Pearl Buck's Work to be Available for E-Readers

If you're a geek like me, the announcement that came today that thirteen of Pearl Buck's novels will soon be available in digital format is very welcome news indeed.  According to an article in the New York Times

The novels will be released by Open Road Integrated Media and include The Good Earth, The Big Wave, The Promise and A House Divided.

I should point out that "The Big Wave" is not a novel, but rather a children's book, also sold as the main story in a short story collection, The Big Wave and Other Stories.  It's an exciting read, but certainly not a novel.

Personally I am a bibliophile and will always love books, but the geek in me also really appreciates the fact that I always have my mobile device with me and thus can always read my e-books, whether I am stuck in an airline terminal waiting to board, sitting in an office waiting for someone who's late for a meeting, finished the days work early with no concrete plans for the rest of my time, or have been forced to take shelter while out on a bike ride when a sudden storm crops up.

If I had my way, books would be marketed with optional download codes for e-versions at no extra charge.  Because as much as I love the convenience of e-books, they've not come up with a way to capture the full experience of a real book.  For one thing, real books don't run out of power, even after 10, 12, or 100 hours.  They've still not come up with a really good e-reader bright sunlight.  There are decent ones, but the costs are high.  Because of that, I'm willing to take my paperback to the sandy beach, not so much a Kindle, iPad,or Nook. I've been on beach vacations where we've been still finding sand on our persons, in the car, in our pockets, and in our laundry days and even  weeks after the leaving.  It washes out, but it can't be good for microchips.

How great would it be to know that no matter where you got delayed, if you're also really wrapped up in a book,  you could call it up on your mobile phone, e-reader or computer, read on, and find out what happens next?  The biggest possible downside I see right now, even worse traffic jams. Pearl Buck's Peony often got me totally wrapped up in it!