During our most recent Sunday night chat, my grandmother and I got into a very lengthy and heated, albeit friendly, debate about books. Specifically, the medium upon which we each choose to read our novels.
We are on opposing sides when it comes to books vs. e-Books
“ANNNNNND in the left corner, we have Grandma for e-Books, and over here on the riiiiiiight, Dara standing in for the old school book, book!!! Whose it gonna be?!”
That’s right. My grandmother is strongly in favor of the hip, and oh so trendy e-Book. Where as I, the millennial, prefer those good ole paper books.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy reading on my iPad, I really do, but I can say with certainty that I am highly devoted to a printed out, actual book.
Here is the summary of both our arguments:
MY OPENING CASE
I enjoy actually turning a page, there’s a small sense of accomplishment, especially since I’m able to psychically see how much I’ve read in one sitting. I’m able to circle, highlight, or write in them, and easily navigate my way back to that particular marked up section.
Also, tons of studies have proven over the last few years that readers actually absorb way less on an e-Book than they would on paper. I’m in that category. Mainly because it is way too easy to get distracted while I’m on a device (especially one where my texts and emails are synced up with). And this may be small, but I love the smell of books, and actually holding them.
Oh, and I work behind a computer pretty much the entire day between my 9-5 job and blogging. The last thing I want to do when I’m trying to relax and read, is boot up another screen.
GRANDMA FOR THE REBUTTAL
I like that my kindle is ultra lightweight, it’s easy for me to transport it places — in fact, I have hundreds of books in one little devise — and I don’t need to use both hands to read it. Mainly, because my thumb get’s tired of marking the page. If there’s a word I’m not too familiar with, I can look it up right there and then — directly on the kindle. I don’t need to circle / highlight / write when I’m reading. Additional screen time isn’t a problem for me. I also don’t care how much I’ve read in one sitting, the accomplishment comes along once I finish the book. I also do not get distracted, and can absorb the information all the same.
(mic drop, Grandma O-U-T)
I needed a tie-breaker, because I’m sticking hard on my case against e-Books . So I asked my mother. She voted for an e-Book (boo!) I then asked my cousin, a twentysomething and she voted book, book (score!).
It’s now tied — 2 vs. 2 !
WE NEED MORE VOTES! So blogger friends, let me now ask you — if you’re about to open up a book, which would you prefer, an e-Book or an actual book, book?