I’m probably a little behind the times on this one. But, I figured I’d chime in. Don’t worry, I’m not going the way of “e-books aren’t real books.” However, I do have my pros and cons.
I have a Kindle. Just a plain old kindle, black and white, nothing super fancy. I do have a sweet leather cover for it so it feels like you’re holding a book. Which, I must say, helps the experience. People are often worried it won’t “feel” real, but the cover helps, sometimes I even find myself reaching for the upper right hand corner of the reader to turn the “page” instead of just pushing the button. Win for e-reader.
Con for e-reader: you can’t write in it, or dog ear. I know there are highlighting tools, and the truth is I really haven’t learned to use all the functions of my e-reader, even though I’ve had it for 13 months. Sometimes a pencil and my notes in the margins just feels better. Also, sometimes I remember where something significant is by how the page looks – paragraph breaks, the feeling of 1/3 of the book in my hand as I search for the exact page. Not something you get in an e-reader. So the opposite of this paragraph would be a pro of paper books.
Paper books also are just … nostalgic. Not that there’s anything wrong with a digital book. But paper books just feel different. It’s an intangible feeling I’m having difficulty explaining – please tell me you can relate. Also, this might not be an issue on fancier e-readers, but I miss cover art. Just sayin’.
Another big downfall of e-books/positive of paper books is this recent development of ebooks no longer being yours after you die? It makes me sad at the prospect of not being able to pass down books.
In summation, I like my e-reader. I buy books on super-discount from amazon that I might not otherwise. They are available instantaneously without me having to get off my couch – I mean, come on. However, if there’s a book I want to analyze, or a non-fiction book, I’d probably still go with paper. And, let’s be honest, perusing the pages of amazon.com will never trump rifling through the pages and spines of books in a cute, musty, coffee-infused book store.
I love my e-reader (I have a Nook, also just black-and-white, nothing fancy) for traveling. I can devour a paperback novel in a pretty short while – less time than it takes me to fly to Florida. It’s a pain to have to carry two books per flight, or spend (lots of!) money to buy them in the airport. With the Nook, I can carry as many books as I want and not have to lug so much around! I usually have one real book or a crossword puzzle to do during takeoff/landing when electronic devices are not allowed.
I still like real textbooks, though. It’s a lot easier to flip back and forth through a real book if you’re doing a lot of cross-referencing.
Agree! Much easier for packing. And, having moved once in the past few months and now moving again (we bought a house!) I am not at all envious of the task of the man and his brothers for having to lift my heavy toteS of books! (plus the at least dozen I’ve bought or acquired since I moved here a few months ago!) Also agree to agree on text books. Paper books for cross referencing and notating is most necessary
I did just buy “Bridge to Terabithia” on sale on amazon for my kindle. I can’t wait to go back there!
I’m not sure how I’m going to move all the books I have when I move back to NY after nursing school. Terabithia’s nice, but it’s got nothin’ on Zuba. :p
I know what you mean about books being nostalgic; I feel the exact same way! But I have the opposite problem about the pages. When I go from reading on my kindle to ink-and-paper books I find myself tapping the pages in a vain attempt to turn them. This makes me undeniably sad
I had a blackberry playbook (for a very short period of time) which i was using as a kobo style e-reader and i have to say, in fear of sounding like an ancient technophobe, that i’m anti e-books. Very much so. I like walking into somebody’s house and getting that nice feeling when you see that their walls are lined with books that they’ve spent ages collecting and reading and probably lending out to their best friends like you wink wink nudge nudge. With an e-reader you can’t tell if someone is very pretentiously tilting the cover of the Camus they’re reading so everybody else on the tube can see and thus providing you with twenty minutes entertainment before work. Now, it’ll be acceptable to read any old trash in public! I’m being flippant but hard copies of books have a more …authentic feeling to them. They don’t run out of battery or rely on wifi and second-hand ones can be bought for 25p and often include amusing annotations from the previous owner. A ‘real book’ only needs to be bought once and can be read by hundreds of people. On the other hand, several people i know have waxed lyrical on the benefits of sharing kindle accounts (and thus getting books for free), and increased shelf space yakkity yak… and i have to admit that the price of a new bestseller that you desperately want but can only purchase in hardback is a lot but won’t you be sad to see the bookshops go? Indie booksellers can’t compete with the big guys like waterstones and amazon and one day, even waterstones will run out of profit margin on their overpriced novelty pens.
I loved this comment! I have to admit, I agree with you on pretty much everything. I love full bookshelves that are all mish-mash of colors, size and titles. And I do adore a good book store. But, occasionally, especially if I want to try out a new author, or genre, I’m more apt to do it on the e-reader. Usually, if I’m making a leap of “well, I’ll give this a shot” without much of a recommendation from trusted book-friends, it’s because it’s a cheap e-book that I won’t have to find someone to pawn it off on after I’m done, if I don’t enjoy it. Overall, if I have to pick, I’m going paper book, but the e-reader broke me in a way I didn’t think it would!
Well originally i got one for university reading lists and the general saving of space & transport etc but i threw all attempts at organising my study out the window and now live in a palace of books! I feel a little twinge of weirdness every time i read a book but don’t physically own it, don’t you?
Haha yes! I find I have difficulty recognizing it – as I’m not always looking at the cover, just picking up from the page I left off. It’s a strange sensation!
OMG, new bestsellers are one of the “real book” categories that I will consistently buy. I have so many giant hardcovers…but I am too impatient to wait for the e-book. Especially with some of the series that I read! Being able to read fast + slow authors (I’m looking at you, George R.R. Martin) means that I’ve been waiting FOREVER for that next book to come out, and I will be first on line at the bookstore!
I forgot – I use my e-reader for library books a lot too. I don’t always have time to run to the library, and I mostly use the Mid-Hudson Valley system, which is out-of-town for me most of the time. Keeps me from spending money on books instead of food.
I agree with everything you’ve written here. With Barnes and Noble announcing its plan to close several of its stores in the upcoming years, I’m becoming fearful for the future of paper books – there’s nothing like just going to the bookstore and exploring the shelves. Great post with a variety of valid points.