Comments on: E-book versus paper book – which do you prefer?

By: jlynne

jlynne — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:34:55 +0000

Thanks Shea! I love a good debate – and the comments on this post are all interesting and varied. Love it! Jen

By: Shea Cooper

Shea Cooper — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:27:37 +0000

Paper, both for ease of use and tactile pleasure, and the thing itself – the smell and sight of the book, the type and paper and so on, all trigger memories of my history with that book – way more that an unchanging, inorganic digital file would.

Great essay!

Shea

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 23:44:31 +0000

Definitely books for me! I’m an old fashined gal! I love picking up a book that you’ve read over and over, opening it up to a random page and starting to read. I also love looking at a complete set of a series all lined up on my bookshelf, in a perfect row with matching covers!

By: Sandra C

Sandra C — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:45:57 +0000

I’m coming down on the side of the paper book. I have no logical, reasoned arguments for this as I can see the benefit of cheaper stories and God knows I could use the more practical storage option but I just LOVE books.

Sandra

By: jlynne

jlynne — Sat, 08 May 2010 00:32:42 +0000

Hi Nadia, thanks for your comment. I think there’s a place for both – I bought my first e-book earlier this year and was pleasantly surprised at the cost and the instant delivery. And it was an excellent read! But l also love browsing in my local bookstore, and having all my books around the house, and can’t imagine giving those up either. So for me it’ll be a mix of both.

By: Nadia Lee

Nadia Lee — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:04:07 +0000

In general, I buy whichever format is the cheapest. Most genre fiction titles are printed so generically — black font on cheap grayish papers — that the presentation rarely matters, but for certain titles — gorgeous hardbacks w/ lovely illustrations and photos, etc. — I want to buy paper/print.

By: jlynne

jlynne — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:12:44 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Mariya, and I agree. I guess that’s what I was getting at when I said that the e-book is just as ‘real’ as a paper version – the story is what it is all about, not whether someone holds a bound copy in their hand or not.

By: Mariya Loginova

Mariya Loginova — Fri, 07 May 2010 10:00:12 +0000

I’ve red e-books on my computer and Nokia, but I do like to curl up with a paperback much better. I think this whole comparison that you’re proposing is a bit incorrect, when the point of you of experience is the main issue here. The story is always an experience. I read stories because of the stories and not because of the certain format in comes in.

We readers are used to have this experience in certain circumstances (blanket, arm chair, cup of cocoa and the great story in physical covers), thus when another solution is suggested we tend to consider if we’re happy with the offered solution and it satisfies our personal needs as consumers of literature from the point of view of experience.

The story doesn’t change. If the reading experience is made easy with a device it’s great. I’m willing to pay for the content (story) especially when I only need to clean dust from one device and not 100 copies of books:) and I can finally stop carrying bags and boxes with books around.

If the reading experience is uncomfortable, has too much wires, needs loading and effort, has malfunctions, not enough interesting books in certain languages I prefer, etc…I’m not ready to give up on my paperbacks for it:) I’ll gladly dust the shelves, because I want my reading experience to be, as I love it. I need an easy solution to give me the opportunity to dive in the story with my heart and soul wherever I am.