Paper books or E-books? Answering the bookworm’s eternal query!
Amazon’s high-profile “we are the readers” electronic media campaign has triggered off another round of exchanges in the paper book vs e-book debate. On the one hand are the “traditionalists” who insist that nothing electronic can ever match the feel of a “real”(read “paper”) book. And on the other you have the e-book pundits who stress on the sheer convenience an e-book offers and of course, insist that it is the future.
The truth, we think, lies between those two utter extremes. Both paper and digital have their strong points. But if you are among those wondering whether it actually makes sense to invest in a e-book reader like the Kindle or switch to reading books in digital format, well, here is a simple comparison between reading paper books and e-books to help you make up your mind:
One area where paper books have their digital counterparts for lunch is in the matter of appearance. Paper books are better designed and well, actually have a better “feel”as they are independent entities and not something within a computer. You have more colourful covers, more information about the book on the back cover. As one of our bookloving friends told us, “With a paper book, at least people see what you are reading. With a Kindle, you could be reading anything.”That is not to say that the Kindles, especially the high-end Voyage, do not look good - they cut very natty figures indeeds, but they do not look like books. So if you are the type that does not just like to read but also likes to be SEEN reading, you can stick to paper.
Which of course brings us to the little matter of reading itself. A couple of years ago, the paper book would have wiped the floor with the Kindle in this department. Cut to today and the battle is surprisingly tight. With the emergence of the Paperwhite and the Voyage, the Kindle not only provides a near paper-like reading experience, but also comes with the advantage of working in the dark, thanks to its front-lit mechanism. Yes, there will be those who will talk of the “feel of a book and better page turns” but on the flip side, most e-book readers are lighter and less bulky than bestsellers and handle things like bookmarks and notes much better.And while you are stuck with what you get in a print book, a Kindle lets you change font size allowing you to see larger or smaller letters depending on your requirements. Yes, paper is still much the better medium to look at graphic novels and photographs, but in terms of text, we really think e-books have caught up.
This is a massive issue, and once again, one where paper books were far ahead of e-books a few years ago. In 2011, getting e-book editions was a problem, and sites like Amazon and Flipkart had limited e-book titles. Today, however, that has changed and it is not rare to see e-book editions of high-profile titles become available online much before they hit bookstores - Terry Pratchett’s “The Shepherd’s Crown’ and Lee Child’s ‘Make Me’are prime examples. There is also the little matter of the fact that e-books are available for sale ‘round the clock and irrespective of your location. We have to concede that with the diminishing number of quality bookstores in recent times, it is easier to get e-editions of most recent books as compared to their paper avatars.
This is pretty much a one-way street. When it comes to sheer convenience of ease and storage, e-books are well ahead of their paper counterparts. You can carry over a thousand e-books in a single Kindle - no book racks or boxes needed. Compare that with the unfortunate burden that paper books tend to place on their owners and a Kindle almost seems a Godsend - you do not have to pick or choose which books you wish to take along on a short trip. Round that off with the fact that e-books can be read even in pitch darkness on a Kindle Paperwhite or a phone or tablet and you can see why so many people are getting swayed by the digital versions of books.
Another area where e-books have caught up with their paper counterparts is in terms of cost. A few years ago, buying an e-book was an expensive process with prices generally in the vicinity of Rs 500. However, the years that have followed have seen this price difference drop to the extent that in many cases, e-book editions are much more affordable than their paper counterparts, especially in hardcover and large format. And most e-book dealers also offer “read as much as you can” options for a fixed monthly payment such as Kindle Unlimited. Yes, logically e-books should be a whole lot cheaper than their paper counterparts when you consider the fact that there is no paper, no printing and no delivery logistics involved, but even then, as of now, the cost differential between a paper book and an e-book is marginal. And while an e-book reader like the Kindle does cost money, well, so do bookcases and racks.
So, should you stick with paper or go digital when it comes to reading. Well, honestly, we think that the case for switching to e-books is far stronger than it was a few years ago - they are more easily available, better priced and e-book readers too are serving up a better reading experience. Yes, we know that there is a certain magic about the touch and feel of paper and yes, a ‘real’ book looks so much more tempting than a digital one. But if what you are really concerned about is reading and are sick of lugging books around (they can be heavy), then perhaps it is time to go digital. Simply for the convenience. At the end of the day, it is about reading and not what one is reading on, isn’t it?
