Good Books To Read

[scorpio1945]

Has anyone got an EBook ? Are they worth buying ?

If you PM me your eMail address I'll send you an eBook in Word format and show you how you can read it on your computer.

Don't worry, I'll still let you pretend you know everything.

I'll also sell your eMail address to porn sites who will spam you for the next 40 years, but you probably get that anyway.

:clap2: :cheesy:

[brianmarinus]

Has anyone got an EBook ? Are they worth buying ?

If you PM me your eMail address I'll send you an eBook in Word format and show you how you can read it on your computer.

Don't worry, I'll still let you pretend you know everything.

I'll also sell your eMail address to porn sites who will spam you for the next 40 years, but you probably get that anyway.

:clap2: :cheesy:

Hi!

Eny one,had read,The Noble House, of James Clavells.?

Thats a really good book-going on in Hong Kong-Clavell have write a collection-Asian Saga,which this one is a part of-but no need to read them all,if you dont want.

[sceadugenga]

Shogun, by James Clavell is one of the best novels I've read.

I have King Rat, Nobel House and Shogun as eBooks if anyone wants them.

Have to eMail them though, can't send them here.

Edited December 23, 2010 by sceadugenga

[sunholidaysun1]

Dick Tracey : P.I.

Sherlock Holmes : Who did it

James Bond : Catch me if you can

Just a couple of titles but I think some of you have read them already

[jubby]

Dick Tracey : P.I.

Sherlock Holmes : Who did it

James Bond : Catch me if you can

Just a couple of titles but I think some of you have read them already

OK, maybe your not a private Dick , but maybe your a Dick in private, I don't know

[sceadugenga]

I'm reading "The Caine Mutiny".

I saw the movie when it first came out... longer ago than I care to remember and came across it again last year.

I decided to hunt the book out, it's an award winning novel of WW2, I'd put it into the same class as "From Here To Eternity", a great book that was made into a really good movie.

[Danlo]

I enjoy the true crime stuff, many too many to mention but some really fascinating reading.

[sceadugenga]

I became a fan of Val McDermid this last year, boy can she write a crime thriller novel.

[Will27]

I enjoy the true crime stuff, many too many to mention but some really fascinating reading.

If you haven't already, do yourself a favour and get The Ice Man by

Philp Carlo.

One of the best true crime books I have read.

It's about a contract killer for the mob called

Richard Kuklinski. A real page turner.

Regards

Will

[kandahar]

It looks to me as if Scea's pioneering habits are sweeping the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/ebooks-paper-books-barnes-noble-nook_n_802835.html

[Jingthing]

Great Vietnam war novel (American soldier perspective)

Matterhorn

Fascinating exploration of Jewish guilty feelings about Israel and anti-semitism in general

The Finkler Question

Currently liking

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Edited December 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[sceadugenga]

It looks to me as if Scea's pioneering habits are sweeping the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/ebooks-paper-books-barnes-noble-nook_n_802835.html

The problem with this of course, will be getting people to pay for them. An eBook is a lot easier to upload and download than a movie in torrent type sites and look at the huge amount of files obtained for free in that field.

It's a real moral dilemma, is downloading intellectual property theft? Does it fall into the same class as burglary and car stealing?

[Jingthing]

It looks to me as if Scea's pioneering habits are sweeping the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/ebooks-paper-books-barnes-noble-nook_n_802835.html

The problem with this of course, will be getting people to pay for them. An eBook is a lot easier to upload and download than a movie in torrent type sites and look at the huge amount of files obtained for free in that field.

It's a real moral dilemma, is downloading intellectual property theft? Does it fall into the same class as burglary and car stealing?

What the publishers should do is radically lower the prices on the downloads and wage a massive PR campaign about how creators will eventually stop creating if they can't ever get paid. I think readers would actually be more open to that message than film watchers.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[sceadugenga]

Yeah, us readers tend to be a lot smarter then movie watchers.

[kandahar]

It looks to me as if Scea's pioneering habits are sweeping the world.

http://www.huffingto...k_n_802835.html

The problem with this of course, will be getting people to pay for them. An eBook is a lot easier to upload and download than a movie in torrent type sites and look at the huge amount of files obtained for free in that field.

It's a real moral dilemma, is downloading intellectual property theft? Does it fall into the same class as burglary and car stealing?

Of course it falls into the same category, if the materials are still under protection. The argument is much the same as the older argument of whether stealing the small piece of candy from the shop is as bad as stealing a car. Same, same, according our mores, even though different societies assign larger penalties for crimes involving things of higher value.

