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I'm sure we all find it annoying to stare at screens for long periods of time, and perhaps this has some part to play in the complex issue. After all, who doesn't find their concentration waning after their gaze has been fixed on one spot for hour after hour? Whilst books also demand that we look at pages for long periods of time, there are frequent breaks in the act - for example every time we wish to turn a page. This alone could provide enough stimuli to prevent our eyes from becoming tiresomely unmoved.

Perhaps we also enjoy the feel of a book in our hands. This is another factor which may help keep us interested in what we are doing. The sensation of various types of paper on our fingertips, the book's weight and also its smell all provide constant stimuli that occupy our senses as we sink into the book's world. Another factor which contributes to my own preference for books is the irritating glare of a screen, particularly after I've been looking at it for some time. For me, switching from browsing the web to browsing a book and feeling my eyes adjusting to the background light is one of life's great pleaures!

I also think that people simply like to have books on a shelf in their house, and you never know when this might come in handy! My house had a power-cut recently which lasted for almost six hours. Had I not built up my own small library of books I would have struggled to entertain myself for that time. Such occasions remind me that just because I don't like all my media digitalised, doesn't mean I'm at a disadvantage.

Ultimately I think that books are just something which we can't do without. It's like using tea bags instead of tea leaves - one is much more convenient but the other has an air of authenticity and a charm all of its own. I'll certainly never stop enjoying my books, and it looks like I'm not alone if the news report was right. So I say, give me books, books, and more books, as I'll always enjoy having them around.

Aside from the benefit that categorising entertainment provides in the process of selecting something that suits our interests, limiting ourselves to particular genres can actually be somewhat inhibiting. Outside of our own favourite genres exists a multitude of writings in different styles and in different "genres", but considering genre alone may prevent us from encountering something wonderfully new, something with a freshness to it that reawakens our passion and changes our feelings.

Finding a particular genre rather joyless may have nothing to do with the genre at all, but merely the authors who you have thus far encountered within it. Taking science fiction as an example, many people cannot tolerate the writing style of Isaac Asimov. Whilst there may be some real delights within his writings it is easy to be put off by the style in which he writes - simplistic and rather tactless. However, if all you have read of science fiction is either poorly written, or lacks ideas of interest, then you are unlikely to feel well towards it.

Yet it is likely that within the genre there will be authors who write in a way which you find highly enjoyable, but who you simply have not discovered yet. Whilst none of us has the time to read book after book in a genre that we do not enjoy just to find an author who we actually like, there are ways around the problem.

The best solution is to talk to other readers. Discussing your literary preferences can open up a whole network of possibilities throughout the entire range of genres that you never could have discovered by yourself. In doing so you may have the chance to make new friends, but above all you will be opening yourself up to endless possibilities and the thrill of new discovery. So, whilst there may be little time, don't let that stop you from enjoying the many great books spread across all genres!

History has provided us with a vast library of treasured literary works from around the world. Amongst these there are a number of particularly precious gems. Usually certain works mean more to one person than to another, but the overall worthiness of most works considered a part of literary history is largely undisputable.

One such work that I would like to bring your attention to here is Siddartha by Hermann Hesse. To me this novel is one of the finest which can be drawn from the swathes of writings through the past, but this is not because of its myriad interpretations or complex linguistic form. This novel, which Hesse wrote in 1922, has a much humbler sense to it and this is what makes it so worthy.

Given the sort of philosophical views which it represents, the time at which the book was authored might seem rather surprising. However, Herman Hesse had travelled to India in the late 1910s which inspired him to investigate the eastern philosophical traditions further. His works are famously influenced by his study of them, and it is Siddartha which is perhaps known most of all for this.

The novel is a fable which closely mirrors the story of the Buddha, but ideology is not being forcd down our throats. Instead we are treated to an insightful depiction of one man's attempt to make sense out of life. There is no preaching here, and one might even say that Hesse's existential thoughts underlie this work rather than anything particularly Buddhist. Whilst we are not, therefore, given any logical philosophical arguments, what we are left with is a new idea about how we might view life.

It is the ability of this novel to give us a deep sense of wonder, as well as to tell a story so elegantly, that warrants its attention from readers at large. It is a highly recommended read and, being so short, is certainly not an arduous undertaking no matter what your own take on this book is. So why not have a look and see if you think there's any truth in what I've said.

The science fiction/fantasy writer best known for his Discworld series, made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust in December 2007 after publicly announcing he was suffering from an early-onset of the disease.

