E-book Vs Paperback

Ah yes. The age-old debate. Or well, the age-old-for-as-long-as-ebooks-have-been-a-competing-presence-debate. 

There are as many arguments for as against; as many people that you’ll find vehemently denying paperback loyalty, you’ll find equal amounts on the other side. 

I am definitely a reader. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a book on the go (except for a brief period in my university life, where required textbook reading briefly killed any enjoyment I had for the passtime). And for the longest time, it was exclusively paperback books. 

I grew up in the generation before kids had access to tablets before they could walk. I remember being taught to type in elementary school, but I didn’t have my first cell-phone before I turned 19 and really actually needed one, and the only tablet I’ve owned was supplied to me by my job. 

The only reason I got a kindle, was because it came free with a camera I bought. At the time, it was a nice bonus, but definitely not a selling factor. 

When I went traveling, I took it with me, because the appeal of carrying 6 guidebooks that I may not even use didn’t appeal to me at all, but truthfully, I rarely used it. 

It wasn’t until a friend told me that I could read my e-books on my phone that my kindle became a game-changer. 

For as much as I didn’t grow up with my own cell phone, I am pretty attached to my iPhone now, especially when I travel. It’s my method of communication with those back home. It’s how I buy tickets, confirm reservations, navigate a new city, and stumble hopelessly through foreign languages. It’s how I figure out how much I’m actually paying for that meal, and how I know that my tuktuk is overcharging the poor newcomer. 

But in the last few years, it’s how I store hundreds of books. How I bring along guidebooks when I visit multiple countries. How I bring a few options for beach reading, without knowing if I’ll even enjoy them. If you start a book and it doesn’t grip you, then there is no guilt about putting it aside and going on to the next one. 

However. Perhaps the most useful aspect of kindle reading is this. Picture, if you will, a beautiful, perfect beach day. Nothing to do but listen to the waves, drink red frozen drinks, and read your latest novel for 8 solid daylight hours. Perfect, yes? And then the dreaded happens. You finish the book. The backup book. The one at the end of your library that you didn’t really get into but now that you nearly finish, it ends up ok. And then, truly, no unread books exist. Sure you could always go back and read an old favourite…but after half a dozen times through the old favourites, they’re lacking a certain…something. And then you connect to a rogue wifi signal. And immediately, you can download a new book. You know that sample you read because you weren’t sure about the 8.99$ price tag? It’s unbelievable. And now, you can have the book in your hands in minutes. 

While purchasing reasonably priced books is great, perhaps even better is borrowing them through local libraries or your library back home. Both options through your friendly neighbourhood kindle app and an internet connection. 

All of a sudden, an endless beach day stretches in front of you, an unlimited number of books to be read. Infinite possibilities. 

Granted, there is no substitute to the feel of a book between your hand, the smell of paper, the feel of the length and breadth of what you’re about to discover. You can’t fold a favourite paper and quote of an e-book. There are no coffee stains on pages. There is no way to replicate a real book. 

But perhaps, there is a place for both in the world.