Anne here, pondering the changes e-books have brought to my reading and buying habits. I've always been a voracious reader and re-reader, and a big buyer of books. I do love libraries, and use my local ones often, but when I love a book, I want to own it. And if I love an author I want all their books living in my house, there to be taken down whenever the impulse takes me.
I remember when I first discovered Eva Ibbotson, I borrowed them one by one from the library. But then my library started culling books, and when several favorite books disappeared forever I decided to buy my own copies. But to my dismay, the Eva Ibbotson books for adults were all out of print. There was no alternative but to use the web to track down secondhand copies. I paid a fortune for some of those copies, some of them former library editions, most from the US and UK and of course, the postage was ridiculous. But the books were gold so I didn't begrudge a cent.
Then the books were reissued in paperbacks, some with changed titles, and classed as young adult fiction—which they aren't. And so, to be safe, I bought new paperback copies to lend out to friends. I wanted them as e-books, too, but for a long time the e-books weren't available. Recently however, they've become available, so yippee — I've been buying up all her adult titles again (and some of her children's books, too.)
Above is my collection. (You will note that there are two copies of a Song for Summer, because the paperback is almost falling apart) and my copy of A Countess Below Stairs isn't in the pile. I will have to search for it. Chances are I've pressed it on a friend, as it's one of my faves. And will be theirs, I expect. Curses!)
What a treat to be able to buy beloved novels again. I look through my bookshelves and so many favorite books are missing — my own fault, because I have a habit of pressing books on friends, saying "Oh you must read this, it's wonderful." And then I forget who has which book, and they forget to return it and then there are gaps in my bookshelves and the books are out of print and I am left bereft.
Think of the pleasure we've all had when favorite authors like Mary Jo and Pat and others reissued their books as e-books (and some as audio books — see Mary Jo's recent post.) I remember reading them both in library editions long before I ever met them. In those days it was almost impossible to buy US published historical romance in Australia. But now I'm steadily buying up those books as e-books.
My mother grew up reading Zane Grey and Louis Lamour, but by the time I was curious enough to read them, they were well out of print. But now they're back as e-books, available forever. She also used to read Elizabeth Cadell and those books have come back to life as e-books, reissued by Elizabeth Cadell's estate. I find such things enormously heartening.
But there are plenty of authors who have not been republished in digital editions. Bronwyn Williams, for instance — she has a few available, but not her book The Warfield Bride which is one of my favorites. I hope it's coming soon.
So are there books you would love to see reissued in e-format? Let's make a list. And with any luck, the authors or their publishers might sit up and take notice.