Physical Books vs. Kindle/Online/Electronic Reading Devices
@emelizabeth12 (46)
September 30, 2012 7:01pm CST
I don't know about you guys but I'm kind of a book nerd! I love to read and have ever since I was a young child. I currently live in a home that is large enough, thank heavens, to house all my books! I have five book cases which are completely full of novels and text books and classics and several other cases throughout the house which have varying levels of books. I have no boundaries on genre :) My friends are constantly asking me why I bother to buy the physical books, why I don't just read online or buy a kindle...I can never describe to them how I truly feel about holding a book in my hands and reading from physical pages. I think only a true book lover can understand how I feel about actually having the books and not just the essence of a book on a screen...
Something that bothers me to some great extent is that in the future no one will know that great joy I feel from sitting down on a chilly fall day, with cozy blanket, a new book, a cup of tea. They will miss out on that sensation of cracking open a new novel, given up for little less than the press of a button or touch of a screen.
Don't get me wrong, I love technology. I'm a avid computer and cell phone advocate. I have a motorola xoom tablet and a laptop for travel and outdoor use! I love new and exciting technology but for some reason I can't give up on the idea of print medias. I'm sure there are those who think little of print media with how enormous the internet reach of today is but I have to hope that there are still others out there like myself, who dread the day we won't be able to buy books and newspapers anymore on anything but a internet wave!
Anyone care to comment on either side?
2 people like this
13 responses
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
2 Oct 12
The physical books will be sold in many millions of book stores. You are right to say it will help the economy and create jobs. Also many librarians will be having those jobs from thos books too. 
@emelizabeth12 (46)
•
2 Oct 12
I agree with both of you! I hate that local libraries are going out of business and being underfunded and ignored! Books keep people employed in places like BAM and B&N as well!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 Oct 12
Ah you worship the book, not that you like to read. So for you the physical book is an idol. Me? I can read a physical book, online, and in my iPad. EAch has their benefits and drawbacks. With the paper book, you have it in your bookcase, so anyone comes over and wants to read, they can. The drawback is that if you are like me, you use an envelope or any piece of paper as a bookmark and in some case, people turn down the pages, so you have a horrid crease line and shall I tell you about those who are not near sighted and you have to either look for your glasses, the background is almost the same as the text etc. and you have to hold it open.
With Kindle and iPad,you can enlarge the text, make it easier to read, and if you are reading two books, you can bookmark the other, and can open it. Also takes less room. Disadvantage, I would not give it to anyone to read.
With online, good for just articles, not good for novels. Takes too long.
If there were no books on paper, it would be because those stupid environmentalists are complaining about we cutting down too many trees.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
3 Oct 12
I find the same with my iPad. I can enlarge my print, and I find with reading physical books, many companies do not think about anyone who has difficulty reading. For instance, I have a book that is in large print, but because of my astigmatism, I have to put on my prescription glasses to read it because the text is only slightly darker then the background. I may be able to get it on iPad, but that would mean I would have to pay double for the same book. And of course, don;'t get me started on pocket books. Then I need the glasses to make the print larger as well as darker.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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2 Oct 12
I wouldn't say I'm a book worshiper. I do love my books but I don't think I could find a book in my collection that I haven't read at least once. I too like to let people borrow my books but I only allow people to borrow them that I know will care for them like I would. I do agree kindle is easier for people who need to adjust text size etc. My grandmother does just that and she very much enjoys her kindle.
1 person likes this
@ReViewMeMedia (3785)
• United States
7 Oct 12
I prefer physical books because it's easier, but Kindle would be really convenient for the road or if you're on a trip.
@anilkumar15 (82)
• India
1 Oct 12
You are probably the lukiest person having lot of books. You may be most eduacted among your friends as you read almost 500 books. Physical form of books are reachable to almost everybody which will never die. Ebooks are modern peoples living style and are still having minority.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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2 Oct 12
I am very blessed! I have always had a passion for reading and so to be able now to have so many books is a great blessing for me! I agree that books will never die...as someone who has had an entire hard drive crash I know how easy it is to lose technology!
@Rasniki09 (183)
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1 Oct 12
I too enjoy reading and I get lost in my books very easily. Personally when I try to read for long on my kindle, it kinda draw my eyes but with a paper book, I can stay up all night and read.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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2 Oct 12
Definitely! It's such a great technology to be able to carry around so many books with a tiny device but for me paper books are easier to read as well!
@B0rn2bshort (95)
• United States
1 Oct 12
Im glad that there are still the physical books cause honestly I've never completely finished reading a book that I started reading using a kindle. To me it just makes the book appear longer than it really is and it turns me off. For example, In my literature class i had one book on kindle and the other a hard copy. I started reading the on kindle and couldnt even finish one chapter whereas the hard copy one I read the book twice! Lol and I had to read both of them for exams. Til this day i have yet to finish reading that book on the kindle lol
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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2 Oct 12
I can understand that! Also, paper books...never need a battery recharge!
