Anyone else gone back to "real" books?

I use both Beckett. Love the Kindle for holidays or to put really heavy books on rather than carry them around. However, love the feel and smell of a book and turning the pages. I think there is a place for both e-readers and physical books.

This is an ongoing dilemma for me. I live for 6 months of the year in my motorhome. Obviously the kindle is great because space is at a premium, however I don't always have WIFI to download a new book. I sometimes use campsites and they often have book swaps so I can trade "real" books then. I'd say its 50/50 for me, but I agree with you Beckett nothing beats the feel of a real book especially if its a book you're really looking forward to reading.

I never went away from real books. When I moved house with lots of boxes labelled, 'books - lounge' the removals man joked, 'ever thought of a Kindle?'

When I pop my clogs my family will have the job of dealing with them. In the meantime I'm giving some to charity and trying to have a 'one in, one out' policy which is not entirely successful.

I never use my kindle now, friends and family tend to pass books around now and currently I have quite a few in waiting I find I just prefer a book, that I then pass on to someone else.

Yes, I did years ago. I prefer books because I easily lose my place using a kindle. I do take it on holiday though.

I haven’t used my kindle for a while, though it’s ready and waiting and loaded with plenty of cheap downloads in case I’m short of space in my case or bag. It has its uses. But like tanith, if I’ve enjoyed a book I like to pass it on.

At long last I’ve broken the habit of keeping books, unless they’re particular favourites or I honestly think I’ll ever re-read them. I’d hate to live in a house without books, but it was getting out of hand. I still regret giving the Poldark series to the charity shop though!

Never went away from real books because most of the books I read are not novels so do not adapt to Kindle reading.

Having said that I love my Kindle and would not be without it. It lives in my handbag and comes with me everywhere. I am never caught out in the doctors or dentist's surgery witha long wait and no magazines, out comes my kindle, on trains, if I go away for the weekend trips, and although, as I have said I mainly read are non-fiction, but where I might read one novel by an author and want to read more, I can just download it to my KIndle. I like quite a number of 19th century women novelists and I can download those from Project Gutenburg for free or from Amazon for only a £ or 2.

I'm another who is using the Kindle less and less, keeping it mainly for holidays. I am currently sorting things out as I want to downsize. When my SiL carried the boxes of books to the car to take to the charity shop I had to turn away! I still have plenty left though

I agree nothing beats the feel of a real book. We bought my mother a Kindle a couple of years ago - she has had a stroke and finds it difficult to hold a book - I think she used it a couple of times and is now back to real books, although only paperbacks!

Never left them, never used a kindle.

I use both - and I prefer holding a Kindle. Lots of books aren't available on Kindle,I buy second hand from Better World or Abebooks, I scour charity shops, and buy from the 'sale' table at our local library - we are now run by volunteers, sales keep our funds up, but we are buying very few new books.

My Kindle is still going strong, hope I haven’t spoken too soon! It was one of the first. I loved the lightness of it when commuting to work but I do love real books too. More recently that’s what I’ve been reading. I agree about the feel of holding a book also seeing what others are reading which can spark a conversation. My frustration with Kindle is I forget what’s on there and what the books about, much easier to see the covers of books which remind me. I can pass real books on to my family or friends and help keep the local library going. I’m a 50/50 person.

I only briefly went to Kindle books. 99% of the time I've read real books. When I moved overseas 5 years ago, I butchered my book collection. As an English teacher, I had accumulated hundreds, if not thousands of books. I honed the collection to books I would need for teaching or books that I would definitely reread. I'm probably down to 200-300 now, which is sort of manageable.

I only read in bed. I like using my Kindle as I can shut the bedside light off, and lie down reading it up against my pillow.

Lately I've been given some lovely books but was feeling the cold sitting up, and having my arms out. I don't have a bed jacket - yet!

Solved it by laying my dressing gown face down on the bed and putting my arms into it, easy to remove when I'd finished. And the cat is pleased!

I use both, but always take Kindle on holiday/short breaks.
(Mr. Gravy bought mine and DDs after a trip to Egypt and Jordan when he had 9 books in his hand luggage and none of them were his!!!!)

I never left them. I do have a kindle which I use mostly on sleepless nights, so as not to disturb DH. But I love books and have quite a library of my favourite authors. Always buy a new book when going on holiday.

I have a kindle, i received it as a gift.
I downloaded a book on to it then promptly put the kindle back in it's box where it has stayed for the last six years.
I'm not even sure where it is, possibly the loft.
I love audio books as well as the real thing although the text is read a little slowly for my liking.

Kindle rarely used. Or make that never. I don't t think I ever read a whole book on my kindle. Just isn't the same experience.

I love my Kindle, my second one, as the first one died after four years. I also use my Kindle Fire as a back-up. Initially, I appreciated the convenience of the Kindle when I travelled but I also like it for the ability to change fonts. Too many of the hard-back or paperback books I like have small print and close line-spacing which I find trying on the eyes. It's also easier to hold a Kindle for reading in bed.

Agree with you annodomini really like the ability to increase the size of the font on Kindle. My vision is not what it was even though I had my cataracts done 7 years ago. My kindle holder (old type) has an integrated lamp so it is easy to read in bed when I get sleepless nights. Also good for taking lots on holiday - I can get through a book a day.

I've never left "real books" and wouldn't dream of doing so, as long as I can see to read!

Clearly there are many reasons for wanting stories on a kindle, however, I'm book person. How can you fall in love with a kindle story like you can a real book which is a work of great skill? I want to own and keep them. From time to time I re-read the likes of Keneally and Pullman and I like to have them in the sitting room where I can see them and they are part of the décor.

I use both. Kindle is v useful for reading in bed at 2 am without disturbing dh, and for big fat books I'd never read otherwise, because they're too heavy and awkward to read in bed. Or anywhere for that matter.

Also for classics, often available for pennies on the Kindle, though I've got both book and kindle versions of quite a few.

First time I really found the Kindle essential was when going away for a week with a friend, who wanted to go Ryanair, hand baggage only. And Ryanair hand baggage is not very much! I'd normally want 3 paperbacks for a week's holiday - I go mad if I've got nothing to read - so the Kindle was a godsend.

I've always kept to real books too, a Kindle has never appealed to me.

I've never gone away from real books - the answer is real books and libraries to save cost and storage.