When I was in Pattaya last July I popped into my usual book shop Canterbury Tales 

I was shocked at how busy it was, it's a second hand bookshop 

Ok the majority actually all the customers were over the age of 50 it seemed.

But the question is do you still read books nowadays?

All the book shop in Australia seems to have closed because this next generation aren't interested.

Yes I still read a lot and will continue to do so, when in Bangkok I always pay a visit to Dasa bookshop on Sukhumvit rd which is a very short walk from Phrom Pong BTS. It's a second hand bookshop with a lot of and a big range of books at good prices.

Wonder who stills reads the hardcover ones ?

I prefer biographies,but now online on my iPad ,but maybe one a year.

Any interesting books to do with younger older gay  relationships?

I guess now the young generation are easily bored by book reading and don't have the patience and prefer tiktok etc, 

I'm going to have to learn how to use those audio books though so I can do other things like washing the dishes etc whilst I listen

 

 

I still get some hardcovers and books I buy here in Australia I get through Dymocks, most of my reading now is history books as I like to read about the past, I have read a lot on WW1 and find some of the books that cover certain units and the people quite interesting. I used to read a lot of novels and Tom Clancy was a favourite with Red Storm Rising still being one of my all time favourite books. Apart from Dasa books in Bangkok I also like to visit Kinokuniya book store in Siam Paragon for new books, that's a big store with a good range of books. For me I just can't read those ebooks, I much prefer to have a proper book in my hands, must be too old for ebooks.

55 minutes ago, Olddaddy said:

Wonder who stills reads the hardcover ones ?

I prefer biographies,but now online on my iPad ,but maybe one a year.

Any interesting books to do with younger older gay  relationships?

I guess now the young generation are easily bored by book reading and don't have the patience and prefer tiktok etc, 

I'm going to have to learn how to use those audio books though so I can do other things like washing the dishes etc whilst I listen

 

 

Most of my friends (20-30 yo) and I read, so I don't think books are lost on the younger generations, although most of them use Kindles, other e-book readers, or audiobooks. I prefer physical books, but I order from Booktopia and rarely go into bookstores like Dymocks.

I have banned myself from buying any new books atm though, I have too many in the backlog to get through and not enough time with work really putting pressure on my free time.

Never thought I'd switch to Kindle, but I did when I realized how convenient it is, especially for travel. No more taking 4 or 5 big paperbacks on vacations. Also now that I'm retired I'm just ploughing through cheap adventure/war/spy type novels. Usually only five or six dollars each.

My reply to the title question is 'yes'.  Not sure that all/most people under 50 have stopped reading but I do know that Amazon has killed off a lot of bookstores in the US.

3 hours ago, xpaulo said:

Never thought I'd switch to Kindle, but I did when I realized how convenient it is, especially for travel.

I agree that (Amazon) Kindle is a great convenience for travelers.  I put a lot of books on my Kindle before I leave & I borrow books while I'm traveling from my public library at home as well.

Yes Tmax I also go to Kinokuniya bookshop in Siam Paragon in Bangkok to stock up on books, at a much cheaper price than Asia Books here in Pattaya. Years ago I bought a Kindle and a good friend downloaded hundreds of books for me for free, but I really like having a book in my hands. 

20 minutes ago, Ruthrieston said:

Yes Tmax I also go to Kinokuniya bookshop in Siam Paragon in Bangkok to stock up on books, at a much cheaper price than Asia Books here in Pattaya. Years ago I bought a Kindle and a good friend downloaded hundreds of books for me for free, but I really like having a book in my hands. 

I'm another Kinokuniya fan! Many of the books I read - and I do read quite a number - are now on Kindle. They are so much easier to purchase on amazon, just one click. Also having travelled so much, an iPad is lighter and takes up a lot less space in my hand luggage than many books.

I find one of the problems with keeping hardback books in the tropics is that the climate will eventually affect the spine and pages will begin to drop out. Another if you don't use the services of a pest control company is white ants. They are thankfully not everywhere but I have once picked up a thick book I had not opened for at least a year to find great canyons carved through the pages!

On 10/7/2022 at 9:03 PM, tm_nyc said:

from my public library

I was told by an acquaintance once that the public library in our town disapproves of people taking their books on vacation, but I was never told that first hand so I'm skeptical. It's a small town library though and doesn't have a great selection. It was getting hard to find a book there I wanted to read. I also suspect they may be culling the books they have and are careful about what they acquire. It wouldn't be right wing in this case, but more about getting rid of politically incorrect stuff. What's politically correct is or is not is a matter of opinion however, so I won't pick sides in that battle.

I have access to three libraries and also to advance copies on NetGalley. I make good use of them, reading three  novels a week.

My current read: