It seems that books may be classified as something of  nostalgia, as we are predominantly in a technological period in time.
You see more kids using their parents iPads as their source of knowledge and method of learning, however I donât believe thereâs an expiry date for books and we are a fair way away from declaring the death of books.
As a vision impaired person, youâd think my connection with books would have been severed along with my eyesight, however thatâs not the case.
It is indeed hard to find large print versions of the books I wish to read, but as silly as it might seem; I still prefer buying a psychical book that I may indeed struggle to visually read, over a digital version youâd read on your iPad or kindle.
There are many reasons and I guess nostalgia would play a part, but thereâs so many elements and takeaways that I get  from reading an actual psychical book.
Senses.
The smell; how can you not enjoy the smell of the pages, especially when itâs a pre owned or borrowed book that has a lifetime in itself of memories captured in its sent. My copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to this day smells of wizz fizz and I can recall that exact moment when I was reading it for the 5th time, that I dropped the little spoon of wizz fizz on it. Â
The feeling; turning each page and feeling an achievement of progressing. How itâs designed and made to sit in your hand comfortably for long periods of time and how it warms with the heat of your touch. It crinkles and bends as you delve further into itâs story, leaving your personal mark; a scar and imprint of your time with it.
The look; I look at my copy of The Hobbit that I recieved on my 5th birthday and I see itâs cracked spin and worn pages and to me it looks like something that has been loved. It was the first ârealâ book I read and it was the first book that was read to me by my parents and itâs all visible with itâs folded pages and tatty dust cover.
The biggest thing that I love that I donât get from reading digitally, is when I put my bookmark in the chapter Iâve read up to and I look at the book closed and I see just how far Iâve read and how much I achieved. Sometimes you feel sad because you donât want to story to end or you get to see just how much more youâve got left.
The iPad and Kindle are in most ways a very practical and great idea, youâre able to hold hundreds of books in your hand in one small compact object. However, you lose some of the aspects and emotions you get from reading a physical book.
I must look like a complete weirdo with my face so close to the pages trying to read the words printed, but itâs something I enjoy and cherish. Itâs my escape from my own life and by portal to a new world and adventure.
Just like CDâs and DVDâs, I prefer to own the physical thing opposed to downloading or owning a digital version. Thereâs something about owning and collecting something that adds value to it, I feel as though I donât value the things I own digitally as I cannot hold it or feel it.
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