How much have your reading habits changed in the last five or so years? I got my first Kindle in spring of 2010. The purchase was one of impulse and curiosity. I had tax money to burn. Surely, I told myself, I would never read the device on a regular basis. As I read my first few eBooks, I begrudgingly admitted the e-ink screen held a certain appeal as did its space-saving capabilities. Yet, I still lugged a sizable paperback copy of Gone with the Wind around Greece and Turkey for two weeks that summer. Little by little, my preferences have changed.
Do you prefer print books to ebooks? Granted, this is not a new topic of conversation, but one that has fascinated me as I’ve witnessed my own gradual draft away from the allure of printed books. Multiple bookshelves used to graced my home, but now I’m down to just two, and I continue to weed my collection. Part of this is due to asking myself if I will ever be likely to read the title again because I know I will be moving again someday, and boxing up books is a major pain. Mostly, I like knowing that all of my books can now fit on a device that fits in the palm of my hand.
I received my Kindle Paperwhite this past Christmas. The adjustable backlit screen is great, though I don’t care for the way the device is linked solely to GoodReads when it comes to sharing online when you’ve finished a book. I prefer a dedicated eReader because I am prone to social media distraction if I read on my iPad.
The issue of shifting reading preferences can be further complicated when it comes to which type of device one prefers to do certain types of reading on. If I want to take notes or am in a hurry to skim, I will use the iPad because the screen is more responsive than the PaperWhite’s. Yet the iPad is quite heavy, while the Kindle’s battery lasts longer.
The biggest revelation I’ve made about my reading preferences these past few years is that I simply am not compelled to read fiction in any shape or form while sitting at my computer screen. I want to feel cozy while immersing myself into a story world, and that’s just not going to happen when I’m in blog perusal mode.
In general, I aim to read at least a book a week. I can handle thirty-six titles a year with relative ease, but often struggle to fit the rest in. My solution last December was to join Audible. Once a month, I can now download an audiobook for only $14.95 a month. Now I find myself looking forward to walking my dog even more because I listen to my selection for the month.
I still continue to buy travel books and most other forms of reference books in print form. The integration of images and special formatting has a ways to go in the eBook world. In the end though, I don’t miss print books much at all. Yet many people love the smell, the feel, and the heft of printed pages.
So where do your preferences fit in? Do you prefer print books to eBooks and why?
Permission must be granted by JeriWB to use the Kindle PaperWhite images in this post.
Article by Jeri Walker-Bickett aka JeriWB.
Hi Jeri. I have not yet fully converted to eBooks so can only speculate on how total withdrawal would feel. Three years ago I embarked upon a transient life and gave away probably 1000 or so printed books, of which 50 are “classics” that I read repeatedly on a regular 5 year cycle to see how my perception changes. The decision to unload the print copies was supported by knowing they could readily be replaced with eBook versions. For non-fiction books and most novels I have no particular sentiment for the physicality of the printed page and all my magazine reading is now done on line. I still prefer the print version of a newspaper but that has less to do with the sensory aspect than the fact that the online versions omit cryptic crosswords and other sections that appeal. Major exceptions to my indifference include old children’s books and others where illustrations and coloured graphics are an important element. Screen versions remain limited in their ability to accurately reproduce the original plate colours and it is cost-prohibitive to replicate a real time ageing process. There are occasions when I like to read print but less for its own sake than as part of an overall “unplugged” break. As printed books become less and less viable, probably what I will miss most are book shops and the people one meets there.
Paul, I definitely spend less time in books shops than I used to, but I still like to get lost in a good browse every now and again. That’s so cool that you have a set of 50 or so books you like to cycle through every few years. It’s often amazing how a good book has us finding different gems within its pages depending on what we are going through in our lives at the moment.
I was an early adopter of Kindle. Yes. I had the very first version. Today I have a paperwhite. For sic-fi and relaxation reading I use my Kindle. I love having multiple choices of reading material when I travel instead of having to choose something before I leave. For things like reference books I prefer a printed copy. Cooking, which I do on occasion, I like to have a tablet with the recipe on it. I rarely use a regular computer for reading, with the exception of blogs. I prefer to read blogs on my Mac. Commenting is just easier that way.
Cheryl, we probably use a tablet more now too when it comes to recipes and such. I’m loving my PaperWhite, though I wish it would let me share when I finish to more than just Goodreads. Quotes from books can be shared to Twitter and Facebook, but not when a book has been finished. Plus, once a book is given stars, it is then taken off the “current” shelf on GoodReads. I kept forgetting to go back and write reviews because of that, so now I just don’t star books on the PaperWhite when I finish.
