Physical Books vs. E-Books

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

I was having this discussion with a friend of mine who is strictly physical books. I was trying to point out the advantages of Kindles and other readers to her, but she didn't agree. Personally, I love both, but there are a lot of advantages to E-books.

Physical books:

Pros-​

• That smell! I think everyone loves the smell of books.
• Much easier to lend to friends.
• You can see the cover whenever you close it to put it away.
• You get to have book shelves and look nerdy for all of your friends!
• Whatever book you want to read is available somewhere.
• You can drop a book in the tub and still be able to read it once it's dry.
• You can kill bugs with them without much damage

Cons-​

• It's easy to tear pages.
• Hard covers are heavy.
• Paper back covers can rip easily, especially if you're moving it around.
• Bookmarking can be a pain.
• Smudge ink.
• People can easily destroy lines and write in them.

E-books

Pros-​

• You can carry over a thousand books with you and it doesn't even weigh a pound.
• There are lots of ways to get free E-books. (I'm talking about legally! Bookbub, Pixels of Ink....sites like that.)
• You can read whatever you want without feeling judged.
• You can mark your page with the tap of a finger.
• Built in dictionary.
• Easier to search for sections you want to reread without permanently marking the page up.
• Adjustable font and margins.

Cons-​

• Charging!​
• Reading in the tub is awkward, and if you drop your reader, you're screwed.​
• Much harder to share books with other people.​
• Harder to read outside.​
• Not every book is available as an E-book.​
• You drop a reader, you might be out of luck.​

For me, e-books are my thing. I used to have tons of physical books, but my kids would scribble in them when they were smaller, and I ended up switching over to e-books. I still have most of my books though, and a few of them have gone unscathed from my children's toddler years. But to be honest, I prefer my e-books. I can take my Kindle anywhere I go, and I don't have to take up too much room in my purse, plus I never run out of things to read because I'm always scooping up on new books that pop up as free.

 

[Razilin]

i used to be physical book only

now I actually don't mind e-books

honestly, I like both

 

[Hatsune Candy]

What about audiobooks? D: Why ya gotta leave them out? I listen to audiobooks all the time, it's the only way I really read books at all anymore.

I have a Kindle, but I barely use it, if I was gonna actually read a book instead of listening to it, I would prefer a physical copy; something about it is just more authentic.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

What about audiobooks? D: Why ya gotta leave them out? I listen to audiobooks all the time, it's the only way I really read books at all anymore.

I have a Kindle, but I barely use it, if I was gonna actually read a book instead of listening to it, I would prefer a physical copy; something about it is just more authentic.

I thought about adding audiobooks, but they're a whole different thing. :P I love my audio books too though. That's how I'm getting through ASOFAI. If I straight read through them, I'd be reading just that series for the next year.

 

[Razilin]

I thought about adding audiobooks, but they're a whole different thing. :P I love my audio books too though. That's how I'm getting through ASOFAI. If I straight read through them, I'd be reading just that series for the next year.

they make my 6 hour drive to visit my parents a whole less boring

 

[Brovo]

Trick question: Podcasts.

Then audio books.

Then physical books because it's good to have something to do in the event of a power outage or other thing like that.

Then e-readers because rechargeable books. They have their uses, but a lot of em' have some nasty ass battery-raping DRM that I don't want to deal with really. I'll just listen to my podcasts and audio books. Trying to get into the habit of listening to some of them while I go to sleep so I can unwind my mind from stress.

EDIT

Like Hello Internet is amazing.

 

[Shiri]

I have nothing against ebooks, I just happen to have more physical copies. I live across the street from a secondhand store so my collection is kind of spilling out of my bookshelf. I've got everything from H.P. Lovecraft, to Alfred Hitchcock, to David Eddings, to Agatha Christie, and some splashes of Doctor Who and Alien. Oh, and reference books for art and calligraphy.

 

[Greenie]

I like books in all forms, really. I like books in pdf form best though because I can read them wherever I go. In fact that's how most of my reading is nowadays, on the go.

I still like a good ol' book though. Trying to keep me from entering a book store is next to impossible.

 

[Weracious]

I had to switch to e-books some years ago because I had way too many physical books in my apartment. I mostly listen to audiobooks these days though.

 

[Kagayours]

I strongly prefer physical books, and I don't even own an e-reader or anything of the sort. There are two big reasons for this:

1.) Concentration.

I don't know why, but it's easier for me to focus when I'm looking at paper than when I'm looking at a computer/tablet screen. It's the reason why I draft out RP posts, homework assignments, etc on paper before typing them up (rather than using a computer to write the thing to begin with), and it's the reason why, when given the choice, I'll hugely prefer a physical, paper book over a digital one. It's just easier for me to focus on the words I'm reading, so that I can actually enjoy it (or, in the case of something like, say, textbooks for school, physical copies make it much easier for me to actually absorb and remember the information). Even when I'm interested in what I'm reading, sometimes my brain just doesn't cooperate and I realize that I have no idea what the last two paragraphs said, making me go back and re-read them. This happens far more often with digital stuff than physical.


