If you had a choice between an e-book or a paperback, what would you choose? Many would say paperback, but in this technology driven world, there are lots of people who would also say e-book. Reading on your tab, kindle, laptop or any other electronic device has many advantages, but has disadvantages too. Paper books aren’t completely advantageous either, so which one is better?
So here’s why I said a paper book is preferred. More people prefer that to electronic reading.
What advantages and disadvantages do both these have?
Why is an e-book better?
If you’re the kind of person who thinks about saving paper, then you would definitely be an e-book fan. Yes, reading on your electronic device is saving paper. That means saving trees.
Also, everything is organized and all your books are in one place. You won’t have to worry about misplacing them(unless you misplace your gadget of course!). A whole bookshelf now occupies just the space of one book! On an e-book, you won’t have to worry about bookmarking what page you were on because it saves the page you were reading, automatically.
Thinking about cost, they’re cheaper than paper books too, if you consider only the book price and not the device cost. Imagine you’re on vacation or on a long drive, it would be pretty sad if you wanted to read but having finished reading your book, you won’t have another one to start. I mean, no one would take like a whole library of paper books with them, would they? That’s when an e-book comes in handy. You won’t have to worry about not having anything to read.
You can just order an e-book online and it appears in your online library almost instantly, no delivery charges! You can have as many books as you want, in one place. There is an e-book available for any subject. Sci-fi, fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, informative book, you name it, it’s ready to be bought.
I can’t completely support e-books, though. In the long run, they can actually damage physical and mental health. How? Firstly, it affects the eyesight and then, reading for many hours together and continuing it can completely damage your eyesight.
Why are paper books better?
Paper books are better because they are real paper! They aren’t electronic and do not cause eye strain. I think paper books are better. Why? Because just reading a paper book develops a connection between you, the author and the characters in the story. We actually get the feel of reading while reading a paper book. Paper book readers, get what I mean? And, you don’t need to be as delicate with your book as with an electronic device. Drop a paper book, it might just get a bit dusty, but drop an e-book and chances are, it breaks and costs you a lot of money.
There is more emotional value to a paper book than to a gadget. Paper books don’t require power so you won’t have to worry about battery shortage. And researchers have proven that it is easier to comprehend with a paper book than with an e-book. Printed ink is always better than printed text.
I don’t mean to say e-books are bad. I don’t have anything against them, but I just feel paper books are better. I don’t see any disadvantage of them unless weight is considered.
It has been only a few years since e-books have come into existence, and they have come to a stage where they can almost replace the old tradition. Everyone may have their own choice of reading print or paper. They both have pros and cons. But in the end, nothing should be replaced. The ‘old tradition’ of paper books should not be replaced, neither should one be preferred over the other.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team