When I know I will be reading at home, particularly reference, I head to the library and check a book out. There are some books I do buy, ones I know will be keepers for my bookshelf. I download so many eBooks, fee and free, but the truth is, I don’t see to connect with reading them on my computer. I do have a Kindle and often use it when traveling. For the most part, my Kindle which my husband gifted me years ago, is for recipes and sits in it’s own corner on the kitchen counter.
Books preference – the paper kind.
Hello Jeri,
I agree with Patricia’s Weber statements and reasons. I like to coin books and have a considerable number in my bookshelf (Am I a materialist?)…
I guess technological advances didn’t come to reach it yet. … I also read EBooks on my regular computer screen and also on my IPad …but I don’t have a Kindle.
I have found the Youtube Channel GreatestAudioBooks which allows me to listen to some Audio Books.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQoKvubRJw0
When it comes to Audio Books I usually pick up classic books on Literature, like Shakespeare’s. Above all, I listen to texts on Philosophy . But at the same time I follow the PDF on the screen. This last option entrains a clear advantage which is the doble impact of meaning (through eyes and ears)
As a final thought, I’ d like to point out that the experience of reading a book is what most counts and the shape is related with personal conveniences, being them mainly contingent. In some years, it will probably change again and yet the passion for “books” will remain the same.
Interesting topic on this post!, best wishes, Aquileana 🙂
Aquileana, thanks so much for the link to your YouTube Audio Books channel. I find I’ve most liked AudioBooks in the past as a way to enjoy some of my favorites once again, but I’ve recently been branching out to books I have not read before. I’ve found my mind is prone to wandering when I’m out walking the dog, so every now and then I have to rewind to catch something I miss.
Pat, not to long ago I did a great Kindle purge. I had downloaded a ton of free books, but was probably never going to read them. Oh well. At least I helped the author out a bit in the eyes of Amazon’s algorithm when I downloaded it. I’ve bought more than a couple of books by mistake because I have “one-click” downloading turned on.
Great debate topic! I now have a Kindle Fire and love it! I find that I do most of my reading on my Kindle and with the Fire I can also watch NetFlix (TV). It’s remarkable how I can jump from a 55″ Big Screen TV to a 6″screen and not feel any pain. I do like reference books in paperback or hardback as I find it hard to quickly scroll through the content on my Kindle rather than flip the pages in a book. Audible? I have heard some good and some bad…so much depends on the reader! But I only use these in the car on trips…no dog to walk:)There is an entire company (based in Charleston) that is now converting curated library material to e-book format! Very interesting!
Funny you should say you prefer the paper-book because of the ability to flip through the pages, Jacqueline – because just today i was reading your book on my tablet and i was thinking – “boy, i am SO glad this is an ebook or by now i for sure would have checked the ending and would have ruined the experience!” LOL
Great topic for a blog post and discussion, Jeri – i am not a reader any more. Not sure why or when exactly this happened – i used to read a lot as a kid. Now i am reading primarily marketing related ebooks. It is VERY rare for me to read a book just… ehm, you know – for fun 🙂
I definitely prefer ebooks – sometimes when i hold a paper-book or a notebook with notes or something, i catch myself longing for the cntrl+F shortcut. sigh.
But i am with you on the travel books – i have tons of those and i was sad to leave them back home when i relocated to Spain last autumn – i miss just browsing through the photos, picking my next travel destination 🙂
Diana, that’s awesome that you are reading Jacquie’s book. I’m the same way about skipping to the ends of books to find out what happens, but I can’t easily do that with an eReader. And haha on the cntrl+F when it comes to paper. There are times when I’m reading and find myself wanting to put my finger on a word so the definition will show up 🙂
Jacqueline, I never could have imagined how easily I would morph into being a small screen viewer as well. Although trying to read a book on my phone probably ranks just below trying to read a book on my computer screen. I’ve found I’m liking Audible quite a bit. I’ll have to do a more in-depth post about it one of these days.
I’m not sure what I like best. I certainly like the convenience of ebooks, as most books I have are also accessible on my phone, so the way syncing works, if I don’t bring my Kindle with me, but I have a few minutes to kill at a place (usually a waiting room), I can pick up right where I left off in my book. Though, I still like picking up books, and I like reading to my kids from paper books better than ebooks.
