h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I hope I'm allowed to do this, it's done in the spirit of what might interest the community rather than as an advert for Amazon*. Their deal of the day is the complete HHGTTG for £2.19.

Obligatory question to calm the pedants: Anyone interested?

Deb

* Can there be anyone out there who hasn't heard of them in any case? Presumably kindle owners already shop there from time to time so this can't possibly be classed as advertising.

Is it books, radio series, TV series, movie (), or all of them (or more)?

Is that just for today? I'm told that it would have been DNA's 60th birthday today.


Geggs

It's the five books in one for the kindle. Yes, just today only - Amazon do one ebook a day at a special rate, often just 99p. I tend to go check every day and buy it if it's something I'll likely read.

Deb

thanks Deb! I shall certainly try and take advantage of this as I left my new copy behind...

If you want a paper copy, you could go mad and do what I did:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hitchhikers-Guide-Complete-Novels/dp/0517226952

I treated myself to a copy with my first ever post-University paycheck. A leather-bound limited edition of the collected Guide books.

And I've just remembered I didn't see it when I boxed up my belongings last month, so it must be somewhere in the flat...

I have to say I've already discovered the joy of the kindle version. I wanted to check something before I posted elsewhere on the site, and I used the "Go to..." facility to, well, go to the place I wanted immediately rather than having to get out the relevant book, leaf through until I find the approximate place then scan for the word.

I do my kindle.

Deb

Damn! Missed it. But then...I have it downloaded anyway. Also the Dirk Gentlys.

deb,

You are discouraged from posting blatant ads, but if there is something that you yourself consider to be a very good deal, you are of course allowed to publish your opinion - that's a customer review rather than an advertisement.

You are equally allowed to post that you think an offer is incredibly bad value.

You know? I'm firmly a Kindle sceptic. I got one for Christmas (to replace one I lost last year ) And so far I've only read one book on it. See QotD.

Granted I have a huge backlog of Actual Books - including some I got for Christmas and my birthday in January - but I also enjoy the serendipity of rootling around in a charity shop and coming up with something unexpected. I haven't found a way of matching that experience.

I will use it some time. I even bought () a book for it last week...but I really don't see me getting excited about it.

I love that I can carry round half a library in a small handbag. It's so light that even reading a mighty tome in bed isn't awkward. And if I want to lie on my side with my arm stretched out across the bedside table I can increase the font size so I can still see the words clearly (this also works as my eyelids start to droop but I'm determined to finish the chapter).

I don't think a kindle will ever replace the books I already have, I love the look and feel of them, seeing them on a bookshelf gives me pleasure. But for ease of reading, and in fact ease of buying right now when you really fancy reading Charles Dickens, I definitely love my kindle.

Deb

Sure, sure. A library in a man bag. But I don't generally read a whole library at once.

Font size - good point, though. Handy in dimly lit pubs.

It's not so much the reading a whole library at once, more reading what you're in the mood for. I've had to do some waiting around in hospital waiting rooms recently and it's nice to be able to choose to continue reading Sherlock Holmes stories or perhaps dip into Shakespeare. The fact that I'm boring and just carry on reading the same book anyway is neither here nor there. Knowing I have the choice is a wonderful thing.

Deb

"It's not so much the reading a whole library at once, more reading what you're in the mood for"

Amen to that.

when I was on a Biz trip to Turkey I finished one book while we were being de-iced on the runway. Then I could just dive right into the next one. Then when we were in the air I had about 3 hours where I could do some uni work because I had my house-brick of a textbook on the Kindle. The book I started on the plane helped me through 2 nearly sleepless nights and I finished it sometime in the middle of the 2nd night. So I started another in the airport, then did more uni work...

but I also love the serendipity of the charity book shop rummage, and the smell of books just can't be bottled. And some of the books I've only had as eBooks will eventually make their way into my ex-tree library. Just so I can look at them lovingly and dust them occasionally.

It's true that I've travelled with more than one book. But seldom more than three.

But even then I agree that a Kindle is space/weight saving.

One *big* drawback for me is that you can't potlatch your books. One the main points of books is to be able to give them away to friends (book lovers don't expect loaned books to be returned) or charity shops.

You don't buy books from Amazon. You rent them.

My daughter has loaned me kindle books she purchased from Amazon. I think it is a 2 week loan.

Yes - but then you're making someone read them within two weeks. Well - for me, getting around to a book is a Some Day thing. And as I say, like many book lovers, when I say 'lend' I really mean 'give away'. I tell friends to pass the books on or give them to charidee. Spread the joy.

Can't do that with Amazon DRM.

Fly away, little , fly away and be free!