All About Books discussion

Which do you prefer and why?

I personally prefer physical copies of books (the smell, the sound of the page turn, the feel of the pages under my finger tips, the slightly raised print, the physical weight of the book itself) but I do understand and appreciate the convenience, variety, portability and customization of an e-reader!

Still, a real book may run of out stories and words, but never out of battery!

What do you guy's think?

Well, I posted this in the other thread, but yes, I like the smell and feel of physical books, as objects in their own right, but when I'm reading, all I want to focus on is the words. I love to wander through bookshops and libraries, enjoying the atmosophere of books, but that is something I appreciate most when I'm just looking, rather than reading (I'm not a great multi-tasker!).

As for the battery thing, well, we live in a society where we use electricity. It's not an issue - we use it for all kinds of things, and we don't run out. It's also used in the creation of paper books, after all! If an ereader did break down, they're cheap enough to buy another one, and the ebooks themselves are always there. Paper books can be destroyed or lost and need to be replaced too.

I have Irlen Syndrome, which for me means that eReaders are so much easier to read than paper books. As the background is greyish, there isn't the stark contrast of black on white. And I can adjust the font to make it easy to process. The Kobo has some fabulous dyslexic fonts, which are also great for anyone with Irlen Syndrome or visual processing difficulties in general.

Plus, I like to read without my glasses, but I'm so short-sighted that this means putting a book literally an inch from my nose to be able to read the print! When it's that close, I can't see the whole page at once, so it's not very practical - but if I use a phone or a Kobo Mini, it's small enough that I can, and I can also make the font bigger and hold it slightly further from my nose!

Also, you only need one hand to read from an ereader and turn the pages - it's a lot simpler for people with physical disabilities in their hands/arms/etc. The lightness of it makes it easier in this case too. I work with disabled children, and have also worked in the past with disabled adults, and people who've had strokes or other brain damage, etc., and so I always think about this aspect, and see how helpful an ereader is from an accessilibity point of view.

Also, plenty of my friends who are mothers of young children say that ereaders are ideal when holding a baby in one arm and reading with the other.

So, that's my case for ereaders! :-) I know not everyone likes them, but I think it's really important to be aware of how they can make reading a lot more accessible for some people.

I love 'physical' books - but have come to love my Kindle over the past few months while I've been recovering from an elbow replacement. It will never replace 'actual' books - but its close!

Very well put, Gail :)

Although all three of my books are out in e book form, I still love to hold a book in my hand. there is nothing like be curled up on the couch and reading a book that has you turning page after page just to see what will happen next. However, e books are becoming very popular and I would not discard them either.

I actually find it just as easy to curl up with my Kindle or my Kobo Mini. I'm still holding it in my hand, and I touch to turn the page to find out what happens next. You're just doing something slightly different with your hand to turn the page - it's just a slightly different movement to get used to, but the effect is the same.

I agree Gail, I have yet to get a Kindle but have been considering it for some time. I think it will go on my Christmas list this year.

I read both e-books and regular print books. I even do audiobooks too.

I can see all the benefits of an e-reader and understand why a reader might choose to use one. Personally, I will always remain a physical book reader. The feel, the volume, the smell - all the physical sensations of reading a paper book; the knowledge I am holding something real as opposed to something virtual will always make me steer well clear of an e-reader.

Alright, we really need a map for the group now ;)
Amber it's not your fault as it is hard to orientate among all those threads, but this exact discussion already exists here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... ;)
In the interest of not duplicating threads, would you mind moving over there?