One of the big draws for purchasing the Sony eReader was it's ability to work with e-books from the library. I love the idea of the library, but I'm terrible at returning things in any semblance of on time. Borrowing a book that automatically expires is a huge boon.
The two questions I had were: what was the selection like? how hard was the process?
I use the Boston Public Library and the answers are positive.
The selection is decent. It is heavily weighted towards romance novels, but the full gamut of genres are represented. Even current best sellers are availible.
Searching the catalog is easy. Using the advanced search feature makes it simple to find books that can be checked out immediately. You can also search for books using all of the normal criteria. If a book is in the catalog but not available for check out, the library tells you how many people are on the waiting list. Adding yourself to the waiting list is a simple click. When your turn for the book comes up, the library e-mails you.
The actual check out process is simple. You add the books to your cart and then click check out. Links to each of the books download to your computer. When you open the links the books download striaght into the Sony software. The book has a annotation that tells you the number of days before the book expires.
Getting the books onto the reader is as simple as drag and drop. On the reader, library books are denoted by a clock symbol.
After the two week lending period is over, the book will no longer open. You can then delete it. If the book is an ePub format book you an also return the book early.
Dec 31, 2009
Dec 14, 2009
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town
I want to like Cory Doctorow's books, but I find myself irritated by them. "Someone Comes to Town" has some clever bits and the writing is good, but it gets bogged down in the cleverness. Also, Doctorow's need to trot out the "open source", DYI, hacker love bogs things down even more.
I kept reading and hoping that there would be a point or something that would make the investment worthwhile. Instead, it just fizzled out with a few fires.
I think this is the last Doctorow book I read.
I kept reading and hoping that there would be a point or something that would make the investment worthwhile. Instead, it just fizzled out with a few fires.
I think this is the last Doctorow book I read.
Dec 4, 2009
Sony Pocket Edition
After weeks of researching (H calls it obsessing) e-book readers I purchased a dedicated e-book reader: a Sony Pocket Edition.
The Pocket Edition is not the most feature rich e-book reader on the market, but it offered the best match of price and features for my needs.
Since I plan on using the device exclusively for pleasure reading and I'm not a big margin writer, the ability to mark up books is frivolous.
My iPhone is a constant companion, so a music player, a picture viewer, or a Web browser are worse than useless.
I don't mind having to hook the device up to the computer to get content since I can use the computer as a charger. Besides the danger of impulse buying is lessened by the lack of immediate access ro book stores. The mobile iTunes store has resulted in a number of impulse purchases I wouldn't have made if I had to wait.
The 5" screen is a little smaller than ideal, but it is big enough. The smaller screen also makes the device easy to stuff in a pocket.
The device has comparity limited memory and no expansion ports, but I cannot imagine a situation where I will need to carry more than 100 books. If the device was a music/picture player as well, I'd be more concerned about the memory.
The device only supports three font sizes, but to date I don't feel the need for more. Needing to transition between six or more settings might even get annoying.
The real selling point for the Sony over the Kindle or the Nook is the ability to take books out of the library. Part of the reason for buying the e-book reader, other than my desire for a new gadget, was to save money on books. I typically buy at least one trade paperback a month. At an average price of $15 a pop that is a pricy habit. When you add in the fancy coffee drink that usually accompanies book shopping my book habit runs close to $300 a year. It also consumes a large amount of space in the house. E-books are typically cheaper than print books and e-books from the library are free! The Sony makes the process of checking out the books painless. They upload from the computer easily, they keep you informed of when they expire, and stop working without any fanfare.
I've read three books on my device and have enjoyed it immensly. It fits nicely in my hands. The screen is crisp and easy to read. There is a little glare but not enough to cause problems. The page turns are not too slow-no longer than it would take to flip the page of a book.
The user interface is easy to navigate. The menus are clear and work well with the buttons along the side. Jumping to any page is simple. Chaning font size is a single button push. Bookmarks are also a single button away. Switching to landscape is also a single button push.
Since the Pocket Edition was only $200, I didn't mind splurging for a case. I got the one with built in book light. It was a little pricy, but it has proven to be worth it. The light is a perfect match for the reader's screen. I can read in bed without keeping the bedside light on (which H appreciates) or constantly fiddling with the book light.