It’s funny that you mentioned packing books. My husband’s father is a professor, and when my husband was 13, they moved and had to carry his entire library of books from the truck up a flight of stairs. He said it was on that day he vowed to own as few books as possible. So, he’s always been a big fan of the library for books he only intends to read once, and mainly buying reference books. He got a Nook a few years back and just loves ebooks. He is definitely in the camp of loving them more than paper. I have another friend who is a germaphobe, and she loves the ereader because it means nobody has touched, coughed or sneezed on her book before she’s gotten it.
RJ, I can really relate to that comment about your husband’s father. When we moved to North Carolina, the movers let me know I came in second when it came to the most number of book boxes they ever had to haul into a house. The winner was also a professor, an ornithologist who had boatloads of bird books. Before and since we moved back to Idaho I’ve weeded out my book collection quite a bit for novels, but I’ll keep the reference books forever most likely.
I have a Kindle Paperwhite too, and I love it for multiple reasons. The first being, I can hold it in one hand and still flip through pages, while carrying one of my two children with my other arm. Trying to juggle an infant and keep my place in a physical book is near impossible for me, and come to the choice between the two, the kid wins out. The second reason why I love my Kindle is because I can transfer beta-read documents onto it.
I love audiobooks. I used to have an Audible account, but when I couldn’t easily convert them to different formats, it put a damper on my spirits, because it limited me to just one playback application. I check out a lot of audiobooks from the public library, and prefer to listen to them while doing housework or driving. Though the library’s selection is limited, it’s also free. I know Audible has a satisfaction guarantee, but I’d prefer not to return a book I’ve purchased if I can help it, so my willingness to try books from authors I haven’t tested is a lot lower.
Loni, it’s good to hear you love audiobooks. I haven’t tried to covert any of the books I’ve downloaded to different formats, but I do have a few audiobooks I purchased from iTunes that I want to try to add to my Audible library. It’s great how it syncs up between the apps on my phone or iPad. I can’t remember what I read about whether or not CDs can easily be burned from the downloads.
I have a Kindle. I’ve had it for a few years now. This should tell you that it isn’t the paperwhite or the fire one. It’s just the regular Kindle. I tried reading a couple of classics on it that were free at Amazon. I wasn’t impressed. It could be the size it is, or maybe I’m just old and don’t want to change but I prefer the actually book in my hands.
Glynis, my conversion to Kindle was pretty slow, but overall I just think the side of me that likes to get rid of clutter likes how most of my books can now be on one device. Not that books are necessarily clutter, but the idea of moving so many again really made me want to donate quite a few of them. I figure if there’s a title I really want to read again someday, I can download it. I gave my first Kindle to my sister and she’s liking it. Plus, she inherited all the titles I had downloaded to it as well 😉
I have a Kindle. I read print books. I listen to audio books. I read on my PC if that’s all I have at the time. I don’t care what the medium is, apparently. I tend to read more indie books on my Kindle though, for obvious reasons.
DV, it truly floors me sometime when I think about how accessible reading now is in this day and age.
I have given away far too many books whilst moving to feel much loss when reading eBooks. I love the craft of bookbinding- the material, smythe sewn pages and colophon information. All that being said, I highly prefer eBooks on my Paperwhite – portable so always with me (waiting at the dentist etch), always lit, I can increase the font when my eyes tire, my notes and highlights are centrally located and can be searched, cut and paste into writing, word look-up at a touch, syncs with the book I’m listening to on Audible (via Whispersync for Voice) and I never have to let the book go due to a move. Pretty much wherever I go, I have my Kindle, my Surface tablet and a molesting notebook (still a little old school). I’m never without.
Joe, I just gave up my paper notebook for scratching quick notes and lists for OneNote. So far I’m liking the trade quite a bit, but I held onto my scratch paper for as long as possible.
Most of my reading is done on my ipad and the majority of that is through the kindle app. Recently, I received a free scribd subscription through smashwords. I found a few books that have been difficult to pick up on there. Basically some books that my library sources are not lending out. So now I have even more incentive to read on the tablet than with physical books.
Jon, I will get around to checking out scribd one of these days.
Hands down, print. I can read eBooks on my computer and Android, but I don’t like it, and I haven’t had any desire to get a Kindle or any kind of e-reader. As a matter of fact, I struggle reading anything on the computer, which is why I don’t follow a lot of blogs, read fiction or non-fiction, and articles on the computer. I do most of my work on my computer, web design, blogging, writing, revising, critiquing, research that I don’t want to be on it when it comes to something outside of work. Plus, I believe there will be an increase in patients at ophthalmologist’s offices within the next 5 years, and my decline in eyesight can’t afford it any more problems.