2.) Physicality.

For whatever reason, I just enjoy having physical pieces of media. It's one of the reasons why I like vinyl records so much, it's a reason why I like to collect and manage physical DVD's as opposed to storing movies and TV shows on a hard drive, and it's one of the reasons why I really enjoy physically owning the books that I buy, being able to place them on a shelf somewhere. I know it's irrational to prefer the physical copy just for being physical, but... even if I can't explain it, I just like the feeling of having it so much more. So, to me, that makes having physical books feel worth it.

 

[Cyan]

I like them both, but I definitely prefer physical books.

I used to have an e-reader, but it started having issues with the battery and charging, to the point where it always said there was low power. I rarely even used it, though, and it was a Kindle Fire, which also had apps and stuff, so I mostly let my mom borrow it. I had one book, but I often just forgot about it, despite the fact I liked it, even when it was always the first thing on the screen when the reader was on. Physical books, as long as they're not hidden, are easily visible, so it's harder to forget about them, and if you end up not liking it, you can just give it away to someone, or sell it (or if you don't want anyone to know that you owned it in the first place, there are other ways to get rid of it).

I also don't bother bookmarking things aside from my place in the book, so if I want to go back to look at something, it's much easier with a physical book, especially if I don't know the page or chapter. And with e-books, it's way too easy to accidentally swipe/turn the page, even if you're trying not to touch the screen (it's also annoying when you accidentally touch the screen and stuff pops up). When I read a physical book, I almost always have something on-hand to bookmark with, like a piece of paper, so I don't really struggle with trying to find something to use as a bookmark (I'm also one of those people who are willing to set an open book face-down when they don't have a bookmark or something else, though I usually need to have a book [or paperback ones, at least] fairly wide open so that I'm able to read the text closest to the center).

I do appreciate e-books, as they lack the struggles I've mentioned about physical books, and they're easier to buy if you don't have enough money for a physical copy, or you can't find a physical copy of the book you're looking for, for one reason or another.

Though, audiobooks, on another hand, are absolutely terrible. I have a tendency to get distracted easily, and the ability to distract myself with my own thoughts, not to mention I don't really have the luxury of being able to quietly listen to audio for a long time without a cat bothering me, my family attempting to talk to me, or me falling asleep. Also, I'd probably get distracted by the narrator. (I am a very "magical" creature.)

 

[lostfaith]

I can do E-books, and the side of me that adores computers and technology wants to say "You can have all your books on one device instead of having to search your room!" (Most of my room is shelf-space devoted to books, and since I lack the motivation to organize things, it takes twenty to thirty minutes to find things.)

But, for some reason, I vastly prefer holding a physical book in my hand. Which is stupid because I'm physically holding something with an e-book as well, but it just isn't the same. I don't particularly care about the smell, but the feel. I'm a very touchy person, and I love the feel of paper under my fingers as I touch a page, and finding the most comfortable position to hold a big hardback when I'm laying on my side reading in bed. I miss all that with e-books. I know and embrace the fact that they're the future, but it just doesn't seem right to me.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

Another pro I forgot for e-books! On some bookshelf apps there is an option to have the book read to you, so in essence it's an audio and ebook together. The app I have on my Nexus has a robotic voice though, so it's really not worth it. I haven't looked into other options for the voices. If there is one, it'd definitely be worth getting.

 

[Sidhe]

I feel like I really need to look into audio books because I have eye issues that make it difficult to focus on paragraphs. I end up just getting frustrated and headachey so I give up on reading. :(

 

[Alan]

I love physical books, because of how it feels to hold one in your hands.

Alas, at least until my eyesight is closer to par once more, e-books are the best thing. Largely because I can zoom in to make it easier for me to see the text.

 

[Thornapple]

I prefer physical books, because most of the time when I'm reading its at night. The soft glow of the small lamp on my nightstand is a lot less abrasive than the bright glow from my laptop or phone (I know you can dim it, but it still hurts my eyes for some reason). Something about reading a novel and proudly displaying my favorite books on my bookshelf makes me feel cozy and warm inside.

However, I read articles on the internet all the time. I don't actually know what the difference is but yeah. That's just how I roll, homies. I don't question it.

 

[Turtle of Doom]

Personal preference is physical books. I like the feel and smell. Nothing like that book smell. But honestly, a book is a book. Who cares what format it is as long as people are reading.

 

[Shadon Xarian]

I have a really hard time reading paperback but I can read E-books for days.
Halo fall of reach for example, I bought it thinking "if I buy it, I'll read it" I enjoyed it... then put it down and never picked it up again

Recently, starwars episode 1 on my phone. I'm actually more then half way through, and will most likely finish it tomorrow.

 

[Dipper]

Physical books. There's something more authentic about reading from pages than from a screen, because something bout screens distracts me. It makes me feel like I'm on a computer and I've got to switch tabs every third paragraph.

 

[Astoria]

I'm the same with books as I am with video games.

I want the physical, tangible thing that I can hold in my hand, be able to put it on my bookshelf, and have it sitting pretty. There's no experience like going to a bookstore or receiving a book in the mail.