For the recreational reader interested in an e-book reader, I think the Sony Pocket Edition is just about perfect.
The Pocket Edition is not the most feature rich e-book reader on the market, but it offered the best match of price and features for my needs.
Since I plan on using the device exclusively for pleasure reading and I'm not a big margin writer, the ability to mark up books is frivolous.
My iPhone is a constant companion, so a music player, a picture viewer, or a Web browser are worse than useless.
I don't mind having to hook the device up to the computer to get content since I can use the computer as a charger. Besides the danger of impulse buying is lessened by the lack of immediate access ro book stores. The mobile iTunes store has resulted in a number of impulse purchases I wouldn't have made if I had to wait.
The 5" screen is a little smaller than ideal, but it is big enough. The smaller screen also makes the device easy to stuff in a pocket.
The device has comparity limited memory and no expansion ports, but I cannot imagine a situation where I will need to carry more than 100 books. If the device was a music/picture player as well, I'd be more concerned about the memory.
The device only supports three font sizes, but to date I don't feel the need for more. Needing to transition between six or more settings might even get annoying.
The real selling point for the Sony over the Kindle or the Nook is the ability to take books out of the library. Part of the reason for buying the e-book reader, other than my desire for a new gadget, was to save money on books. I typically buy at least one trade paperback a month. At an average price of $15 a pop that is a pricy habit. When you add in the fancy coffee drink that usually accompanies book shopping my book habit runs close to $300 a year. It also consumes a large amount of space in the house. E-books are typically cheaper than print books and e-books from the library are free! The Sony makes the process of checking out the books painless. They upload from the computer easily, they keep you informed of when they expire, and stop working without any fanfare.
I've read three books on my device and have enjoyed it immensly. It fits nicely in my hands. The screen is crisp and easy to read. There is a little glare but not enough to cause problems. The page turns are not too slow-no longer than it would take to flip the page of a book.
The user interface is easy to navigate. The menus are clear and work well with the buttons along the side. Jumping to any page is simple. Chaning font size is a single button push. Bookmarks are also a single button away. Switching to landscape is also a single button push.
Since the Pocket Edition was only $200, I didn't mind splurging for a case. I got the one with built in book light. It was a little pricy, but it has proven to be worth it. The light is a perfect match for the reader's screen. I can read in bed without keeping the bedside light on (which H appreciates) or constantly fiddling with the book light.
For the recreational reader interested in an e-book reader, I think the Sony Pocket Edition is just about perfect.
Nov 28, 2009
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
I first read this book in high school. At the time it was the best book I had ever read. Donaldson's language is lush and complex. Covenant is a great protagonist. He is deeply troubled, capable of atrocities, and is self-loathing. Yet, he finds the courage to struggle against despair.
The Land is a rich and original world full of creatures and magic unlike the standard fantasy fare. The supporting cast of characters are as complex as Covenant himself. The Lords are full of self-doubt, the Giants long for home, the Bloodgaurd have given up their humanity for an absolute Oath they cannot help but break.
The only one dimensional character is Lord Foul. That Foul is one dimensional does not matter because Foul is more of a force than a character. The action of the book evolves from the struggles of the characters against their own weakness.
Even 20 years after first reading it (and an English Lit. degree), this book is still in the top 5 books I've read.
The Land is a rich and original world full of creatures and magic unlike the standard fantasy fare. The supporting cast of characters are as complex as Covenant himself. The Lords are full of self-doubt, the Giants long for home, the Bloodgaurd have given up their humanity for an absolute Oath they cannot help but break.
The only one dimensional character is Lord Foul. That Foul is one dimensional does not matter because Foul is more of a force than a character. The action of the book evolves from the struggles of the characters against their own weakness.
Even 20 years after first reading it (and an English Lit. degree), this book is still in the top 5 books I've read.
Nov 25, 2009
Manifold: Time
This book has some interesting ideas, but lacks for good characters. I liked how Baxter played with the idea of time being a stream and that the the future can reach back to change itself. I also like the ideas about how to get to space by making short trips to resource rich near earth objects and then spread from there and so on. The idea of creating more mind by creating a bigger bang is also sort of cool. The characters all sort of sucked. I felt the most for Emma because I could understand her motivation. I also like Malefant because his obsession was well drawn. The rest of the characters were blah. The book dragged on too long and had too many side plots. In fact, the plots were manifold. The manifold nature was cute, but made for a poor novel. Any one of the three story lines would have made a good novel, but all three was too much.
