Since I was a kid I’ve surrounded myself with printed volumes…I love the texture and smell of books.

I’m with you there. The genre in which I usually write, technical books on creative software, is beginning a serious shift toward e-books. Although that shift excites me for a number of reasons, it saddens me for just as many. I love the smell of books, and there’s no feeling in the world like turning a pulp and ink page. The visual aspects of books appeal to me with equal strength–the perfectly smooth trim edges, the subtle way in which the paper grain texturizes the ink of letters (especially in paperback novels), and, of course, the design and layout dictated by a finite live area and color gamut.

For all their advantages, ebooks will never be able to provide the sensory experience of holding a pulp and ink book.

My next two books will be ink on paper, but they may also appear in some form of PDF ebook (we’re still discussing that). Whereas with those, paper is the primary form and electronic a secondary form of publication under consideration, my fourth book will be entirely electronic, with paper being a potential secondary format. It won’t carry the personal sensory satisfaction of a printed book, but, as a PDF, I’m excited to do things with it that just aren’t possible in print.

You’re welcome. Your book is a very inspirational one, and I have it on the shelf next to Arden’s It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be. I’m hoping for some synergy, obviously B-). But it is very insipring.

Those 15 books you mentioned sure are meaty. I get very narrowly-oriented when I go looking. I love art ‘how-tos’ and design books. Occaisionally I do remember you can read for pleasure!

The best thing about books is, indeed, they need no power. They keep putting up these e-books but I’m not buyin’. Not yet, anyway.

First of all, thanks for mentioning my book on your list. I’m now working on book number two – with several more already lined up.

I’m with you when it comes to books. Since I was a kid I’ve surrounded myself with printed volumes. My partner dreads walking past a bookstore with me as I simply MUST go in. Powells City of Books is heaven to me – and I lived four blocks away for five years. When I was on vacation in St. Croix a couple months ago I read 15 books just for pleasure. I love the texture and smell of books. I just received a box of four new design books to review. Opening the box was almost as good as sex!

- J.