I was reading an interesting article out of New Zealand the other day on things that will become extinct because of technology (including telephone land lines, radios and books). I don’t necessarily agree with everything on the list, but reading the comments, I discovered that a lot of people are very anti e-readers.
When I moved to the US, I donated my entire collection of books (with the exception of only a couple of pieces) to a community house because I couldn’t take them. Since my house hadn’t sold prior to the move, we were limited to 6 suitcases between 3 of us - you try packing up 30 odd years of your life in to that amount of space!! Books aren’t that cheap, and getting to the library or to the nearest book store can be a hassle. Unlike Walmart or CVS, they’re not on every corner. So, when I got my first Kindle, I was in heaven. I replaced a lot of my library from home for a fraction of the cost, and have found myself exposed to far more writers and talent than I would have been if I’d stuck with physical books.
Anyway, lets look at some of the comments and try to dispel a couple of the myths ....
From Robert:
Books will not become obsolete, it is simply more relaxing and cultured to read a real book.
More cultured to read a “real” book. Because, you know, e-Books are obviously “fake” and someone reading a classic, or even an educational tome, on an e-reader is not getting the exact same words or information as someone reading the same title in paperback or hardcover. Riiiight ....
From FF:
I think a lot of people will continue to read physical books. I for one will never own an e-reader, it’s just not the same and you can’t drop it in the bath.
And exactly what happens to a book that you drop in the bath? Is it readable afterwards? (Though, I do actually read my Kindle in the bath - with a waterproof cover which protects the device while still allowing me easy reading and easy page-turns. Try that one with a “real” book!).
From Lisa T:
Ick, I will not stoop so low as to use/buy an E-reader. I’m an avid lover of real books, the old book smell, the feel of a new book between the fingertips. No I will not use an e-reader!
Ickiness and pretension aside (and a smart arse remark about how we e-reader owners are obviously scumbags ... thank you, Lisa T), the “feel and smell” thing was something I was a little iffy about when I made the switch to an e-reader. I thought I’d miss that stuff. I don’t. The device cover makes me feel like I was holding an actual book, though without the weight and strain on my wrists. New book, sure ... but the dog isn’t going to chew up my Kindle or my iPad, and if I happen to spill a little tea on it or get a little bit of jam or honey on there, it’s not going to stain the pages or cause them to stick together. If my e-reader breaks down, I can get it repaired or replaced, and in the mean time, I can use my phone or another device to continue where I left off.
Which brings me to another point - many people with arthritis or certain other medical conditions can have difficulty holding a physical book. The strain is too much. An e-reader is far less heavy, it can be propped up, the viewing angle can be changed. You can’t do that with a physical book. Likewise, someone with vision problems may not do so well with a physical book. You can’t adjust the font or the text size in a book as you can with an e-reader to account for your eyesight.
And here’s my personal favourite (and more of a rant than a refutation) ...
From Jim:
I’m an utter snob, and I have to say that a house with no books on its shelves is unlikely to contain the sort of people with whom I am likely to develop a long term relationship.
Actually, Jim, I’d go a step further and say that you and a couple of the other highlighted commenters are more than just snobs, you’re pretentious gits.
Sure, my house may not be filled to the brim with physical books (for which I have a legitimate excuse), but take a look at my Kindle library some time. You’ll find that I have a huge and extremely varied collection, including the classics. But that’s OK. You don’t want to get to know me, and based on your propensity for being judgmental, I doubt I’ll miss your friendship.