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
1 Oct 12
I used to feel the same way, besides the fact that I like to relax in a hot bath with a book and I don't recommend doing that with a Kindle. However I have over 800 books in my kindle, this is the second reformat since I got it in december (had over 700 when I reformatted for space) and I have only paid for two of them due to Book Bub, pixel of ink, and e reader news today on facebook. Between the three they give me up to 80 free book choices a day! And my Kindle has text to speech so it reads books to me when I tire of reading or my hands are busy washing dishes or something. Let's see a paper book do that!
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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2 Oct 12
I see! I understand that side of the ebook phenomenon. If I was reading free books I'd probably end up feeling guilty. As someone who loves to write and would someday love to write a book or collection of short stories, I especially sympathize with authors in today's society. It is becoming much harder to be successful as an author because book sales are low and free ebook publications are high! The reading feature is great! My grandmother has a kindle and she loves that it can read to her because her eyes are not the greatest anymore! Definitely a helpful feature!
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
3 Oct 12
Each year my eyesight gets worse, so I can't read paperbacks at all according to my eye doctor. I do read some books in large print; however, my Kindle reads to me, so can still enjoy a great book. I do enjoy holding the book, so am glad I can still read large print books.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
1 Oct 12
Hi Emelizabeth, I like physical book too.
I read everyday, but I do not own the books.
The public library is very near my house, just 20 minutes of walk away.
My house is too small to have a good collection of books.
At the rate of finishing a book every other day, I need to have access to 180 books per year.
If I were to spend money on buying books, I would be broke by now.
Reading books is very different from reading online.
The aroma of the paper, and the flipping of pages, are not something that computer can replace.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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1 Oct 12
That's great! I'm in college right now so I don't get to do as much reading just for pleasure, as I'd normally do, or normally like to do. I too have a great library nearby! It's troubling too because with the rise of online reading the library in my town is hardly ever full of people like it used to be. When I was a young girl I always used to be at the library every day checking out new books and now I never see many kids there or adults for that matter. I understand that books can be very expensive! I joined a book club some years ago and have amassed much of my collection through that discounted process. I also joke with my family that I'm addicted to books and that they should be happy it's not something worse for me than that!
@rog0322 (2829)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
1 Oct 12
Hi,
You mean printed media versus the electronic format such as ebooks and the like. I don't believe the electronics is here to stay. When the power goes out and the room goes dark, I grab the old time Zippo, hit the wick, get the printed material and start reading. Moreover, most hardware and software is in constant flux, changing from one form to another, the hard disk drive containing the ebooks may not be around for the next hundred years or so. Just a few days ago, my Western Digital hard disk drive just went out without warning, my three years 40GB of ebooks collection gone like air. Just like that.
If it shall come to pass that printed books shall be no more, being an accomplished book binder, I would write my own books by hand as in the old days, bind them and keep them for the next generation to read.
@Raine38 (12250)
• United States
1 Oct 12
I also love books, and I love reading. But I agree with you on having the actual physical books. Those books which I consider as classics or those from my favorite author, I want them in actual physical books. The rest I just buy through my Kindle. I used to have a collection, about 2 book cases of it. But when my parents' home got flooded most of my books got destroyed. The only ones which survived are the ones I brought with me when I went away for work. I felt sad then but I was able to put back my collection although it is not as good as before.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
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1 Oct 12
I would be so devastated if I were to lose my collection! I'm sorry to hear that happened to you! I definitely understand about choosing which books you need to have in physical form and others which are fine for just ebook. I have taken somewhat reluctantly to buying ebook versions of my textbooks because they are so much cheaper! At this point I'd rather spend a little less on those ebooks for school that I don't really want and use that saved money to buy the print versions of books I DO want to have!
@Kitty1991 (53)
• China
1 Oct 12
Comparing with the electronic books or online readings,I prefer the physical books.Though useing the internet you can read as many books as you can without pay much money,this is bad for your eyes and face at the same time,especially for the girls.
@emelizabeth12 (46)
•
1 Oct 12
I agree! It's definitely hard on ones eyes to sit at a computer screen for so long and especially when reading line after line. But, as you pointed out, it's definitely a lot cheaper to buy ebooks, sadly.
@ajlasent (536)
• Philippines
6 Oct 12
i enjoy physical books better because of the smell of paper, no glare, and the simple joy of flipping the pages when things get exciting.... :)
also, i have a thing for book covers which i can appreciate more when i can see and touch the actual thing. ;)
the one thing i love about downloadable books is that they can be free, but the downside is that they make our visions get worse faster. .
