Book reading

[nunhead_man]

As my hands decay, I'm wondering what to do about book reading.

I do have devices onto which I can download electronic books but I wonder if I will actually find easier to manipulate paper books with some sort of device.

Do any hand affected friends here have any suggestions about things they found useful?

[Ellie]

nunhead_man I used a variety of DIY page turning gizmos, copied from ones available to buy for a ridiculous price, before moving to reading on my PC, which is infinitely easier!!

My solution was putting a rubber finger grip on the end of a piece of bamboo, novelty pencil or any ~15cm length I had lying about, and attaching it to a Velcro strap around my wrist or later, to my hand brace. Obvs someone needed to attach this to me, lay out the book and place my arms on the table, so I had to plan my reading time 🙄 Also, my nose is a handy page turning tool in an emergency 😁

Reading on my PC is much easier, spontaneous, more enjoyable for me and greener, if less tactile.

Love Ellie.

[Guy]

I can't turn the pages but love reading. The kindle works well for me at the moment and I can even use it in bed.

[Barry52]

I have the kindle app on my iPad which works for me.

Barry

[denise]

There are some good audio books on YouTube and radio drama. Just sit back and listen. It's great unless of course you fall asleep and have to find where you got to. I listened to the hunger games- 3 books. Was very good.

[matthew55]

This is actually a real problem in that people are turning away from real books. A better way of remotely reading a paperback must be found. Call me old fashioned 😄x

[denise]

I love books. I have loads. My eyes get tired so listening is easier. Also makes my hands ache holding the book. ☺

[GaryM]

I've always been an avid consumer of information, books, magazines and online. The thought that I'm going to find that much more difficult soon fills me with dread. As my arms and hands get worse I'm drifting to more electronic info rather than printed. I've use a Kindle for several years, usually in bed before going to sleep, but recently have been finding it more difficult to hold so last week I got one of these to try, I'll let you know how I get on.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JML-multi-angle-lap-mounted-tablet-reader/dp/B07Z1XSS1G/

[denise]

I've listened to a few books by John green on YouTube and they have been great. Just found one I hadn't heard and to my horror Wikitalks, a really horrible robot type voice is doing the reading. It's difficult to understand. Have found same book read by a real person so know who I'm going with! 😲

[Ellie]

This is actually a real problem in that people are turning away from real books. A better way of remotely reading a paperback must be found. Call me old fashioned 😄x

I agree. I loved the physical book, so struggled on with my page turning efforts until it was taking me longer to turn a page than it took to read it 🙄 Screen reading just isn't the same.

[denise]

I found it a bit clinical trying to read on screen. I used to love old books especially say dickens at Christmas. Think that's why i ended up preferring to have it read to me. But it has to be the right person. I dont think i would be able to sleep without a bedtime story. 😴

[AndyB]

I have always preferred physical books but as I lose the use of my hands page turning has become almost impossible. So back in August I bought myself a kindle. I absolutely love it, a simple touch on the screen takes me to the next page and if I switch it to airplane mode the battery lasts for weeks without recharging.

[Barry52]

Don’t forget folks how technology is helping many of us. Think of it like money which is rapidly going out of fashion. I will never get rid of my large collection of classics and novels but I know when I’m departed my children don’t want them. Similarly with my music collection on vinyl, tape and CD but it’s much easier to use MP3 systems.

[denise]

I had kindle on my phone. It was good. What put me off was the fact I had to have a dictionary as well. Not English but Russian or Chinese! Sort of freaked me out a bit.

[GaryM]

Warning: this might be a bit heavy for this forum and is certainly off-topic and a bit of a rant.

The real problem with moving from physical to electronic versions of books and music, as I see it, is that you move from owning something to renting access to it. That's why businesses like Amazon, Spotify and Netflix love it. I've got books that I bought in the seventies and surprisingly I can still read them at no additional cost. I've got vinyl LPs that I can still play at no additional cost. Not only that, but when I die they can be given to friends or family who'll appreciate them. Can't do that with my Kindle books. I don't do Spotify at all because I think it's killing off new music. In the days when we could go to music gigs, I would buy CDs from the artist in the interval. Google 'rentier capitalism' if you want to know more. Hopefully I won't get banned.