I have a kindle.
A lot of people do.
Big deal you may say.
That’s fair enough but today I deliberately bought two paperbacks in Waterstones. I could have bought them over my wifi link and download to my kindle but I chose not to.
Why?
Am I turning into a Luddite?
Absolutely not!
The thing is, no matter what wizardry there is in this brave new world, at the end of the day, I’m an aesthete and a physical entity and I do prefer to hold a book, feeling that cold crispness of a fresh virgin page, get heady on the scent of its perfume, admire the cover art and ultimately take it home
While there is a future for eBooks, a happy equilibrium will be established within the decade.
Paper can lie down with the eReader.
Hardbacks, folios, collectors editions and the like will still be available as perhaps gifts etc with a code to allow one to download the electronic equivalent.
The difference between a paper book and an ebook is really the difference between sex and phone sex. One is preferable but sometimes expediency wins out. Not that that’s a personal endorsement of the latter but merely a personal opinion of an observed reality of the modern world.
I buy eBooks and I buy paper books.
Sometimes I’m an aesthete, sometimes I’m not.
I’m absolutely the same way. I have a massive TBR pile in real paper books and an even higher electronic pile because they are so quick and easy to do. Both have their positives. Long live books. In all formats.
Thanks for commenting Rebecca. Vinyl hasn’t vanished and in fact a new vinyl emporium has opened in Belfast for collectors so yes, there is room for the old and the new. It’s a question of paper books finding a new audience and adapting itself slightly. Isn’t that the stuff of survival and evolution?
I agree!
I love that on Kindle I have the potential for instant access and the sample chapter facility is brilliant. I think, also, for indie/self-pub writers this is an absolute godsend as it eliminates risk with trying out new writers. With Gunshot Glitter I have encouraged all prospective readers to try the story on for size.
But as a consumer I love books; yes my flat is a fire hazard and I’ll probably end up on the news as the woman who was found under a pile of them, but when I buy a piece of art in any format I like to hold it and look upon it whenever possible – and to me a great book is a work of art to hold and love. The sample applies to my behemoth.
So Martin, I completely see where you are coming from. I enjoy the benefits of both but my emotional attachment lies with print. Much like downloads vs CDs/vinyl in music.
God, I wish I could edit comments I meant to say ‘The same applies to my behemoth’!