I can’t help but love books. Like you, I’ve moved and found it a pain to pack books, but I make sure to only keep the ones I love. The rest I give away. Paperback is more expensive, and recently I’ve been disappointed in many books I’ve read, but I can’t let go of my paper. I love holding the book in my hand, underlining phrases I love, putting my book plate stamp of love on it. Some people spend money on their love of shoes, electronics, clothes, but I spend my money on books. I can’t conform!
Denise, I know what you mean about computers and eye strain. It’s an issue for me at times as well also. I really dim my computer monitor anymore and the best thing about the PaperWhite is the way the screen is backlit and can be made dim.
I prefer paperbacks but this Christmas I bought my husband a Nook which he used to download a couple of thousand page history books. Even he can see the advantage of packing the Nook versus five pounds of books! Audio books are cool but they can be quite expensive.
Jan, I too feel the price of an audiobook can be a bit much, especially for the titles that are less than ten hours long. Every now and again, they offer great deals. Overall, I think it’s worth it for once a month, especially since they’re books I’m likely to listen to again. Nothing pleases me more than a good narrator.
I read fiction on my Kindle. I started slowly but became really converted while traveling. Also, 1000 page books don’t weigh so much on the device. If I am reading something that I want to write notes about, I prefer a computer, preferably my desk model because of the big screen. If just a few notes, my laptop is fine.
Beth, I really like how my PaperWhite fits in my purse with no hassle. The iPad is just a tad too big. One of these days I might break down and get a mini-iPad, but that will only be after the PaperWhite has been around for a few years.
Yes, it’s definitely a hot topic of discussion. One I hear debated frequently. A lot of people seem to be either on one side of the fence or the other. But I’m with you, Jeri. My preference is going to be based upon what it is I am reading.
Susan, we’ll have to take a look at a few recipe eBooks to see how well the formatting comes across.
I have had a Kindle for a few years and I have found I am reading more books. Plus it is so simple to buy a new book any time, versus going to a bookshop. Like you Jeri I have been able to reduce the number of bookshelves which has lessened the clutter in the home. I wouldn’t go back to paper books.
Susan, one of the best parts of the eBook revolution seems to have been that people are reading more books now. I know it’s true in my case as well.
Hi Jeri,
You can call me old fashioned but I still like the feel, the smell and the security of having print book either by my bed side or my bag, when I am travelling. Not that I didn’t try to switch over…in fact my daughter tried to wean me away from print books by offering me Kindle in the year 2009, which I politely declined. Then I made an effort to adopt these modern methods of reading and even published my own book at Amazon.com:
The link is… http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EBLWR0A [I would love you to check it out and start the discussion]
Yet I feel more comfortable with the real book in my hand when I snuggle up in bed!
Balroop, even though I’ve adopted my PaperWhite with open arms, my coffee table is still covered with random books as is the side table as well as my nightstand.
As of now, I am a total book person. I haven’t even tried an ebook.
Jeanette, all the more reason to give eBooks a try 😉
I’m still print book at heart, but love my Kindle Fire for travel and portability. But for me, nothing beats holding a book in my hands. Even after 2.5 years with the Kindle, that hasn’t changed.
Laura, even though I like to do most of my recreational reading on the PaperWhite, I really like how I can prop the iPad up for easy reading by letting it rest on my chest in bed. Now if only I would block internet access on the dang thing, I wouldn’t feel compelled to stop reading and check Facebook 🙁
My husband loves audio books, as he grew up in the age of radio and really responds to audio stimulation.
I, on the other hand, am a more visual person and prefer printed books, as I also love to feel things. I can’t read for recreation at my computer, and seem to find it more recreational to read a printed book vs an e-book. But if it’s a quick instructional e-book, I enjoy those, too.
Doreen, that’s an interesting point about your husband. Although I don’t mind audiobooks at all, I am not drawn to talk radio at all.
You know, I really fit all 3 into my lifestyle. They each have their place. If I had to choose only one to use the rest of my life, I’d choose book printed on paper that I can hold and smell. Thankfully, I don’t have to choose just one! I love having an ereader on a plane, and I love the immediate gratification of buying a book while sitting on the couch. Audiobooks are amazing on road trips.
Beth, I’m thankful to not have to pick just one either. The many modes of reading apparently give me another writing topic to obsess over 😉
I am a fan of print books and audiobooks. I spend enough time behind a screen and don’t want to read books, particular fiction books, unless they are in print. I relocate fairly often, which to me, is the only advantage to reading ebooks. Still, I would rather read print books and recycle the titles unless I simply cannot part with them. I do find it somewhat painful to part with books. It’s like losing friends.
