# Why are physical book sales doing so well? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153 "2018-01-08T18:31:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/81 "2018-01-12T11:22:02Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > (I would like to know if it’s possible to download e-reader software onto a laptop? Because there are some books that are only available digitally, but I don’t want to have to go out and buy an e-reader just for that alone) [Yes. Here is one](https://calibre-ebook.com/download). ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/82 "2018-01-12T13:24:02Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > (I would like to know if it’s possible to download e-reader software onto a laptop? Because there are some books that are only available digitally, but I don’t want to have to go out and buy an e-reader just for that alone) You could buy a cheap tablet. The Kindle Fire is on sale frequently for $40-50. Or if you have a smart phone with a decent size screen, you could download the Kindle App for it. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/83 "2018-01-12T13:52:22Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Yes. Here is one](https://calibre-ebook.com/download). I was going to recommend this; it lets you convert and manipulate formats in addition to simply reading the books. As for eye strain, as I mentioned my rule of thumb is a minimum 300 pixels per inch, the more the better. It is false to view codices vs e-books as competitors or that you have to choose between them; they are complementary. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/84 "2018-01-12T14:10:03Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > (I would like to know if it’s possible to download e-reader software onto a laptop? Absolutely. Amazon has Kindle software for PCs and Macs. **Darren Garrison** linked to Calibre. And I haven’t tried it myself, but I think you can use the [Overdrive](https://www.overdrive.com/) software to both check out and read library ebooks. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/85 "2018-01-12T14:48:45Z")
Also, not for Windows/Mac, but for Android, I can’t praise more [Moon+](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=823321). (Well, technically you could run Moon+ on Windows using one of the many Android emulators.) ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/86 "2018-01-12T16:06:16Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Amazon has Kindle software for PCs and Macs. > > **Darren Garrison** linked to Calibre. True, Calibre has a reader in it but it is really, really clunky; Amazon’s is better. Reading an entire book on my computer screen is not my idea of a good time, though. That’s why I bought a Kindle. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/87 "2018-01-12T16:32:26Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Aren’t those magazines? Only if you’re someone who doesn’t actually _read_. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/88 "2018-01-12T17:34:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Absolutely. > > Amazon has Kindle software for PCs and Macs. > > **Darren Garrison** linked to Calibre. > > And I haven’t tried it myself, but I think you can use the [Overdrive](https://www.overdrive.com/) software to both check out and read library ebooks. Yep. I have a Kindle, and the Kindle reader on my phone. The pages sync back and forth depending on which one you read last. It’s VERY nice to have the current book I’m reading on my phone for those times I’m stuck waiting. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153/89 "2018-01-13T01:12:56Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Yes. Here is one](https://calibre-ebook.com/download). Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-physical-book-sales-doing-so-well/806153.md?page=4)