Reading a book can be one of the greatest experiences there is, as you turn the pages and imagine the creative world of the writer, feeling the experiences as if you are truly there. Remember the days of book fairs, when you could walk around the shelves and tables filled with great books to read? The smell of these freshly printed books mesmerizes many of us.
There’s just something about paper books that can never be replicated. The feeling of touching a real book can make you feel more connected with the author and their thought process. Holding the book in your hands can make you feel more physically engaged with it as well.
Practically, having books in a digital format is much more convenient than storing real books, especially if you’re traveling or need to save spaces. In addition, you can easily acquire any book you want digitally, and share it with your family and friends. E-books are budget friendly, too. But do you really get the feeling of reading a book from these E-books?
Real books are like treasures, and your book collection is a reflection of your inner self. You can take a walk down memory lane just by touching or even seeing them. Your book collection from your childhood is a summary of the progress that you have made in your life. You can remember certain books that played a big role in different periods of your life.
The number of books sold each year proves that E-books can’t replace our love for real books. The attention that you can give to a real book simply can’t be given to an E-book. Books give peace both of mind and body, while E-books may cause irritation for your eyes. Studies show that reading a book for six minutes can relax you, but reading it on the screen can have a reverse effect.
Real books can give you an escape from the rest of the world when you need some time for yourself, which might not be possible in the case of E-books, as social media notifications can interrupt your focus.
Finishing a big fat book gives you a sense of achievement when you finish reading the last page of the book and close it. That’s not a sensation you get when you finish an E-book!
You can also add handwritten notes and comments to a paper book, which trigger your memory whenever you page through. You can mark your favorite lines or quotes as well, something that is just not possible with E-books.
We have already mentioned that E-books are easy to travel with but just imagine yourself on a beach, relaxing and enjoying the wonderful atmosphere. Or maybe you are alone in a coffee shop, sipping wonderful Brazilian roasted coffee. What do you want as your companion? An Ipad full of E-books or a real paper book?
Last but not least, reading book is a joyful experience, not just a convenience. Touching a book and hearing the sound of the pages turning is marvelous. Reading a real book is just… irreplaceable.