From the consumer's point of view, yes there are a tremendous number of freebies out there. From the artist's point of view, there are a tremendous number of thieves out there.

From the artist's point of view, I can imagine looking at the stats for my work at the end of a year and just being sick about the amount of money that has been stolen. I understand it completely as a person who has many ideas that I would love to bring to fruition while knowing that the majority of them could be copied and sold with the slightest modifications to exempt them from patent work that I paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for to protect the idea.

We all are on our honor if we want to live in an honorable society. It isn't up to laws or written protections and safeguards that are put into place to keep us honest. It is up to every individual to do what is right and to keep up the peer pressure to help others do the same thing. As long as we understand the mores in place for our own good, and abide by them, we shouldn't need written codes with punishments assigned for the degrees of violations we may commit.

All of that said, I will admit I have lots of failings in that area. Lots. I am a bad person.

[Jingthing]

It varies by country of course. There is a lot more "stealing" per capita in Thailand than the US. Cultural differences, don't you know ...

[sceadugenga]

Pretty bad myself, just remember that when the great scorer marks against your name, lies told to women don't count.

[Jingthing]

Pretty bad myself, just remember that when the great scorer marks against your name, lies told to women don't count.

I am no saint either, but I think there would be more hope for enforcement in the western countries.

They will never get anywhere near 100 percent compliance.

They do need to get creative.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[sceadugenga]

The internet is going to be a minefield for law enforcement for a long time to come yet.

[kandahar]

It varies by country of course. There is a lot more "stealing" per capita in Thailand than the US. Cultural differences, don't you know ...

Tell that to Bernie. That would tickle him. The per capita thing will make him feel better.

Edited December 31, 2010 by kandahar

[Jingthing]

It varies by country of course. There is a lot more "stealing" per capita in Thailand than the US. Cultural differences, don't you know ...

Tell that to Bernie. That would tickle him. The per capita thing will make him feel better.

In general, you can't argue there is more compliance in not buying or downloading copy media in the US vs. Thailand. Americans are more likely to pay their Netflix account fees, etc.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[kandahar]

It looks to me as if Scea's pioneering habits are sweeping the world.

http://www.huffingto...k_n_802835.html

The problem with this of course, will be getting people to pay for them. An eBook is a lot easier to upload and download than a movie in torrent type sites and look at the huge amount of files obtained for free in that field.

It's a real moral dilemma, is downloading intellectual property theft? Does it fall into the same class as burglary and car stealing?

What the publishers should do is radically lower the prices on the downloads and wage a massive PR campaign about how creators will eventually stop creating if they can't ever get paid. I think readers would actually be more open to that message than film watchers.

That is a GRAND idea. There is no reason to charge the current book prices if printing a tree-killing fees are not involved. It may even be a good idea to ban the printed ones. If the prices were held down as you suggest, the works would be much more attractive to the readers.

[pjclark1]

From the consumer's point of view, yes there are a tremendous number of freebies out there. From the artist's point of view, there are a tremendous number of thieves out there.

Copyright infringement is not theft, it is not stealing, maybe the best description of the crime would be unlawful copying.

Stealing is the intention to permanently deprive someone of their property. Property is defined as a physical item .... not thought or ideas.

Electronic data is not property nor has it ever been defined as property by any legal system in any country in this world, therefore it cannot be stolen.

One could argue that having once paid to view a piece of 'data' distributed in whatever form, then one has already purchased the right to view that data in any other form.

(so for example buying a vinyl record of say 'dark side of the moon' should entitle one to download it as an MP3, or burn on a CD, etc.)

But of course publication companies like to sell essentially the same product to the same person over and over again.

Anyway, I have bought 1,000s of physical books and if I want to download them again at no cost to myself for use on an e-book reader .... damned if I will pay again, and damned if I will allow anyone to call me a thief for doing it!

[kandahar]

What is defined in written laws or codes should not be what governs us in their absence.. Did you deprive the artist of his share of the proceeds? Did you deprive the publication company of their share of the proceeds after they fronted the money in good faith to bring the idea to the market? I don't care what is written. I know what is right by my standards of behavior.

As for downloading a copy of something you have paid for already, I agree with you. One time of buying it is enough. I know what is right by my standards of behavior. But. I'm the only one that has to live with myself.

From the consumer's point of view, yes there are a tremendous number of freebies out there. From the artist's point of view, there are a tremendous number of thieves out there.

Copyright infringement is not theft, it is not stealing, maybe the best description of the crime would be unlawful copying.