Michele, giving print books away is one of the things I miss. When I was a teacher, I gave lots of books away to students after I finished reading them.
I have read two books so far on the Kobo my sister gave me, and I have to say I love reading this way! I still like reading print books, though, because I like to flip back (or have the ability to do so) to re-read something. This is a bit different on the Kobo.
Overall, I have to say, my tastes are changing!
Lorraine, I’m not too familiar with the Kobo, but at a glance, it looks a lot like a PaperWhite.
Yes, very similar. It’s an e-reader, too. 🙂
Hi Jeri,
I like both paper and electronic books. I have both and read both kinds. Sometimes I just love turning a paper bag in a book, rather than an electronic swipe of the screen. Other times it’s so convenient to read from my tablet. Great discussion!
Christy, I think what I actually like the most about reading in bed with my iPad would be the ease of propping it up on my chest. Yeah, I’m lazy…
Hi, Jeri,
NO! I would NEVER read a book of any kind on the computer, but I love reading blogs.
LoooOVE my Kindle. I adore the idea of ONE click and BOOM…Girl Gone or whatever is on it immediately!
I have listened to hundreds of audio books while walking, cleaning the house, painting.
My all time favorite was Lolita read by Jeremy Irons.
His voice is like maple syrup dripping into one’s ears.
A few others were The Help, The Book of Ruth, & Evening, White Oleander (read by Oprah)
What are some of your fave. audio books?
happy weekend. xx
Kim, oh yes, Jeremy Irons’ reading of Lolita definitely tops my list. The musicality of the first few lines of that novel always blows me away. One of my other audiobook favorites is Alice Walker’s reading of her novel A Color Purple. In general, I’ll try to look for titles read by the author, but I also recently enjoyed Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad fame’s reading of Tim O’Brien’s Viet Nam stories The Things they Carried.
I’m Kindle fanatic! My reluctance melted away when I realized I could carry a stack of books with me where ever I go and especially when I travel. Since my “conversion” I’ve only purchased a handful of books. One, when the hardcover edition on Amazon was half the price of the Kindle version and the rest because they were illustrated editions. I recently treated myself to the Gorey “Dracula.”
Candy, I’m with you on absolutely loving how so many books can fit on a Kindle. Just this weekend, I toted another stack of print books to Goodwill knowing that if I really get the urge to read one of those titles again, I can find it in electronic form. Every now and again, I’ll come across a classic that isn’t in eBook form yet, but one by one, titles get added.
Jeri — I’m a book person because I read so much fiction. I can’t envision myself curling up in bed with a computer (and ebooks are little computers). Oh, I’m sure I could get used to the Kindle. But I like the feel of a book. My late husband was a great bibliophile with many interests. We were constantly shopping antiquarian book shops. If we were traveling he would immediately go that city’s yellow pages (try to find them now) and look for used book stores and off we would go. He was so well read that he could recognize books by their spines. He once told me that his fingers would literally tingle as he entered the stacks. I feel sorry for all the youngsters today who do their reading online and never visit the library. How I remember the days at college when I’d go to look for a book and happen upon another totally unrelated book and then sit down and read it. What a joy!
Jeannette, your comment made me think of how much the university library at Boise State has changed since I first attended classes there in 1999. I had a meeting there just last weekend, and it always strikes me how the rows and rows of study cubicles on bottom floor used to be filled with rows and rows of periodicals. They’ve all gone electronic now. Also, when I taught college composition, it was hard to convince students to delve into the stacks when so much is readily available in online databases.
I’ve read ebooks since 2000 when I got my first reader, a Rocket eBook Reader. Anyone remember those? I’ve progressed through many versions of readers. I have a Kindle Touch which I let my grand kids use when they visit, hubby has a larger Kindle Fire and I use my iPad Kindle app. Hubby and I read a book a day each. We love the ease of ebooks. My older grand kids… 8, 11 and 16 each have Kindle Fire. I buy them books as gifts. The connected Wyoming family. EBooks for us. Paper feels klunky to read anymore.
Bev, thanks for stopping by. I’ve never even heard of the Rocket eBook Reader. I do agree with you on how paper just feels a bit klunky to read nowadays.
Hi Jeri,
I use Kindle for some ebooks reading, but I like the comfort and portability of print books. And while the same argument could be made in favor of ebooks, it comes down to personal preference. I have some very old rare books in my collection, (valuable to my tastes and interests,) and that’s something you can’t get in ebooks.