The scary children story has a rich history. Done properly, the Blue children's saga could have been poignant. The Tybee's were a perfect entry into that world. The way the father adored his child served as an eloquent counter point to the how the rest of the world viewed them. The world packing them away in concentration camps would have made logical sense without the Carter prediction or Malefant's visions from the future.
The Malefant story with it Carter prediction and the crazy blue circle could have been a great story of societal decline in the face of knowing the future. Flash Forward did a good job of it. There is plenty of material.
The story of the squid expanding into the galaxy had plenty of room to run. I could imagine a tale of eventual warfare between humans and the alien race they created. A little bit a Battlestar Galatica.
Any one of the three would have worked with the upstream time story. It all could have blossomed into a better way to make black holes.
Instead, they all muddle each other up and became a third of the book any one could have been separately.
The scary children story has a rich history. Done properly, the Blue children's saga could have been poignant. The Tybee's were a perfect entry into that world. The way the father adored his child served as an eloquent counter point to the how the rest of the world viewed them. The world packing them away in concentration camps would have made logical sense without the Carter prediction or Malefant's visions from the future.
The Malefant story with it Carter prediction and the crazy blue circle could have been a great story of societal decline in the face of knowing the future. Flash Forward did a good job of it. There is plenty of material.
The story of the squid expanding into the galaxy had plenty of room to run. I could imagine a tale of eventual warfare between humans and the alien race they created. A little bit a Battlestar Galatica.
Any one of the three would have worked with the upstream time story. It all could have blossomed into a better way to make black holes.
Instead, they all muddle each other up and became a third of the book any one could have been separately.
Nov 8, 2009
Makers by C. Doctorow
I just finished reading Makers, the latest from Cory Doctorow. I had previously read Eastern Standard Tribe and enjoyed it immensely, so I had big hopes for Makers. Sadly, I was disappointed. It is not a terrible novel, but it gets dragged down by the anchor of its messages.
Doctorow clearly has a lot to say about the worth of making things, open source, community, the dangers of engineering our bodies, over-consumption, and the evilness of corporations that he tries to cram it all into a buddy story about two misfit hackers trying to make good things. They make good works and eventually start a movement. When the movement threatens the fortunes of the status quo, the status quo tries to destroy them, eventually co-ops them, and then after along period of darkness they relearn the joy of hacking.
If you cut out a few steps, the contrived period of darkness, the ridiculous run up to the buy out, the fatkins, the perfunctory Yoko, and the bits of marital trouble, you have the makings of a good story. With it all, the story is a dogs breakfast. The characters and the plot wobbles under the weight of it all.
Even with all the extra weight, the book was still decent until the Epilogue. It was plausible that Lester would be miserable working for a huge company and that the fatkins modifications would end badly. But what becomes of Perry does not make sense given his actions and thought throughout the novel. He would never end up as a wandering factory worker. He is too much of an organizer and a home body.
The book needed an editor with a sharp knife and the will to use it.
Doctorow clearly has a lot to say about the worth of making things, open source, community, the dangers of engineering our bodies, over-consumption, and the evilness of corporations that he tries to cram it all into a buddy story about two misfit hackers trying to make good things. They make good works and eventually start a movement. When the movement threatens the fortunes of the status quo, the status quo tries to destroy them, eventually co-ops them, and then after along period of darkness they relearn the joy of hacking.
If you cut out a few steps, the contrived period of darkness, the ridiculous run up to the buy out, the fatkins, the perfunctory Yoko, and the bits of marital trouble, you have the makings of a good story. With it all, the story is a dogs breakfast. The characters and the plot wobbles under the weight of it all.
Even with all the extra weight, the book was still decent until the Epilogue. It was plausible that Lester would be miserable working for a huge company and that the fatkins modifications would end badly. But what becomes of Perry does not make sense given his actions and thought throughout the novel. He would never end up as a wandering factory worker. He is too much of an organizer and a home body.
The book needed an editor with a sharp knife and the will to use it.
