Adventures of a Bookonaut: More than a lifetime's reading

Sep 20, 2011

More than a lifetime's reading

Well you can now get a Kindle in Woolworths (they are grocery stores here in Australia). Saw an ad on the television last night and noted that you could store up to 3500 books on them.

And it struck me that:

a) that’s a lot books to buy

b) that’s a lot of books to read

I wondered if that really was such a good selling point.

I did some rough calculations. I am a fairly solid reader (obviously, hello - book blogger and reviewer). I would manage a book a week if I am working and anywhere between 3-6 per week when I am not. But lets say on average I would read about 80, 400 page novels a year.

If I filled up a Kindle it would take me 43.75 years to read every book on it. At an average price of $5 per book it would cost me $17, 500. Yes I know you can get free books.

So is quoting a ridiculously high book storage number really a selling point?

Comments (11)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

+2 Vote up Vote down

margreads 71p · 703 weeks ago

Even though I knew I could never read all the books that my ereader held it was still definitely a selling point for me! Guess it is an example of aspirational marketing!
My recent post Teaser Tuesday: Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna

Report

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

SB Wright 110p · 703 weeks ago

I suppose that ebooks might get bigger in file size too with enhancements.

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

scottjrobinson 25p · 703 weeks ago

Yes, but if the file size gets bigger then you can't store 3500 books so they're lying... Bastards :)

Report

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

SB Wright 110p · 703 weeks ago

Waterproofing would be something I'd go for. Already spilled coffee on my reader :$

Report

+1 Vote up Vote down

@CathytheSkeptic · 703 weeks ago

I know that was a good selling point for my Father. He thought they only held one book at a time. He was quite impressed when I told him you could put thousands of books on one kindle. He bought one last year.

Report

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

SB Wright 110p · 703 weeks ago

I suppose its a way of allaying the fear that you might need to update or upgrade the storage

Report

+1 Vote up Vote down

TansyRR · 703 weeks ago

I often have this issue when people talk about big books - I feel overwhelmed rather than glad to get value for my money. I think there is a huge social disconnect now between people who feel more squeezed for time than for money, especially as books are getting cheaper. Possibly being a reviewer/awards judge who received large numbers of free books ties into that too.

Personally I appreciate products/books that don't waste or demand too much of my time over any other.

But I guess the benefit of the kindle is not that you HAVE to read that many, but that you have such a large choice at any given time? I guess, again, the world is divided into those who would feel pressured to read them all, and those who would not. I've found with my honey's new kindle that I am being hugely restrained in what books I buy/acquire for it because of the pressure I feel. I'm already oppressed by my groaning to read shelf, and if I don't buy a book that I know or think I want to read, it's far more likely to be because of the image of that shelf looming at me than because of its cost. Which is not to say I have an unlimited book budget, but my time budget trumps anything else.
My recent post Agathon #5 – Poirot Investigates (1924)

Report

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

SB Wright 110p · 703 weeks ago

I wonder if it plays into consumerism as well. "You can own and store 3500 books!!!!" :)

I note also that you refer to it as your other ha;ves Kindle, listening to the podcast I thought I could hear a distict langauage of ownership sufacing :)

Report

0 Vote up Vote down

Kat · 703 weeks ago

I see your point, but if you include reference and text books you often don't read the whole thing but refer to them often, especially manuals and standards of your profession.

Report

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

SB Wright 110p · 703 weeks ago

How do you find using text books/reference books on your reader. I find mine is better for reading books that have a linear structure ie not too much jumping around and page flicking. IMHO a paper texk book is far superior in that regard mind you with an ipad and a well deisgned pdf I would be sorely tempted

Report

0 Vote up Vote down