This is my first time doing Let's Talk, a feature at i swim for oceans. It's a basically a feature all about discussion.
Question: Do you prefer real books or those on your e-reader, and why?
I prefer real books. This is a really obvious answer for me because just yesterday, I realized I hadn't seen or even thought of my Kobo e-reader for more than a month. (Don't worry, I found it.)
I love reading books on my Kobo, it feels like it's so high tech and it's light and pretty. It's this clean white on the front with the lilac textury thing at the back. At the same time, it still feels like something I force myself to do. It isn't very natural and maybe that'll change if I bother to use it more, but there's something to be said about opening up a new hard cover read, with the way the brand new pages feel and the smell of new book. (Does anyone else enjoy that?)
I also feel really guilty whenever I read a book on my Kobo. I feel like I'm destroying a tradition and as much as I love technology, I don't want real books to disappear. (It's irrational, I know.)
So that's why I prefer real books to ebooks. Thoughts?
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Oh, dear, this isn't something I've made a decision on just yet. I love that I can put my Kindle in my purse and have hundreds of books with me at all times. Carrying them around is comforting in a weird way. ON the other hand, there's nothing quite like the smell of an old book. I mostly read ebooks, and then if I especially like one, i order a physical copy for my shelf.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's something you need to make a decision on. You're right though, it is kind of awesome to have so many books just on one device.
DeleteIn general we still prefer real books to ebooks, BUT there are a lot of conveniences about ebooks that endear them to us more and more each day. They're lightweight; you can take a whole library with you instead of just a couple titles; you can adjust the font size; you can have them read aloud to you; they're often cheaper as ebooks (or maybe we just wait for deals... and e-ARCs!); etc.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, there's nothing quite like going into a bookstore or library, browsing spines, reading back covers, flipping through pages with their wonderful musty vanilla smell, and then taking one (or a few) home with you...
Bottom line: there's room for both types of books -- ALL types of books, really -- in our hearts. :)
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