E-Book Reading
I've been reading e-books since I got my first Palm IIIx. The small screen was less than ideal. I never used the Palm as a primary reading platform, but it was a convenient secondary reading platform. I could read when waiting in the doctors office or during those surreptitious free moments.
Since I was unwilling to pay for books to read on the tiny screen, I was limited to what I could find for free. To my pleasant surprise there were a ton of classic books available from a multitude of sources.
I used the Palm, and then a Clie, for several years. Once the Clie finally died I moved to a Pocket PC for a year, but that never worked an e-book platform. (In fact it was so clunky it didn't really work for much of anything.) Then I went for a while with out any pocket computing device and no e-book reading.
I was intrigued by the Sony eReaders. The big problem was the price.... I couldn't justify spending the money, when I would still need to pay full price for books. I also couldn't see the eReader replacing my love of actual books.
When I got my iPhone, I started getting interested in e-books again. There were several e-book readers available for the phone and I tried a number of them. The screen, while small, was pretty good for reading. The apps all handled the basics, but I finally settled on Stanza. It had the most sensible set of features and an integrated means of downloading books. It offers access to many free books as well as some pay libraries.
I was still unwilling to pay for books to read on the tiny screen. The iPhone screen creates a much better reading experience than the Palm or the Clie did. It is still too small to work as a primary reading platform, but it is exceptional for those quick stolen moments when I can read a little.
When the Kindle burst onto the scene, I was marginally intrigued. The big screen was the real draw. I thought the wireless book purchasing idea was interesting. However, it was too expensive and the price of the books was too high. I also didn't like that fact that I could not touch the device before purchasing.
This summer Sony revamped its eReader line. The one that caught my eye the most was the Pocket Edition. The $200 price was right and the smaller size made it very portable. The other thing that made the Sony line interesting was their move to using ePub and their ability to use books from public libraries.
I spent some time at the Sony store playing with the Sony readers. The Touch Edition's screen was not as crisp as the Pocket Edition. The Touch Edition's touch was not so responsive. I could, however, see either being a great primary reading platform. The ability to get books from multiple sources, including the public library, makes them the most open of the top readers. One other nice thing about the Sony eReaders is the availability of covers that include built in night lights that actually light the screen.
Since I was unwilling to pay for books to read on the tiny screen, I was limited to what I could find for free. To my pleasant surprise there were a ton of classic books available from a multitude of sources.
I used the Palm, and then a Clie, for several years. Once the Clie finally died I moved to a Pocket PC for a year, but that never worked an e-book platform. (In fact it was so clunky it didn't really work for much of anything.) Then I went for a while with out any pocket computing device and no e-book reading.
I was intrigued by the Sony eReaders. The big problem was the price.... I couldn't justify spending the money, when I would still need to pay full price for books. I also couldn't see the eReader replacing my love of actual books.
When I got my iPhone, I started getting interested in e-books again. There were several e-book readers available for the phone and I tried a number of them. The screen, while small, was pretty good for reading. The apps all handled the basics, but I finally settled on Stanza. It had the most sensible set of features and an integrated means of downloading books. It offers access to many free books as well as some pay libraries.
I was still unwilling to pay for books to read on the tiny screen. The iPhone screen creates a much better reading experience than the Palm or the Clie did. It is still too small to work as a primary reading platform, but it is exceptional for those quick stolen moments when I can read a little.
When the Kindle burst onto the scene, I was marginally intrigued. The big screen was the real draw. I thought the wireless book purchasing idea was interesting. However, it was too expensive and the price of the books was too high. I also didn't like that fact that I could not touch the device before purchasing.
This summer Sony revamped its eReader line. The one that caught my eye the most was the Pocket Edition. The $200 price was right and the smaller size made it very portable. The other thing that made the Sony line interesting was their move to using ePub and their ability to use books from public libraries.
I spent some time at the Sony store playing with the Sony readers. The Touch Edition's screen was not as crisp as the Pocket Edition. The Touch Edition's touch was not so responsive. I could, however, see either being a great primary reading platform. The ability to get books from multiple sources, including the public library, makes them the most open of the top readers. One other nice thing about the Sony eReaders is the availability of covers that include built in night lights that actually light the screen.
