, Frankub 

A “real” book or an ebook?

I’ve been reading a lot again now that my kids can read books on their own without help.

We always go to the library, though. It’s very well-stocked where we live, and I wouldn’t even know where to put all those books at home.

And for me, it’s always physical books. I often sit at the computer all day, and by evening my eyes are burning. So I much prefer a book I can flip through.
Plus, if you’re reading in the tub and it falls in, I doubt an electronic device would last very long. And you wouldn’t believe how quickly a book can dry on the radiator without getting damaged.

A while back, I bought an e-reader and then a few e-books. But after a short time, I went back to paper books. When I do a purge, it’s usually paperbacks—I just can’t part with hardcovers ;)—and I put those in the donation box in our neighborhood.

I used to practically devour books, so I’ve accumulated quite a collection. My husband’s already had to build me two large bookshelves, and one cabinet is still full. When I started crocheting and knitting, though, my reading habit kind of fell by the wayside, and now, whenever I have a little free time and ask myself, “Book or yarn?” the yarn almost always wins. Well, not right now, anyway… I’m curious to see what the doctor says later. I’ll take my book with me to the waiting room and sit there among all the “smartphone zombies”;)

Well, I read for at least half an hour every night before falling asleep. And I mean a “real” book. I need the smell of paper, the feel of it, and so on. I also have tons of books and really need to start decluttering, but I find that very hard to do. Books are like friends to me. Lately, I’ve started rereading really old books from back in the day. Some of them felt completely new to me!
But you’ve never really gotten much for used books. I remember when my aunt died 25 years ago; we wanted to sell her library. No one was interested.

So when I have time to read, I want to hold a real book in my hands.

Sure, e-books are pretty good for vacations and such, since you don’t have to pack as much.
(Or so I’ve been told—I don’t own one myself!)
A book is just a book—for me, turning the pages is part of the reading experience.

I absolutely love to read!
My problem right now is that I don’t get around to it because I spend all my precious free time crocheting ;)
Unfortunately, crocheting and reading don’t mix very well.... But your thread gave me a wonderful idea: audiobooks!! I’ve been sooo frustrated so many times that I can’t read and crochet at the same time, but it never occurred to me to get some audiobooks. Thanks for the idea ;)

E-book or physical book... Good question.
I have an e-reader packed to the brim... (One that’s especially easy on the eyes, without built-in lighting.) I just find it more practical in some cases. It’s super space-saving, especially on vacation—if I suddenly feel like reading a book, I can download it right away...

But a book is a book, and it just feels different somehow. So the books that are important to me, I also buy as “regular” books. For Christmas, I got the new Harry Potter book, and it’s sitting in my bookcase like a treasure :) (I read it right away, too—I just had to make time for it!)
Things I just want to read once, I’ll quickly download to my e-reader :)

Bottom line: I like both! :)

No, I don’t think people read many real books anymore. Young people read on e-readers—they always have them with them.
But I think that has to do with the fact that we were read to as little kids. And that’s where it all starts. In the evening, when it was time to say, “Let’s continue with Rössli Hü” — a cult classic here in Switzerland — the two of them were in bed in a flash. With all the stress these days, do young mothers even have time to read children’s books aloud before bedtime? I like to read before falling asleep.

You can probably only sell books on Amazon, though I’m not exactly sure.

Best, Jana

My kids have discovered audiobooks for themselves. But they both think they’re great at bedtime—though definitely no substitute for a real book.

But the idea that I could listen to them while doing needlework wouldn’t have occurred to me either. You usually don’t see what’s right in front of you....

Next time I’m at the library, I’ll browse and see what audiobooks they have to offer.

Hi!

Try Momox!
That’s where I often sell our books we no longer use.
It’s a very convenient system.

And yes, I also read on an e-reader because then I can read in the dark bedroom while the baby sleeps ;)
But I HAVE to—you could say “compulsively”—own some books in print, so I buy those in addition to the e-book.
(It’s almost like a yarn addiction *laughs*)
Our kids all have tons of books, too.
Our oldest has a Tolino, but she prefers reading real books.

