E-readers vs "Real" Books
I'm here to start a rumble.
Real books
First let's look at what real books have got going for them. Turns out, it's a lot.
- Can gift to people. Wrap it. Put a bow on it. Add a heartfelt note. Or give it as is - maybe it's your own copy that you've handled and read many times. Either way, this kind of gift is wildly superior to "oh, I emailed you a voucher code..."
- Probably a better choice to read in the bath. Either choice is a splash risk, but a book is somewhat more salvageable than an electronic device.
- Can be signed should you be lucky enough to meet your favourite author.
- Some titles DESERVE a spot on your bookshelf and to be held in your hands.
- Speaking of which, all homes should have a bookshelf. It's the rules. During zoom meetings, you'll look a bit stupid if your bookshelf in the background is empty, or just has a dildo on it.
- A paper and ink book shows evidence of use over time... ie love. It has heart. There are few things sadder than a pristine book with a spine uncracked. Your favourite book should be one you need to re-purchase eventually because it's fallen apart from being read and re-read so many times, or because you gifted your much-loved copy to a friend.
- When you are reading a good book on the train, you can be a twat about it. People can see that you are, in fact, reading a good book, and not just mindlessly scrolling social media like some kind of uncultured peasant. You can even display the title, if you want to be really smug.
- Old books smell fucking delicious.
- Without these sort of books, we wouldn't have libraries, and that would be a terrific loss to our society.
Kindle, or other e-reader
While there's definitely a lot to be said for the above points... the kindle or tablet definitely has pros of its own... and they are not to be sneezed at.
- Never run out of space. If I didn't have a Kindle I would have had to stop buying books years ago. Or... I would have had to get rid of some books. Do you hear me? Actually get rid of.... No. It's unconscionable.
- Backlight. I agree with Dana, it's a Gamechanger.
- If your house burnt down, you'd still have a copy of any titles bought this way. While I am not planning on having my house burnt down any time soon, this is still a definite plus for me. At the risk of jinxing the situation, it is nigh impossible to lose a kindle book.
- I am extremely grateful to my Kindle for taking some of the heft from my Books To Read pile. Going to bed at night has become a deadly game of Jenga. Were it not for my trusty Kindle, I would dread new recommendations. I sleep better knowing I won't be buried alive in a tomb of my own making.
- Cannot be dog-eared. (Do not!)
- How many titles do you take on holiday? How much do they weigh? How many extra suitcases do you need to accommodate them? Need I say more?
- You can highlight or annotate bits without ruining the book.
- Your pet is unlikely to use it as a toilet if they get caught short.
- The Kindle edition of a book is often a bit cheaper.
So... there you have it. The winner is:
.
.
.
.
.
drum roll
.
.
.
.
Neither. We can only conclude there are extremely good reasons to own books in either or both formats.
What we need to do is, gang up on those heathens who listen to audiobooks.
(I'm kidding! Audiobooks are a great way to consume stories.)
Bonus content - Audiobooks
- Often, reading is not something that lends itself to multitasking. For example, you can't read and drive. Or at least, you shouldn't. Please don't.
- Maybe you're the sort who likes to (needs to) fidget or knit to help you concentrate.
- Maybe you have a shit-tonne of chores to do and this leaves you with little time to enjoy your favourite authors. Have I got the solution for you!
- Enjoy a book in the bath without worrying about the splash risk.
- Some narrators have very pleasing voices, and that can add another layer of enjoyment to listening to the story.
+++++++
As always, thank you for reading! Thank you especially to Dana Stewart who inspired this piece. Special thanks also to Cathy Holmes for the hot tip regarding feline bodily functions taking you straight to the front page. I am confident it will work beautifully.
And as usual, I have questions! Please leave a comment to make it easy for me to reciprocate the read. Tell me:
1. Who wins in your opinion - e-readers or "real" books? How many of your books are digital vs hard copy?
2. How did you come across this one - were you browsing Vocal or a different site?
3. Has your cat ever shat (or vomited) on a treasured book? And is that cat still alive today?
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Comments (17)
This was brilliant!! Very funny, I laughed a lot! I only read real books. I find something really inspiring about a physical representation of all the words and stories and characters and places and ideas that have gone into my mind. And also I really enjoy a beautiful cover. I like to stroke it like a cat 😂 The only problem is travelling... I also read very fast, so I have to take more than one book with me when I go away, so my suitcase/backpack gets very heavy. And there's always the dilemma of how many to take. Three? Four?!