Oct 27, 2009
Death with Interuptions
The language in the book is lush. The underlying concept is interesting. The author is very perceptive about the social consequences of not dying forever. I thought the post-modern narrator was clever without becoming annoying. It moved the story along as opposed to being in the way. The thing that keeps this from being five stars is that it felt a little like two short stories tacked together. The portion of the book dealing with death as a character is excellent, although I don't really like the ending. It does not, however, really fit with the first part of the novel. It could be that I need to spend more time with the material, or that I just don't appreciate post-modernist writing. It does not cover death's motivation for the actions of the first half of the book, nor does it really follow from what happens in the first half. It could also be that I just feel uncomfortable with the implications of the ending.
Aug 28, 2009
Ender's Game
Ender is an interesting character. He is not an Everyman, but his plight is the human condition - he has free will, but it is constrained by the reality built for him. His superiority dramatizes the conflict. If Ender can be manipulated, how can a regular schlep avoid manipulation. As Valentine says at the end, all one can do is accept that one is always being used and choose to be used in a positive manner. The flip side is that as Ender is being manipulated, he is also manipulating others. He, and his siblings, are masters of manipulation. Ender controls his squadron leaders; Valentine and Peter manipulate the world. The book is also about the power of fear. Fear of the Buggers unite the people of Earth. Fear of the Buggers drives humanity to wipe out an intelligent species without remorse. It is us or them. Fear of defeat pushes the military to warp Ender into a killing machine. Fear pushes Peter to let Ender leave. Fear is the ultimate manipulator. The final pages make an attempt to get beyond fear and manipulation, but does not succeed. It does not have the time to expand the idea that through remembering the lessons of the past can humanity hope to grow beyond its fear.
Jul 28, 2009
The Inmates are Running the Asylum
Cooper makes a number of solid points about how poor interfaces make bad software. He also has a number of good ideas about how to make better interfaces. Unfortunately, he has something to sell and his product pitch becomes the answer to all of the real problems he exposes.
May 28, 2009
Red Mars
A little bit long and the jumping around between characters is a little annoying. Robison does not manage the characters interior voices as well as Joyce or Faulkner. While he does convey the essential differences between the character's personalities, he gives them all essentially the same narrative voice. The book would have been better served by a purely exterior narrator.
The sweeping scope of the book makes for an excellent opportunity for social commentary and good story arcs. Unfortunately, the author chooses to focus on the most cynical and traditional of the characters. That things will eventually devolve is a given because the more radical voices are hardly heard. I would have preferred more time with Arkaday and Hiroko.
The sweeping scope of the book makes for an excellent opportunity for social commentary and good story arcs. Unfortunately, the author chooses to focus on the most cynical and traditional of the characters. That things will eventually devolve is a given because the more radical voices are hardly heard. I would have preferred more time with Arkaday and Hiroko.
Apr 28, 2009
Mars Girl
The book is fluffy and silly, but it has surprising depth. I initially picked it up for something easy to read in the moments between being busy. As I read it I was delighted at the social commentary that lies within the winks and quick pacing.
It takes the crazy newstainment business to task. I found the pervasive advertising to be very well done. The crazy government conspiracy adds to the fun.
It takes the crazy newstainment business to task. I found the pervasive advertising to be very well done. The crazy government conspiracy adds to the fun.
Jan 2, 2009
The Last Jurist
While driving back from FL H and I listened to the John Grisham's The Last Juror. It is what you'd expect from Grisham. The writing is decent and the story is based around a court house in the south. Unlike Grisham's earlier works The Last Juror is a rambling behemoth of a narrative. It tells the tale of a small Southern town in the 70's through the eyes of a young newspaper man. The narrator becomes enthralled by a black family and this provides him with plenty of ammunition to preach about how backwards the South was and how unfair racism is. The presumptive driver of the narrative is a murder trial and its decade-long effect on the town. It is, however, pretty weak tea. The trial lacks any real drama. The middle of the book sort of just rambles. The last quarter of the book has some suspense, but the resolution leaves you feeling like you'd eaten cheap Chinese food. Full but unsatisfied and frustrated by the knowledge that you'll be more hungry in a few hours. As a way to pass 20 hours driving in a car, it is not the worst thing. As filler to read at a beach, it would suffice. As a pre-sleep book, it would work. For a good read, it is worse than bad pizza.
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