Best regards

I tried audiobooks once, but they’re not for me. It feels strange to have something “read” to me, when I’m actually the one who reads to our daughter every night. She’s already 11 and a great reader, but she hates reading. So I read to her. I think that’s very important, because it greatly expands children’s vocabulary and stimulates their imagination. It’s a shame there are fewer and fewer parents who read aloud to their kids!
What genres are you guys interested in?

I read on a Kindle because then I can read in the dark, make the letters nice and big, and not disturb anyone. 
I used to devour books (real ones)... the advantage of the Kindle: when moving, my 400 books weren't so heavy :-)

But since we're a reading family, we could probably open a bookstore. My teens all have a huge shelf full, the little one has his children's books, and my eldest daughter beats them all: a basement compartment full of books and an e-book reader that's about to be closed due to overcrowding.

My kids still want me to read to them. But I’m kind of stuck with horse books. They don’t really interest me, but if the little one likes them…

My son and I have the same taste in books. We like them spooky, exciting, and with a little magic thrown in. Right now we’re reading Hohlbein’s Midgard—it’s about Aesir, dwarves, and giants. Before that, he was into the Harry Potter books, but he didn’t want to continue past Book 5 and just grabbed my book instead.

I also like reading about vampires and werewolves. But I’ll wait to borrow those until my son is older. I don’t think a 9-year-old needs to be reading horror books just yet.

I read light entertainment before going to sleep... historical novels, mysteries, *The Hobbit* or *The Lord of the Rings* (yes, you can read those too :-), and a thriller every now and then. And most of it is still *Winnie the Pooh*, boys’ stories, and *Stickermania* books... the little one loves those.

I also read a lot—a whole lot. And because of a lack of space, I got an e-reader that now has over 3,000 books on it.

I really enjoy reading fantasy (vampires, werewolves, and other creatures)—I like *Black Dagger* or *Lords of the Underworld*.
My daughter likes the *No Jungs! Zutritt nur für Hexen* books by Thomas Brezina. We’re now up to volume 20, and we only have four unread ones left on the shelf (I’ll have to check how many there actually are...)
I really enjoy reading these stories aloud myself because they’re truly funny and exciting.

Dear bookworms, do you actually know the “Büchereulen” forum? As far as I know, it’s the largest readers’ forum in Germany, with tons of reviews on literally everything that fits between two book covers, along with book clubs, audiobook reviews, discussions… It’s all about reading, and a few authors hang out there, too. Oh, and in the chat corner, there are also threads for crafts ;-) (Of course, not for patterns—so no competition for cp at all; quite the opposite.)

Here’s the link: http://www.buechereule.de/wbb2/hmportal.php

By the way, I’m SteffiB there (though I’ve been waaaay too inactive for a while now)

I’m a real bookworm. I originally worked as a library assistant, and that’s no coincidence. ;-)
I love reading mysteries and thrillers best. And I don’t mind if they get pretty intense. I resisted e-books for a long time, but eventually I did get an e-reader as a gift. And I’ve definitely come to appreciate the advantages, especially the digital lending services offered by various public libraries. No more lugging books around, no need to worry about return deadlines, and no late fees.

Another big advantage of e-readers is that you no longer have to lug around stacks of books when traveling. I’ve even “infected” my mom with the e-reader bug. She got my old Tolino Vision because I’ve had the Tolino Tab for a while now. And she’s getting along with it just fine.

There are only a few exceptions where I always buy the hardcover book. These include, for example, remaindered books, which you can always find at various bookstores, and the occasional author whose works I collect.

I just can’t get into audiobooks at all. I tried it, but I can’t really get into the story that way...

