Solar Flare: Science Fiction News

Those of you who regularly read my ramblings (why?) will have noticed an ongoing discussion between myself and the good folks over at SFSignal on the subject of book buying. This Hunter, Gatherer discussion got me to thinking about my own approach to book buying.

My first thought was that I was a Gatherer, not a Hunter since I rarely go to a shop looking for one specific book. Rather I just go in there thinking “Hmm, books!”. On the other hand I don’t generally concern myself with price (at least not once I’m inside the store) and don’t go looking for bargains.

But on the other hand, I almost never buy hard backs and never buy trade paperbacks for regular novels because I consider that a waste of money. But, on the fourth hand there are certain books which I am just so eager to get that I will buy a hard back copy just so I can read the book. Thats usually the authors that take forever to get a book out (George R. R. Martin I’m looking at you!) and it then takes another year for it to hit regular paperback.

So does that make me a Hunter or a Gatherer? No idea, definitely makes me a book lover. I used to think it was the books themselves that I loved, the paper etc. But lately I’ve moved largely to e-books on my Sony Clie. Its just so convenient to have 50 books carried around with me at all times, not to mention being able to read at night without waking up my wife.

In fact over the last year or so I’ve found myself buying all sorts of books that I probably would not have bought except for the fact they were offered as e-books and many fantasy and SF books aren’t yet. Hmm, that points me back towards Gatherer again doesn’t it?

Ah, but lets throw in another hand and really confuse the issue. I don’t keep all the books I buy, actually I get rid of a lot of them and only keep the ones I really enjoy. Does that fit the Gatherer mold? I suspect not.

So maybe the truth is that I’m neither a Gatherer or a Hunter, but quite simply a reader. If it’s written down, I’ll read it.