Books have been and will always be my first, last and lasting love. They’re my oldest friends and most faithful companions. So it naturally follows that my most prized possession is my extensive book collection. With the advent of the Internet and online books, my catalog has increased, but I have ambiguous feelings about the addition to my treasure trove – mixed emotions that arise because I’m not as thrilled to be reading e-Books as I am when holding genuine bound paper in my hands. Here’s why I feel that paper-and-print will always rule over bits-and-bytes:
• An e-Book ties you to a computer while a regular book follows you wherever you go – on a bus, train or airplane, in your handbag or tucked in your hand.
• Logging onto my computer just to read a book is tiresome, and once I’ve logged on, there are various distractions (online diversions) that detract from the reading pleasure.
• My favorite books are dog-eared and smudged showing the wear and tear of multiple readings, a characteristic even the most-read of e-Books will not reflect (though some would consider this an advantage).
• You don’t have to depend on electricity (or a battery that lasts long enough) to be able to finish a book – well-lit candles will do just fine.
• And best of all, an e-Book is not the cuddliest of companions when you’re tucked up in bed and want something to read before you drift to sleep.
But then the proponents of e-Books have this to say in their favor:
• They’re compact and do not take up space in your house.
• They never tear or become yellow with age or fall prey to silverfish.
• You can have more than one copy at no extra cost, thus protecting your investment should a book be corrupted or be eaten up by online viruses.
• They’re sometimes available for free on the Internet, and even if they cost money, they’re more cost-effective than their paper counterparts.
• E-Book readers come with built-in voice versions that allow children and the blind to listen to the book being read aloud (although I would argue this point with the fact that the voice is robotic and devoid of emotions)
• You can set font styles and sizes to suit your reading comfort.
Irrespective of the medium, the words remain the same. At the end of the day, I guess that’s what really matters to true book lovers – the availability of well-written prose or poetry to enrich both the mind and soul!
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This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is an industry critic on the subject of scholarships for graduate school. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.