Kind Regards,
Bill
Bill, eBooks do lack the character inherit in older print versions. I love looking at old books, but never developed the habit of collecting them. I’m too prone to ransacking my stuff to take to Goodwill.
I still prefere paper books, although my preference depends on what I am reading. I love the smell, the sound of the paper when you flip the pages.. am I too romantic? 😉 However, I understand that using ebooks means more praticity when you travel and economic savings.
Ilaria, I guess another reason why I’m drawn to eBooks is that paper books always made me sneeze, and old books are the worst allergy culprits sometimes.
I don’t have a kindle or an ipad so I’m still a big fan or print books. I guess I’m old school but I still love having physical books around. I recently picked up 30 books for free after they wouldn’t sell at a yard sale.
Jason, FREE books are always a good thing if they’re ones you think you’ll end up reading. I used to find books all the time, and then never read them.
Call me old fashioned but I just love reading books the way I’ve always read them….holding it with my hands and folding the top corner of the page when I had to put it down to get some nachos from the kitchen!
Chris, yikes! I would never dog ear a page!
I’m still torn between what I like best, but I have to admit I spend increasingly more time looking at a device when reading for pleasure then holding a book. My e-reader is not lit in anyway so it’s much more like a book and I haven’t looked into getting a newer model. I tend to sit in the corner of my family room by the fire with my feet up and my laptop on my lap. I do make a point to turn off all social media or I will get too distracted.
Debra, I miss certain things about my older Kindle as well, but overall I’m liking the PaperWhite a lot for its backlit screen. It can be dimmed way down as needed. I just got a new chair for the living room that I’m hoping will become my new reading chair, though it seems the cat has claimed it and we will have to fight over it.
I don’t really have a preference on books much but my father in law on the other hand loves paper back and audio books. We tried getting him onto a tablet but I still think he’s stuck in his ways and wants a real book.
Krystle, changing reading formats does seem to be a bigger hurdle for those who try to make the switch at a later age. It just boggles my mind of how many ways there are to get reading done these days.
Jeri- I guess I am one who is resisting change. I have an Ipad and Kindle. I know there are advantages of them. For example if you are on a trip and finished reading a book, you can download another one. The disadvantage is that you have keep them charged. I still like the feel and smell of a book. I was disappointed when paperbacks became popular. I buy the hard bound copy books. It is easy to go back and reread.
Arleen, I am the exact opposite 🙂 My least favorite way to read is from a hardback. I like the way paperback covers can be folded open.
When I first read, and commented, on this post I was in LOVE with my Kindle. I now more in love! What has surprised me in the last two years, is that more and more of my friends read on their phones. So the e-reading public reads on screens of a variety of sizes from the book-like e-readers and up and down the scale. Still, I’ve encountered snobby reactions when I say I love reading on my Kindle to self-styled intellectuals stuck on the smell & feel of books. I love books. My apartment is still filled with them, but… We’ll see what happens in the next two years.
Candy, I’ve still not taken to reading on my phone. The screen is just too small. My eyes are always tried and tiny text is never a help. I continue to love my Kindle as well, but my collection of real books continues to dwindle. I went to a presentation on bookbinding a week ago and got some funny looks when I boasted I hardly ever buy print books anyone. Everyone was salivating over embossed covers, the feel of paper, not to mention doing the book smelling thing… I get that, but simply find my Kindle more convenient… not to mention easy to carry and more environmentally friendly.
I loved books on tape and then books on CD. Then I started losing my hearing, Four years ago, I what was left of my hearing grew distorted making anything besides listening with lip reading just too hard to enjoy. I miss using travel and commute time to hear excellent books. I don’t read books on my computer screen and haven’t warmed up to a kindle. I like to hold that book, hard or paperback, and flip those pages. I also like to write in the margins for later reference. I can’t possibly read all the books I want to read, but I keep trying.
Elaine, I’m sorry to hear you can no longer listen to audiobooks. I also am one to write in margins or at the very least underline important passages as I go.
I will *always* prefer print books. I like the feel, the smell, and the sound of the pages as I turn them. I honestly can’t bring myself to read ebooks at all. Something about that is decidedly UN-satisfying. I’ll do audio books on a long trip for sure.
I was just judging some books today for some author awards and it struck me another reason why I prefer ebooks to print is so many books are printed on bright white paper rather than cream paper these days. With my Kindle, I can adjust the brightness of the screen. A real book can’t do that 🙂 Oh the tangled web we weave when preferring one form of book over another.