Oddbean

I struggle to connect with digital books. Maybe it’s just my monkey brain resisting change, or maybe it’s the low barrier to entry of ebooks that makes them feel less significant. Printing a physical book feels like a kind of proof of work—a higher barrier to entry that might signal greater value. But maybe it’s all in my head, and I’m just slow to adapt. What do you think? #asknostr

I’ve been getting into audiobooks lately, and it’s a mixed experience. On one hand, they’re great because I can listen while working out, driving, or falling asleep. I even replay books a few times to really let some ideas sink deep into my subconscious. On the other hand, some of the ideas require my full attention. I need to be able to stop, think and piece parts of puzzles together for them to really click for me. Again, maybe i’m a slow monkey here. 😂

Like all activities, it's trial and error. I can relate to your experience as I've had a similar path over the years. Audiobooks are useful to enhance the audio memory. While reading printed pages will enhance the visual memory, I think it's helpful to develop the memory in more than one dimension. With audio I like the fact that I can speed it up or slow it down to match my state and current pace. I really think the brain is wired in such a way to absorb information by listening. If I were you I'd notice the kind of books that make you sleepy. Since info can be absorbed on many levels, the subconscious knows things on a deeper and more meaningful way. Sleep is when the data gets compounded and other processes occur inside and outside the body to make sense of what's what.

I discovered that an app like a kindle with my library at disposal anytime makes me read a lot more than my phisical collection. Configuring the app with dark theme, infinite scrolling and a comfortable font, feels like I'm browsing a social media app reading a long post. This kind of trick my brain and I'm reading a lot more since I started doing that.

I seem to recall that humans are tactile and the connection between holding and turning pages is a major part of the reading experience. Same with writing, holding a pen and putting it to paper somehow is more in synch with the process of recording thoughts. Maybe that was a thesis from Ned Ludd, :) but it wouldn't surprise me if we find out that the way we have been using tech has screwed up the writing process. What could have been...The classics were handwritten, they seem to have a certain quality.

There’s definitely something there. I know when I’m trying to work out ideas, I need to write freely without worrying about spelling, grammar, or formatting. If I get caught up fixing little things, it kills the momentum of the idea. But with default word processors, it’s tough—they’re full of signals and alerts that are meant to help but end up distracting me instead.

I feel the same way. Another important aspect for me is, that you can physically possess the book. It's difficult to lose it and it cannot be changed. I wish I could read books digitally, but unfortunately I cannot. It'd be easier and cheaper for me this way.

I always like to make notes and highlights in books, so the experience with a kindle is different. Though I use an old one with a hardware keyboard. Other than that I just don't like to have long read on a backlit device like my wife's kindle with backlight Maybe one downside is that I won't grab a digital book to read my notes or the highlights i made.