Thoughtful Tuesday May 19th 2020
"Books are no more threatened by kindle than stairs by elevators."
-Stephen Fry
There is still some strong opinions out there from fellow book lovers on the evolution of e-readers. Some people love the feeling of a book in their hands. The smell of the paper. They loathe the idea of reading books on electronic devices. Some only read from their devices, and don't like the clutter of books in their house.
I'm in that happy medium, where I love both physical books, and e-books, for different reasons.
I love books, for the very same reasons I posted above. I love the weight and feel of a book in my hands. I like the smell of the paper ... I still have the same copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone I had when I was 12. It accidentally spilled some body spray on a couple pages. It still smells like lemons. I love displaying them in my home, and looking at them all lined up. If the power goes out, I have my books! No charging necessary. You can get them autographed if you want. The only thing I dislike, is their expense, and sometimes, you have to wait to have time to get to the store. There is also the potential for books to get ruined. I have lost a few books to paper ripping toddlers, and pen scribbles.
E-books are just as great. I love that I don't have to wait for the bookstore to open, and find time to get there, or wait for it to be shipped to my house. Very handy when you are reading a series, and one of the books ends on a cliffhanger. It's a cheaper alternative to readers, typically 50% cheaper than the physical copy of books. And there are multiple ways to read e-books! You can go out and buy actual devices devoted to just e-books (I used to own a Kobo, and I still mourn it's death. Murdered by coffee cup to be exact), or download their free apps on your cell phone. I constantly flip through three different book apps: Kobo, Kindle, and Google Play Books. I also like that it's easier for an author to publish an e-book, therefore more people get to live out their dreams of being a writer. The only things I am not crazy about, is that it can be sometimes hard on the eyes (leading me to purchase special glasses just to make staring at a screen easier on the head), and I don't get to see my favorites lining my bookshelf.
There is a problem with liking both though ... if you love a book or series enough, and you know you will re-read it ... well, you might do something nutty like me, which is buy both.
Yup.
I always buy the e-book first. If I love it, and I plan on rereading it, I buy the book. Not very friendly on the wallet, but it's hardly the worst vice out there.
What do you think? Do you have a preference? Let me know in the comments!