I am a nerdy reader and I lean heavily toward non-fiction of a wide variety of types.
Here are some talking points for the UWSP Life presentation on 10/6/22 at 1 PM
I love Amazon ebooks. Many friends dislike ebooks, citing lack of heft to hold, lack of a book smell. I like them, citing variable print size, very fast delivery, very compact space needed, wide selection and the ability to collect highlights in a single file I send to my own email. Even if you don't go for Amazon, I recommend keeping their Books section of their web site in mind. Using a computer, it is easy and fast to locate a few words about many books, see pricing and order a used copy if desired.
A handy rule of thumb is that computers are more powerful than smartphones or tablets. I recommend using a computer for book business whenever possible.
Another feature of Amazon ebooks is that all that is needed to send an ebook to a friend is that friend's email address. Not everyone wants a book gift and an Amazon ebook gift is not sent to the email address unless the recipient accepts the book. I have a friend who has promised to kill me if I send another ebook. I am trying to remember not to.
I have more than 3000 ebooks.
Another handy tool is the online search of a library's holdings. Both the Portage County and the UWSP library can be searched online and a book can have a hold placed on it if desired.
I recommend exploring and using the Libby app. You can download the app on an Apple or Android device and you can use it online at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjY--LCob_6AhUkjIkEHQE3ArIQFnoECAYQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flibbyapp.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw0OyCNHbayvZIBAz6BAmxoI
There are alternative e-readers available, such as Barnes and Noble Nook, the Kobo reader and others.
Look up the author. See what that person has written, what background they have.
Look into using Libby, the app for borrowing books from public libraries. Don't always start at the beginning. There are often hundreds of pages of available books. I set the search for books (not audiobooks), what is available and move to an internal page, maybe p. 50 or p. 100 or p. 213.
Look up the book in a Google search. You may find a PDF or a good summary. Check out Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive. You might look at Bookbub, for low price. Sometimes, a used copy is much cheaper that anything else.
Search libraries online, such as Poco, Portage County library.
Make files of highlights and send them to yourself and some friends.
Recent books of note:
- Incognito by Eagleman
- Seven and a Half Lessons about Your Brain by Barrett
- The Female Brain by Brizendine
- Starry Messenger by Tyson
- Why Woo-woo Works by Hamilton
- My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor
- How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson
- Breath by Breath by Larry Rosenberg
- Books by Gay Hendricks and his wife
