Nowadays, everyone has gadgets and not just trusty laptops anymore. Smartphones and tablets are becoming the norm and all sorts of industries are adapting to them. That includes books.
I have always loved reading, and I vividly remember going to the public library when I was in seventh grade to check out a book because the hardback copy was too expensive for my middle school budget. My purse selection over the years has always been slightly limited because whatever bag I carried had to be big enough to carry a novel (or two).
The release of the first Amazon Kindle in 2007 marked a dramatic change for the future of the book industry. Readers were able to browse, purchase and read books all on one small device. Apple’s release of the iPad in 2010 expanded the accessibility of e-books even further.
Ownership of e-readers and tablets has been steadily increasing over the past few years. In September of 2013, 34 percent of American adults owned tablets and 24 percent owned e-readers. Just a few short months later, in January of 2014, the numbers had risen to 42 percent and 32 percent respectively. In all likelihood, these rates will continue to grow.
Obviously, gadgets are popular. But should they ever fully replace paperback books?
On this question, I am fully and passionately of the opinion that no device could truly replace the experience of a paperback book.
That is not to say that e-readers and tablets don’t have their benefits.
One of the main arguments in favor of devices is that they can store thousands of books and are much more portable. You can change the font size, and sometimes even the font style. The e-book industry has benefited publishers because there is no cost for printing or distribution, making them cheaper for consumers as well.
E-books certainly have their purpose and, to me, that purpose is not to replace all paperback books just because e-books are more convenient. E-books are similar to most things that pop up on a screen: fleeting, uncatchable and untouchable. They should be reserved for books that you are unlikely to return to, such as textbooks, assigned reading or magazines.
Sure, devices are convenient. But these days, we don’t read for convenience.
We read to enjoy, to escape, to go on an adventure. We read to not feel so alone sometimes or to meet a character we can identify with.
And to me, an intrinsic part of this experience is the feel of a book in my hands — the rustle of turning pages, the moment when you feel a new book breaking in, the texture of the paper when you wake up to find you’ve fallen asleep against the pages.
These are things that a device can’t imitate.
E-books are excellent for textbooks or documents that require convenience. But novels, in any format, cause deep emotions and move us to tears or laughter. This sort of physical response deserves a physical medium.
Reading for enjoyment should be a tangible experience. Books shouldn’t remain as stiff and pristine as the day there were bought.
The best ones will be a little worn at the edges. Dog-eared page corners and creased spines are evidence of a book well-loved, and you just can’t see that sort of love in a device.