One of the world's most treasured authors, Pratchett has sold over 55 million books worldwide (as of 2007) with translations made in 33 different languages thus confirming his global success and popularity. Throughout the 1990's he remained the UK's bestselling author and is currently the second most-read author throughout the British Isles and seventh most-read non-US author in America.

Although his first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971 it was 1983 that saw Pratchett rise to fame with the release of The Colour Of Magic, the first of the well loved and long running Discworld series that captured a huge audience and cemented Pratchett's place within the heart of the public.

"I'm having difficulty fitting it into my head. I'm very pleased indeed. It cheers me up no end." He added: "It will also impress some of my American friends, who started calling me 'Sir' after I received my MBE, which was a little embarrassing."

Do you remember that time in your summer holidays when you had to spend hundreds of dollars on college books and read them before the start of college? They were great times, cheap food, lots of alcohol and not a lot of money.]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:19:53 -0800 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/916635 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/913316 The future of books

If somebody asked you "What is the history of books?" I expect most of you would have a pretty good idea.]]> Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:37:41 -0800 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/913316 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/908689

Whats Better? Books or Films?

Everyone knows the books vs. films debate has been going on as long as time itself. Clearly books have been around considerably longer, from the very spiritual beginnings of the bible and the Quran, to the modern day sales product the eBook. The book has always been one of those things, loved by Intellects and Knowledge seekers and hated by adrenaline junkies and beefcakes; an unfair generalisation. This short article will reveal three forgotten reasons why books will always be better than films.

Reason one. Books are the creators of knowledge. It is a well known fact that the more you read the more intelligent you become.]]> Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:46:24 -0800 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/908689 http://virb.com/maxgaucho/posts/text/752273 Are you an avid reader, looking for that hardcover edition of the latest bestseller? Searching online stores to get the best price always gives you a low? No need to worry, you can find ready help at book comparison websites.

In a book comparison website you do a search to get a list of all the reputed online bookstores and their offer price for the book. This makes the entire exercise of shopping for the book, a lot easier and exciting. After searching for the books, you can start comparing prices. We compare prices across all the online book stores and get you the best prices on offer. This takes a few seconds, but at the end of it, you won't regret the wait. These book comparison websites strive to make the results of the search to match your needs as much as possible by including features like hardcover, paperback, and publisher. They also allow you to search for different editions of the book. If you are searching for the latest edition of a book then your search is much easier now. Features like shipping time, sales tax and shipping fare are also included in the search to give you a good idea on the total price of the book and the expected delivery time.

Be it your favorite novel, the latest bestseller or your college text book, the book comparison websites helps you get the book at the cheapest price possible. Are you are a college student looking for discount prices for your text books, or a voracious reader boasting of a personal library, here is your chance to save tons of money. You can make substantial savings with the discount offered by the book comparison websites. The reviews written by others can help you a great deal in selecting the online store. Thus the book comparison websites help you at every stage-from searching books to comparing prices and placing orders. You can just stay relaxed and enjoy reading, knowing that you got the best bargain. All it takes is a few clicks and a couple of minutes.

Shopping for your favorite book is no more a tiresome job. You just pop into a book comparison website and within no time you will be ordering that bestseller you were -craving for!!

Looking for that best seller, you really want to get your hands on? Tired of searching a dozen online stores to find the best price? Www.gauchotexts.com makes it all easy. When you have a book in your mind, all you do is search it in Www.gauchotexts.com and in few seconds you have a comprehensive list of online shops and their offer best price. And another click of your mouse button, you can start comparing book prices. You can expand the search to include added features like tax, shipping rates etc. This will make the search and comparison of prices more meaningful and you get to know the exact price for which you get to own the book. This way, you get your book for the cheapest price in few minutes, if not in seconds.

Now, shopping for that bestseller is not so tiresome. A few clicks and you are there, ordering a brand new copy. We make your search complete, by including an exhaustive list of stores, which sell books, with their latest best price through daily updates. We compare book prices across all these shops to bring you the list of best prices on offer. Since we use the latest technologies your search takes just a few seconds. This ensures you get the best bargain for the book. Through gaucho you can get reviews of the online stores before you actually order. This way you can rest assured you are really going to get that book. You can also write your experience and help your fellow folks.

That's not all! We are going to sweeten the pot, a little more. To make your savings deeper we offer you exiting discounts for your orders. You can make use of the latest store coupons to make substantial savings. At Www.gauchotexts.com we always strive to give the readers best value for their money.

Thinking of any book?.. Then what are you waiting for? Go ahead and get your copy. Of course for the cheapest price!! Oh yes! Be prepared to be amazed by the amount savings you are going to make. Happy reading!!