L.C. I love this but do feel you could be a little biased seeing as you are a librarian by trade. (Right? Or did a male that up? I do know that LC stands for library card… 🤔) Anyways, I have always been impartial to real book (hard covers)! I have recently acquired a floor to ceiling book shelf and have been “curating” it with all my favourite works as I get them! So I completely agree that no home is complete without a bookshelf! I do appreciate the sentiment of ebooks that you never run out of space with them but the running joke in my house is that if we do run out of space then it might be time to move! 😜 I laughed so hard at the “let’s gang-up on audiobook users” part!! That being said, one of my favourite things to do around Christmas time is throw on the audiobook of the original Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I will listen to it while bake or on a long drive, it’s just one of those things that really gets me in the spirit! Thank you for writing this! It was a fun and reflective read for me!! If you wanted to do a part 2 you could review the benefits of hard cover vs paperback or the different types of E-books or the different narrators in audiobooks! I could see this being a fun mini series you do!
Hahahahahhahaha I laughed so many times while reading this! And thank you for calling me an uncultured peasant! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 1. I've only had about maybe 50 physical books. Which I've already sold because money is tight. I have more than 200 ebooks, lol. 2. Vocal notifications! 3. I would love to know where did this question come from 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I've never read audiobooks. I prefer traditional books but the Kindle does have some advantages, as you mentioned (lol @ dog earring). Good article!
Lol this was hilarious! I love reading your work. I do still read books but kindle has definitely grown on me.
Nailed the pros and cons, I kinda love my tablet. Books I love are still scattered in piles throughout dusty rooms. I will be searching bookcases on Zoom for assorted dildos henceforth.
I am fine with both formats. The Kindle is good for reference and large volumes. I read Imajica constantly on it, I had a 1200 page print copy that I gave to a friend, the Kindle is convenient. Smaller books 500 pages are fine in physical format. The first book I read on my phone was Sun Tzu's The Art Of War. I read it twice, it seems perfect for e-format. Great piece.
Ooh I love real books, but I’m grateful for kindle and audio for all the reasons you so eloquently laid out above 😊
I love physical books. I buy from thrift stores. I read them and give them away after or donate them
physical books win out for me completely; in adoration and number. I love the feeling of turning the page and the heft of the book in my hand! Actually being able to see and measure my progress in that way is legendary! E-books are a treasure, though they represent the lowest number in my collection. I can take thousands, tens of thousands of pages with me across the world! Which I often do, in only my ipad. Audiobooks are the Divine's gift to people like me, who aren't over fond of music. I have lots mind you, but listen to it only when not sober or not interested in a narrative at the moment. It reminds me of being read my favourite stories as a child and lets me avidly consume my books while doing any number of things! I'm subscribed to you, so that's how I always know when you publish your next amazing piece :) since you asked
Ohhh I cannot do audiobooks! Podcasts are better suited for my ears; words written must be read, by and large. (Scripts may not count here, haha.) Kindle is fantastic for reading at night. I enjoy both kindle and real books but the adjustable text size is often more attractive to me… I cannot be without physical books though.
I love both hard copies and my Kindle but have never tried audio books. I listened to a play on cassette once and found that it was lulling me to sleep as I drove. Had to abandon it. I think really hard copies win out. I like the feel of a book!
I use all three. I currently have four books on the go, two physical, one audio and one kindle. I use them at different times. This way, I get the best of all worlds. Though my audiobook either makes me cry or sleep right now. Harrowing subject matter, lulling voice. It's a very confusing combination on public transport. Also...I hate it when I read a book so great I want it on my bookshelf forever...but I bought it on Kindle. Meanwhile, and I am not kidding, the fucking Twilight saga is on the shelf. The least visible part of the least visible shelf in the least used room of the house, but still.
Good points! What I value the most about real books is their smell (ah, am I too sentimental?). Gifting books will never get old, too. I had an e-book a while ago. Until I squashed it under the weight of my body in an overcrowded train. Sitting on your backpack is a terrible idea. Now I read from my laptop, not so very comfortable - pretty impossible to read like this in a bathroom for example, but well, still works for me.
The title of this drew me in immediately. I am an avid e-reader officianado. I find it helpful for its ability to tell me exactly how far I am through a book with percentages, how much time I have left in both chapters, and how much time I have left for the remainder. The Kindle challenges are also a lot of fun and motivating! That said, I always have the hard copies of the books I love on my shelf. To each their own! Great write up
I'm real books all the way! It brings me an inner peace that nothing else quite replicates. That being said, I'm scared to read a couple of 1st editions, as I'm worried I will fall asleep and they will get damaged by the children, should they find them in the morning!
Physical books, ebooks and audiobooks all have their plus and minus . I just tried audiobooks , My eyes did not get tired but I get into the books better if I read the words myself. Great topic to write about as always you do an excellent work in getting your point across in your stories 🥰🥳