Ebooks vs. Paper Books - The War to End All

Things have certainly changed over the past several decades in relation to reading. Historically, books were scarce and only obtained by those wealthy and able to read. Now, accessibility to books is unlimited.  There has been an ongoing debate about whether Ebooks are making paper books obsolete. Kind of like how the cell phone technology made the landline and pay phones irrelevant. I’ve broken down some of the pros and cons of both. I will say I have both types and have also indulged in audiobooks on occasion. 

Firstly, the Ebook. Whether you own a Kindle, ipad, orKobo, obtaining books has never been easier. The price of ebooks is also inexpensive in comparison to physical books. There are a lot of positives to ebooks, such as the ability to electronically highlight texts, increase font size, adjust spacing and controlling the black light. These are reasons I absolutely love and cannot live without my kindle! That being said, there is nothing worse than a technical issue that causes you to lose your book history. In those moments, I feel like throwing my Kindle at the wall with the force of the Incredible Hulk! Ereaders are also battery based and require recharging regularly. Although the battery life in most readers is long (several days at least), there are times where power won’t be able to save us. For instance, if there is a power outage for extended periods of time and you are unable to charge your reader. 

Again, I’ll say that I love my Kindle like I love cheeseburgers. But there are downfalls to each.

I started reading physical books when I was about four and I started with the Webster’s Dictionary. My mother almost died when I looked up the “fuck” word and used it randomly. It’s still a favourite of mine. Unlike an ereader, the font and lighting for a physical book can’t be changed. For those like me who have eye glasses or sensitive eyes, this can deter me from buying abook. Physical books are more expensive overall, but it's great to support our authors. 

I love the feel and the smell of a new book. Bookstores are my happy place. I go there when I need a moment just to enjoy the peace. Without everyone else’s problems and just tackling the problems already worked out in a good book. A physical book will never die on you and you can put notes on the physical pages if needed. But for the love of sweet baby Jesus DO NOT crease the corners. Get something.. anything as a book mark! Respect the craft of creating a book. 

What about you? Do you have a preference. I also have thoughts on Audio books and I can honestly say that it is really important that the narrator be entertaining for me to fully engage. 

Let us know in the comments your thoughts!