@Sabine
*The Lord of the Rings* as “light” entertainment? I don’t know about that... *ggg*

I read all kinds of things...
My favorites are fantasy, “sappy romances” (Cecelia Ahern!!!), and psychological thrillers. 

Fantasy especially fascinates me! I dive completely into the world and am simply sad when the book is over.

I like reading sappy romances on the plane, at the beach,... when I don’t want to think much, but just read.

I read thrillers when I have loooots of time, because the topics always really occupy my mind and I don’t want to keep having to come out of them. 

My absolute favorite books are and always will be Harry Potter. I’ve read them at least 20 times already, and they’re always good :) 

I thought audiobooks were great back in school! When you have absolutely zero desire to read a book, an audiobook like that is really great. Only with Michael Kohlhaas (it was our high school graduation exam reading) even that didn’t help. I fell asleep even with the book+audiobook together ;) 

I’m a bookseller by trade and studied library science. Reading, like crocheting, is part of my life. Got too many books? These days there are so many old phone booths, public spots, and similar places where you can offer your old books for free. And you can also pick out something you haven’t read yet. You can’t make money that way.

Unfortunately, bookstores are still places frequented by a certain clientele, and many people don’t dare go in. But that’s also due to the elitist attitude of many booksellers. I can still clearly remember my apprenticeship, when my boss wouldn’t allow certain publishers into his shop. I won’t name any publishers here. His attitude was: “That’s not literature. I won’t sell that.”  I’ve never shared that attitude. I think it’s important that people read at all. Reading is a valuable cultural asset that should be shared by all of us. Tolino, Paperprint: that question is irrelevant to me. Reading should be fun! It should be exciting. It should entertain me. It can certainly educate me too. What matters is that it should be part of my life.

10% of all people in Germany are illiterate. Just think of what a world is closed off to these people! They aren’t stupid!  Most of the time, learning to read is simply a matter of method.  However, as people get older, learning to read becomes more difficult because the neural pathways that make you read “automatically” have closed off. If someone like that has learned to read their “Bild” newspaper every day, they should be very proud of it.

That’s why I appeal to everyone: if you know someone who is illiterate, support them in learning to read and write. There are adult education centers (VHS), the Alpha-Telefon, and private support. Illiterate people often don’t know what help is available to them. Many people are also ashamed if they do not have sufficient reading and writing skills. This is where help is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do this too. You can too, and in doing so you’ll be providing valuable help.<\/strong>

I volunteered as a reading mom throughout elementary school. First for all the kids in the class, and later “just” for the three or four kids who struggled with reading—and it really made a difference. The kids always enjoyed this extra time, if only because no one at home sat down with them to read. I’d do it again in a heartbeat because I also really enjoyed seeing the children’s progress.
Reading is important—even though my own kids don’t like to read, it’s still served its purpose in ensuring their spelling is top-notch and they have an immense vocabulary.

I still enjoy reading, especially historical novels.

I’ve sorted out some books and put them in the café at our local food bank shop. Anyone who wants them can take them for free. There’s also a little cabinet in our mini shopping center where you can take books for free. 

I can hardly go a day without reading—just as I can’t go a day without crafting! For a few months now, my husband and I have been part of a book club and are discovering books we probably would never have come across on our own—it’s totally exciting! We just spent a week on a ski vacation, and that’s when the Tolino really came in handy (it means less to lug around). I also like using the e-reader to read in bed at night when my husband is already ready for bed. But a “real” book is an absolute must—I love the feel of paper and printed text, and I enjoy flipping through the pages so I can reread certain passages—which is much more of a hassle with the Tolino. I read all kinds of things, browse the library for interesting titles, and always have a few of them on my nightstand. I really enjoy reading to my two grandchildren—picture books for now—and learn a lot of new things in the process.

Do you know the platform “Tauschticket.de”? You can swap books and much more there with other “enthusiasts” for a small exchange fee. There are also audiobooks, games, films, and much more.
There’s a huge selection, and you can find something to suit every taste. New releases are also often offered very promptly.