There was a time when there were companies that imported books and magazines as scrap paper and then sold them by weight. I frequented one in Randburg and another in Rosebank. I bought hundreds of US and UK car & gun magazines and books that I would never have been able to afford at a CNA if they even stocked them. In twenty something years ago's money I could get a moths worth of reading for R150 bucks or less. Sadly the loophole that allowed for that was closed and i stopped getting them.

I miss the smell of anticipation, that smell when you open a new magazine, even that of a old one actually, the smell of  knowledge ,adventure and escape. Books can never be replaced with electronic media, that is like suggesting taped sea sounds can replace a walk on the beach.

Yes, exactly this.

My day job is modern tech and it is everywhere in my life, but I still read a paper book every night before I sleep, it is a comfort zone.

One of the very few perks of IT is the speed of acquisition when it comes to knowledge. As said, it is nice but it becomes impersonal.

The Mrs and I have an easy 1000 academic books in our library, and maybe another 500+ in other types of literature.

Still, when we go in holiday we buy regular books for reading.

Books are different to the internet in that they take more work to mine for what they have in them. I know things in detail that I read in books, e.g. on history or in automotive manuals, 30+ years back but I can forget something that i saw on a similar topic on youtube yesterday. Similarly, if I google a torque setting for something now, I haven't found it in the context of finding the manual, looking up the index reference and reading through the procedure to which it applies and it just disappears like volatile memory when the power goes off. It's weird.

Books are different to the internet in that they take more work to mine for what they have in them. I know things in detail that I read in books, e.g. on history or in automotive manuals, 30+ years back but I can forget something that i saw on a similar topic on youtube yesterday. Similarly, if I google a torque setting for something now, I haven't found it in the context of finding the manual, looking up the index reference and reading through the procedure to which it applies and it just disappears like volatile memory when the power goes off. It's weird.

Maybe because we have to co concentrate more? I have found something similar with myself. Reading and studying is better for long time memory than googling.

Books are different to the internet in that they take more work to mine for what they have in them. I know things in detail that I read in books, e.g. on history or in automotive manuals, 30+ years back but I can forget something that i saw on a similar topic on youtube yesterday. Similarly, if I google a torque setting for something now, I haven't found it in the context of finding the manual, looking up the index reference and reading through the procedure to which it applies and it just disappears like volatile memory when the power goes off. It's weird.

Very true.

I read a lot. Specially when I travel. No problem reading 3 to 4 books per week. Difficult to carry that many books around.

For me, an ereader device is great. Can keep plenty of books in ebook format on it. Unlike tablets, they are only good for reading, not gaming or YouTube etc. Also, unlike tablets, the screen is easy on the eyes and the battery last for around 5 books. And, even with loadshedding, the device charges quite easily with these small solar chargers.

Agree on the ereaders. I had a kindle for quite a while and was very happy with it. The 'e-ink' (I think that's what they are called) passive displays are the winners for me. Very much like reading a paper book.

Wanna see you swat a mozzie with that E Reader

I have never swatted an insect with a book.

I can understand using the much-anticipated magazine as a pest control device.

Wanna see you swat a mozzie with that E Reader

This is the age of the Bug-a-Salt old timer. None of the tacticool kids swat mozzies any more.

Wanna see you swat a mozzie with that E Reader

This is the age of the Bug-a-Salt old timer. None of the tacticool kids swat mozzies any more.

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I just received my copy of The Mountain People -by Colin M Turnbul read it 40 years ago and was fascinated, looked for it everywhere except the net, never thought of trying the net.

I am all for using technology where it makes sense, and I use it more than most people I know.

This was just more reminiscing about the anticipation of waiting for a book/magazine to the point of reading it, revisiting it later and so on, at a time when information was not as freely available and often quite expensive as well.