Paper or Digital

A few months ago, I bought an iPad, which has really changed my life. I’m no longer working my thumbs to nubs on my phone, trying to keep up with social media. I rarely turn my desktop computer on (unless I have to actually do some real work). And I now have millions of ebooks available at my fingertips. But you know what? I still prefer print.

After I got my iPad, I downloaded a few ebooks to my Nook and Kindle apps, but I haven’t managed to finish even one of them yet. Oh, I’m glad I bought them. They’re waiting for me whenever I have a few minutes to pull them up while standing in line at the market or when I’m stuck on a four-hour flight with no onboard entertainment. But when it comes to actual focused reading where I set aside time to visit the land of make-believe, I always turn to my print books.

The truth is, I just like the feel of print books. I love the weight of them in my hands, the smell of the paper, and the ability to easily flip back and forth through the book. I also really love looking at them. Yes, just seeing them and their pretty covers lying on top of my nightstand gives me a thrill. They’re a visual reminder of the wonderful worlds I get to visit. And the mere sight of them alone is enough to make me stop whatever I’m doing and take in a few pages. Ebooks just don’t have the same affect on me.

This is not to say that I don’t like ebooks. They definitely have their advantages. Portability being a big one. As well as the fact that they’re relatively less expensive than their print counterparts. But when there’s a book that I really want to read, that I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my hands on, I’m still going to choose paper over digital. For instance, I desperately want to read Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan (LOVED her debut, Commencement!), which is available in hardback for $24 or ebook for $13. Even though the ebook is nearly half the price of the print version, I’m going to shell out my hard-earned cash on that fat hard copy just so I can cradle it in my arms like a newborn babe, breathe in its crisp fresh-from-the-presses scent, and gaze longingly at its beautiful cover every time I walk by it. And when I’m finished with it, I’ll set it on my bookshelf where it will wink at me, dolling out sweet little reminders of the heavenly experience I enjoyed while reading it. Ah, love. Sweet, sweet love.

So, how about you? Have you foregone print altogether, or do you still hold a place for paper in your heart like I do?

Ciao,
Lucie