Fresh Book or Kindle?

So, now’s the time; the battle for all ages. It’s the big debate, the one that’s split generations, that’s divided wives from husbands, and kids from parents; which is better, resh book or e-book? I’m going wildly over the top, but it is a debate within the world of reading, and one that I’m keen to add my 2 cents to (incidentally, why do the English say two cents, when we use pounds and pence? Or is this just something I’ve taken from the many American series I’ve watched?). OK, moving on, I’d usually explain what both were at this point, but at the risk of insulting your intelligence I’ll refrain from that, so instead I’ll explain how this, the fight of all fights, is going to go down. I’ll be giving the pros and cons of each, in my mind, before giving my, very unexpert, opinion on which should come out on top. There. Done.

 The book

They’re nothing if not the nostalgic choice. They’re traditional. They are, some would say, how it was always meant to be. There are many different types of book: the hardback, the paper back, those massive cardboard ones, the e-book (oh wait, that’s for later); OK, there’s not that many I suppose, nevertheless I find each to be as special as the next. I just have so many memories of being sat with a good book, as I’m sure there are for many others, whether that’s being sat in my bedroom on my own getting lost in a story or lying in bed as my mum or dad read to me while I look at the pictures. I’d sit in my nana’s house, in the park, on the train (as I simultaneously watch the world go by) or, much later, in the pub (as I simultaneously watched my pint go down) reading my chosen book. I know this can all be done with a Kindle too, but somehow it felt better rifling through the pages.

The chosen books? There are far too many to remember, but some of my favourites have been: Narnia, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, Twilight, The Witcher and A Song of Ice & Fire (many of such feature on my Five Favourite Book Series blog). The authenticity that comes with reading an actual book, of becoming embroiled in each world sat within, I believe has added to each and every experience, maybe a little more than the modern alternative. It starts with that new book smell (which is the equivalent to the new car smell for car lovers) or maybe it’s more of a new book feel I guess; the crispness of the pages when it is first opened cannot be compared with. OK, I’m exaggerating quite a lot again here, but it’s still pretty cool.

Where I would absolutely say that physical books come out on top is through children’s picture books. I touched on it above, but I don’t think you can get the same closeness with the little ones when reading from a screen; they’re just not big enough to see the pictures and writing most of the time. I can’t remember ever reading an e-book to my girls and I don’t think I will (we have boxes of books that don’t even make the bookshelf) and I enjoy allowing my six-year-old to join me in reading the story while my four-year-old explains what’s going on through the pictures. Then there’s the aesthetic of an actual bookshelf; a look that has been taken on by many businesses in many industries that have nothing to do with books (so there must be something to it). I just don’t see the same appeal in a shelf full of tablets and phones (why would you need that many devices anyway?).

There are, of course, downsides to physical books. The necessity for lighting is always there, and the requirement of a lamp or one of the annoying reading lights that you keep needing to move makes bedtime reading a little more problematic. I also find it slightly irritating how book pages close on you if you take your hands off the page, meaning that you need to take a constant note of the page number so as not to lose where you’re up to. Leave the book at home, then there is no reading for you, while they’re also a lot easier to damage: water making pages disintegrate, paper ripping easily, the little ones drawing on them, while books have also been known to age. Furthermore, the process of purchasing is a lot slower and takes more effort; whereby you either have to get on your feet and go out to a shop, or wait a number of days for delivery.

Kindle

It’s the modern choice, and I certainly use a Kindle more than I read from a traditional book; but I’m not the judge here (oh, wait). With a Kindle we have almost a full library in one, handy place. Yes, it does not have the aesthetic that comes with having rows upon rows of bookshelves, but it takes up much less room (and I feel like you can make your device look like a bookshelf, if you so wish). Not to mention it’s environmentally friendly (or so I believe) as it is of course paperless, while its convenience cannot be argued against. Buying an e-book is usually a lot quicker, easier and cheaper (some are even free!); while they’re able to be read from a variety of devices, including tablet, phone and laptop. There is also no need to have a light on for the night time reading that I mentioned earlier.

 The speed in which I can obtain an e-book is perhaps one of the greatest things about them. If I’m in the mood for a particular book, I can have it there and then, rather than needing to go out or wait for days; which may result in me losing that motivation. It’s also pretty cool to be able to look up definitions if you come across a word that you’re unfamiliar with, rather than have to breeze past it or pick up a machine to search it, and I’m sure many will enjoy the feature that allows the reader to change fonts (or enlarge the words if you’re short sighted). E-books mostly just make life a lot easier for a consumer. They take up a lot less space in the house, too.

Again… the downsides. There is little to no authenticity that comes with an e-book, no matter how much you use homely backgrounds. There is no new book smell (or did we decide that it’s feel?), and the reader is reliant on the technology not malfunctioning. As I’ve said, picture books in particular do not translate well onto e-book (in my own humble opinion) and I don’t think they offer the same sense of character that a physical book offers in spades. Lastly, I have to mention the aesthetic once more, as while you can make the e-book library resemble a bookshelf, it just isn’t the same.

The verdict.

I came into this piece thinking that there was only one winner, but I think I’m being swayed. In m head it’s the physical book, it always has been the physical book, and it always will be the physical book; but I’m not sure if that’s just me almost saying what I’m meant to say (or expected to say) as a long-time reader. I want to be one of those people that are into the authentic, the traditional, the nostalgic; but I’m not sure I am, at least not fully. As I’ve been writing, I’ve found that I was closer to sitting on the fence than I’d originally thought. I do appreciate having a good book in my hands, turning the pages to see what is next, and I do adore the memories that I have; but the convenience of a Kindle just can’t be sniffed at. The real question is, does ease and convenience beat tradition and authenticity? I’m not sure it does, but it has led to the majority of my library being sat within my tablet and phone. I still think that my ideal situation would be to be sat flipping pages through my fingers, but it is a lot closer than I’d expected.

By Calum Dewsbury