Do you remember the time you purchased your first novel? The sublime touch of the smooth cover, the subtle sound of flipping the pages, the resplendent smell of the parchment, and the joy of reading through actual text; it is wonderful to say the least. Additionally, each book seems and feels different. In comparison, eBooks may feel monotonous, with the same neutral smell of the screen, no cover to touch, and no pages to flip through. However, both traditional books and eBooks have got their own set of pros and cons. Let us take a look at the prime ones and decide which we are to prefer.
Books:
Pros – The feel of holding a novel apart, it is easier to read through a physical book. The font is generally easy on the eyes, and it brings about zero strain. Books have a certain physical beauty. This beauty inspires you to read through the entire text, even though the story might be uninteresting. Unlike eBooks, you can have a ‘collection’ of traditional books. This collection defines your personality and makes you understand who you are. For publishers and authors, books prove to be highly beneficial. They can profit more than eBooks due to the relatively high price. Additionally, it is comparatively difficult to copy a physical book than an electronic one. Thus there is a much lesser chance of piracy and the entire world benefits as a result. And since it is not electronic, there is no need to charge it up. A book stays with you forever, unless you misplace it.
Cons – The physical size of the book proves to be a problem while traveling. You can carry a couple of books at the most, depending on their size. You can’t afford to have a variety in reading. You may find it difficult to read a physical book in bad light. And absolute darkness prevents you from reading anything at all. From the consumer point of view, books are also relatively expensive. Additionally, the resplendent smell you are taking in might be of dead trees. There are eco-friendly pages available, but they may not smell as good.
EBooks:
Pros – EBooks can be taken anywhere, and not just one or two, you can carry an entire library in your pocket! Read whatever you want to, wherever. You can access your collection from anywhere in the world, thanks to the internet. You can change the font to suit your reading comfort, so those low on eyesight can increase the font accordingly. Also, you don’t need to carry bulky torches in places with low light. You can as easily read eBooks in the darkness as in the sunlight. Additionally, you pay less for purchasing an eBook than for buying a traditional book, apart from reducing your carbon footprint.
Cons – You may have reduced your carbon footprint by saving trees, but eBooks need electricity to get charged up and be read. So you step on the gas in that department. EBooks may not be healthy for your eyes either. The illuminated screen may cause irritation to the eyes. Additionally, eBooks can be easily pirated, breaking the social balance of the world and ultimately resulting in chaos.
It is not quite feasible to ‘prefer’ from these two offerings. Nonetheless, do let us know of your preference in the comments.
Olivia Thomas is a stay-at-home mom. She finds it easy to search the right educational books for her kids online than a book store, apart from the benefit of variety of choice available online.
