I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been told to invest in an e-reader.
“You don’t have a Kindle?? But you travel so much!”
“Making space for another bookshelf is so annoying. You wouldn’t have to do that if you just downloaded what you wanted, you know.”
Believe me, I get it. I completely understand the amazing perks of having an e-reader: you can travel light and save space around your room or apartment/home, you can read any book you want in a matter of minutes, and do cool things like access the Internet and read in the dark.
So what’s the problem, why not just buy one? See, every time I pick up an e-reader I feel detached from what I’m reading; not having the actual book in my hands, not being able to feel and smell—yes, smell—the pages takes away an important part of my reading experience. The condition of my books also tells a story: books on my TBR list are usually crinkle- and crease-free, whereas my Desert Island Collection always looks comfortably worn, sort of like the old pair of pajamas with the fraying hem and loose elastic that I love so much.
I’m not usually a stickler for traditions, but I revere the printed word. I didn’t freak out when I heard most schools plan to phase out cursive, but I do feel queasy at the idea of reading pixels instead of ink. To me, an e-reader feels like one more piece of technology I don’t need. Besides, books never run out of batteries.
When I studied abroad in South America I compromised by taking a handful of my favorite books along with a small tablet. I was constantly traveling in those months and can recall several occasions where reading a printed book ended with random conversations with strangers: some mentioned how rare it was to see a person not glued to a screen, others pointed to the title and asked me if I was enjoying what I was reading. Sometimes being judged by a cover isn’t all that bad.
To e-read, or not to e-read, that is the 21st century question. Thoughts?
August 31, 2015 at 4:13 pm
While I am also a fan of the printed page – I usually have a book in my backpack, at least – I’ve gotten addicted to having a small library on my phone. It took surprisingly little time to get used to reading on the small screen. It allows for more spontaneous reading breaks – time in lines at coffee shops are no longer a problem, for example – and it also allows me to purchase and read new books at any hour. (I will admit that this is a mixed blessing from my budget’s point of view.)
I would suggest trying reading on a device you already have, rather than purchasing a dedicated reader. At least at first.
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September 1, 2015 at 10:14 am
My current book-shopping rule is that I can only buy as many books as I can carry…I can’t imagine the havoc it would wreak on my savings if they could fit on a gadget the size of my palm! 😛
I tried to read on my phone, but can feel my eyes straining after more than 15 minutes. I was thinking of maybe asking to borrow someone’s e-reader for a couple weeks or so, just to see if I could get into it.
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