Monday, November 24, 2014

Musings Monday

This is my first Musings Monday and it is hosted by Should be Reading. Musings Monday asks you to muse each week about bookish topics, what we are currently reading or one of your reading habits. I thought my first Musings Monday could be about: Ereaders vs. Paper Books.



For the longest time, I resisted falling into the digital trap. I flat out refused to get an ereader. There were a lot of reasons for this, mainly that I love the smell of books. I know that sounds weird, but there is something about the smell of a brand new book from the bookstore. I also love the process of going into a bookstore and wondering around, looking at all the pretty covers on the shelves. There were many times I would pick a book based on how it looked in the bookstore alone.

But I do read a LOT of books. I can remember going on vacations in the past and packing way too many books. I needed a book for every mood, plus backup books in case I finished those. And I am a very fast reader. I can easily read a book in a day. My husband's family lives in a small town in Alabama. When we go visit them, there is really nothing to do but read. Also, my husband's parents love to read just as much as I do. So it is not uncommon for all of us to sit around the living room and just read. (Best in-laws ever.) In a four day weekend, it is not uncommon for me to be able to read four or five books.

My in-laws were actually the ones who bought me my first Kindle (I told you: best in-laws ever). I was hooked immediately and last year, I upgraded to the Kindle Fire. I love that I can carry so many books with me at one time. I know I have over a hundred books on my Kindle. And yet, I keep buying more. I can't stop!

I am never without something to read and I have read everywhere: lunch breaks at work, at traffic lights, doctors' waiting rooms. And now that my husband and I are living in Naples, Italy a Kindle is even more important. We do a lot of traveling, by plain and by train. That is a lot of reading time. Another great thing about my Kindle: I can read in bed at night because of the screen light. My husband and I often read before we go to sleep. It is impossible to do that with a paper book without having the light on.

Now I haven't given up paper books completely. I still love going into bookstores. I can't pass one without going in. And now that we are in another country, the bookstores are even more beautiful. One of the best bookstores I have ever been to was in Venice, Italy (picture on the right). And I recently bought a hardcover 40th edition of Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (favorite childhood book and really, you can NOT outgrow Shel Silverstein).

Which books do you prefer? Ereaders or paper books? Why?

10 comments :

  1. Paper books. Always. E-books doesn't give me the same satisfaction when I finish reading as I do when read a paper copy. I'm a huge collector so I like looking at my books all lined up on my shelves.

    Nowadays though, I'm becoming more and more attracted to audiobooks. They're infinitely more convenient than e-copies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joyous Reads, I have tried audiobooks but I don't have the attention span for them. For some reason, my mind wanders too much!

      Delete
  2. I was a reluctant eReader as well, and if it weren't for book blogging, I don't know if I would have ever converted. Now, I'm a total junkie, I just love all of the various features, the one-click instant gratification, and freeing up shelf space. Great topic!

    Carmel @ Rabid Reads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Carmel! I also LOVE the instant gratification of paying for it and downloading it a minute later. No waiting for shipping. The bad thing is that I probably spend more money than I should. When you don't have to worry about how to carry all those books or where you will put them, you buy a lot more!

      Delete
  3. I'm with you that reading a print book with the lamp on isn't easy when the hubs wants to sleep. The eReader with the backlight is easier for sure. I'm kind of split. I do like print books better for appearance, but I like ebooks for convenience and light weight :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was hesitant at first about ereaders and I still haven't been fully converted but I do enjoy using one on my commute and for going away. The size/ weight in my bag makes a huge difference. And having all the options I could want at my fingertips is incredibly appealing. Paper books are still (and probably always will be) my first choice for reading for pleasure at home.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've had a kindle for over four years now and while I'd say the majority of the time I read on it I do have yearnings for a physical book from time to time. This is despite the fact that I always read in bed and as you say reading on a kindle is far easier in bed especially as I don't get finger ache from holding the book but I'll never loose that need for a real book fairly frequently.
    Great post for Musing Mondays.
    http://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. While I do read some ebooks, I find that I'm less enthused about them. I still primarily buy paperback copies.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was a reluctant eReader blogger as well. While my hesitancy didn't come from the smell of book, I did come from another sense: turning pages. Something about physically turning pages, or looking up and seeing that you devoured 100 pages in about 30 minutes just excited me!

    My husband bought me my first nook about three years ago because he knew that I was getting eARCS and it's one of the best things. Llike you said, packing is so much easier (although I am never without an audio book on my phone, my nook, or a physical book...I feel naked without them).

    AND AND AND. I CAN READ AT NIGHT. HELLO GLOWLIGHT.

    Great post Cynthia!

    Amber Elise @ Du Livre

    ReplyDelete