The Great Paper Debate: In Defence of Kindles
I've got a beef with the book world today.
I love books. Paperbacks, ebooks, hardcovers, audiobooks, the works. My room is overrun with books and my Kindle archive reaches beyond 600 books. I love books, no matter the format.
The internet, though, can be brutal. And lately I'm fed up with the brutal war against e-readers. (Yes, I'm playing with political terms. Please don't take this too seriously.)
It started with Pinterest, so that's where I'll start.
Because a "real book" can fit in my suitcase when I fly home and back for school breaks, can slide into my purse without giving me scoliosis, can look up an unknown word with the push of a button.
No, only a digital book can do those things.
Wait, you mean the glitter and Photoshop or the dust that gives me an allergy attack?
Hmm, yeah, guess so. But... pretty sure a mental library displayed in conversation beats any library displayed in your living room. In other words, they're for READING, not showing up your guests like a jerk.
(P.S. Decorating with books is still cool, just not a good reason for dissing e-readers. Decorate with books because you love them, not because they make you look good.)
More reasons to love the e-reader:
- No paper cuts!
- I can buy a book the minute I want it. I don't do this often, but when I do, the power... it's intoxicating.
- SHELF SPACE IN MY DORM ROOM MUST BE HOARDED. Kindles fit in desk drawers!
- It's a lot easier to turn the page with one hand when it involves a button instead of actual pages (like, while traveling or working, because yes I'm a multitask reader).
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- Some ebooks are free! Even some good ones! I dare you to find a free paper book that you get to keep!
- Digital library books (yes, they exist, they're amazing!) are much easier to check out and return. Go to the library from home!
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- You can take notes with the same device you read with -- and then they're hidden from sight unless you want to read them, preventing them from interfering with your reading.
- I know I mentioned this earlier, but constant, instant dictionary access is definitely an under-appreciated perk of e-reading.
- Environmentally friendly. No trees harmed!
- E-readers come with options: Zoom, text-to-audio, backlight, hyperlinked tables of content... need I continue?
Citing sources so I don't get sued:
While I love the feel of paper back and pages and the smell of books I would be lost without my ereader. I use it so often and it is such a help for my work. Besides, I have limited book shelf space. I would have nowhere to keep all the books I keep buying without it.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's not a case of either/or, but rather sharing the love!
DeleteHa, ha! I do love having shelves of books and feeling the paperback in my hands, but I read on an e-reader more often. It's pretty funny when I come across a word I don't know and nearly press the page to look it up, forgetting it is a paper copy.
ReplyDeleteI have little access to a physical library because I don't have a vehicle, shelf space in a dorm is very limited as you know, and reviewing books is much easier with digital copies. E-books are awesome! But I still want paper copies of my favorites.
I definitely love having physical copies of my favorite books. I can also totally relate to touching an unfamiliar word in a paperback and then laughing at myself!
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