Stealing is the intention to permanently deprive someone of their property. Property is defined as a physical item .... not thought or ideas.

Electronic data is not property nor has it ever been defined as property by any legal system in any country in this world, therefore it cannot be stolen.

One could argue that having once paid to view a piece of 'data' distributed in whatever form, then one has already purchased the right to view that data in any other form.

(so for example buying a vinyl record of say 'dark side of the moon' should entitle one to download it as an MP3, or burn on a CD, etc.)

But of course publication companies like to sell essentially the same product to the same person over and over again.

Anyway, I have bought 1,000s of physical books and if I want to download them again at no cost to myself for use on an e-book reader .... damned if I will pay again, and damned if I will allow anyone to call me a thief for doing it!

[pjclark1]

What is defined in written laws or codes should not be what governs us in their absence.. Did you deprive the artist of his share of the proceeds? Did you deprive the publication company of their share of the proceeds after they fronted the money in good faith to bring the idea to the market? I don't care what is written. I know what is right by my standards of behavior.

What about the library!

It can buy 1 book, CD or DVD and lend it to a million people ..... no extra income for the author.

Tell me if you think that's right ..... are all people who use a library stealing!

What about movie rental shops ... is that wrong.

I think every movie producer, book author and musician would close those places if they could get away with it.

Let's face it ,current copyright laws are nothing to do with right and wrong, or protecting artists, but are the product of billions of $$$ of corruption and bribery among American politicians.

Sorry .... totally off topic rant!

[kandahar]

You bring two good points that are worth consideration.

Of course the rental shops pay extra for that privilege, based on how many rentals they do.. Now, 16 people invited over to watch a movie that one person rented is a different story and hard to defend.

Libraries were, of course, started to bring works to people who could not afford them. Tax payers footed the bills so all could enjoy. Long waits for a good product aren't something that goes over well these days, hence libraries are dying out in many cities.

Have a happy new year.

What is defined in written laws or codes should not be what governs us in their absence.. Did you deprive the artist of his share of the proceeds? Did you deprive the publication company of their share of the proceeds after they fronted the money in good faith to bring the idea to the market? I don't care what is written. I know what is right by my standards of behavior.

What about the library!

It can buy 1 book, CD or DVD and lend it to a million people ..... no extra income for the author.

Tell me if you think that's right ..... are all people who use a library stealing!

What about movie rental shops ... is that wrong.

I think every movie producer, book author and musician would close those places if they could get away with it.

Let's face it ,current copyright laws are nothing to do with right and wrong, or protecting artists, but are the product of billions of $ of corruption and bribery among American politicians.

Sorry .... totally off topic rant!

Edited December 31, 2010 by kandahar

[sceadugenga]

Less and less people are reading, my local libraries in Australia have lines of computers along the wall.

Kids read now because they have to, I read for indoor recreation, they play computer games and watch TV.

It seems few people get rich writing, a comfortable living is the best even a popular writer can expect and most supplement their income by teaching.

Like a lot of musicians it's enough just to pull a good crowd, if people are reading their stuff they get the satisfaction from that.

Edited December 31, 2010 by sceadugenga

[Xangsamhua]

I became a fan of Val McDermid this last year, boy can she write a crime thriller novel.

Brilliant storyteller, but excruciating. At times it seems the violence in her writing is directed at the reader as well as the characters.

http://www.guardian....ug/16/ianrankin

I'm inclined to agree with Ian Rankin's comments.

There does seem to be an in-your-face violence against female characters in McDermid's novels that, to me, is only indirectly related to the broader social issue of violence against women.

There's a general squeamishness in polite society about explicit depiction of violence against women. McDermid challenges this in her writing, and as a male, Rankin finds it offensive, but sees no problem in depicting violence against males. Most people don't see much problem with that. Violence is much more closely associated with the masculine world than with the feminine.

[sceadugenga]

McDermid seems to write in the Thomas Harris school of fiction where the violence to victims reflects what happens in the real world.

Crimes against women, as individuals or groups, do tend to be underplayed by male writers.

As a lesbian I suppose McDermid feels qualified to see things from both sides.

I'll agree with Rankin that women are writing very good crime fiction at the moment but my personal ranking of crime novelists would be James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, then Val McDermid.

I exclude Thomas Harris, probably my favourite all time fiction writer as he's difficult to categorise, although he certainly writes about crime.

Thanks for the link... interesting.

[sceadugenga]

Reading "Last Night In Twisted River" by John Irving.

I was a big fan of Irving's early work.. "The World According To Garp", "The Cider House Rules"... but went off his later books.

This is right up to his old standard.