Paper Books

[erastes]

Last night gehayi and I read this post on Dear Author and said OMG!   I then said: "the reason I like a book? I can PICK IT UP AND START READING IT."

This started something - and so I give you "a bazillion reasons I won't be converted to ebooks anytime soon."   

A paper book doesn't need installing or converting or downloading
A paper book doesn't require you to be a tekkie to understand how it works
A paper book can be given to your elderly aunt without you having to explain it 100 times-she'll be able to use it without you having to go around every time she needs to read it.
A paper book doesn't get corrupted
A paper book doesn't cut out on you or crash in the middle of a storm.
A paper book doesn't become unreadable if you drop it in the bath or onto the pavement.
A paper book can still be read in candlelight when there's a powercut.
A paper book will not break or damage you if you fall asleep in bed when reading it. It will still work when you wake up in the morning, because its batteries won't have failed.
A paper book can be borrowed at a library for no charge
A paper book can't be destroyed by a virus
A paper book's ambient light won't damage your eyes.
A paper book can easily be read in broad sunlight
A paper book produces no radiation
A paper book can be read in large print without the words scrolling off the page
A paper book won't get you mugged (unless you are very silly about a rare first edition)
A paper book's illustrations don't take up loads of memory
A paper book won't jam and refuse to scroll just when you get to a juicy bit.
A paper book won't cost you £100 for a new one if you spill your wine on it it
A paper book is more portable than a laptop
A paper book is cheaper than a reader or a laptop.
A paper book smells and feels nice.
A paper book has pages.
A paper book can be passed on to a friend or a charity without breaking the law.
A paper book can be given to a library.
A paper book can be annotated, you can attach post it notes to parts that you need to refer to.
A paper book can be used as emergency toilet paper, firelighters, fuel. (only recommended for Twilight and Deathly Hallows.)
A paper book can be used as a cupstand.
A paper book won't run up your electricity bill.
A paper book can level up an uneven table.
A paper book can read without having to pay your cable company
A paper book is pretty and looks nice on shelves. It's a decoration in itself.
A paper book isn't destroyed by dust and spiders.
A paper book can be used to practice deportment
A paper book can be utilised when you are a published author with lots of books, you can line your books up behind you for publicity shots and interviews
A paper book can be autographed.
A paper book is replaceable individually. When you lose a book. it's just one book. lose an ereader and lose 10000 books.
A paper book is covered by household insurance.
A paper book is fun to read together in bed.
A paper book can be a source of prestige - huge glossy hardback "coffee table" books to show off to your friends.
A paper book can be thrown at a cat.

Comments

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

I don't like ebooks. Full stop. I just don't like reading on a screen, any screen. I print everything that I read at work becausae most importantly I Can Make Notes! No Notes = No Proper Reading.

I am pretty sure that this will never change. I am 40 (almost) it's highly unlikely I'll change my mind anytime soon.

[angelabenedetti.livejournal.com]

A paper book won't jam and refuse to scroll just when you get to a juicy bit.

You know, this strikes me as a great prank for a Candid Camera type show to play on people. :D

Angie

[megleigh.livejournal.com]

lol! These are great, and I do prefer paper books, but love my ereader too, as it is easier on my arthritic hands.

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

A paper book smells and feels nice.

YES. I am with Giles on this one. Books are smelly and smelly is good.

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/12/12/book-publishing-authors-oped-cx_lo_1212osborne.html

apparently someone agrees!

[berseker.livejournal.com]

A paper book doesn't become unreadable if you drop it in the bath.
A paper book can still be read in candlelight when there's a powercut.


Altough the first one does have a negative impact on the pages. I stopped reading in the bath to avoid this, because the cover becomes all crumped and plus it makes me feel gulty.

As for the second one... cell phone light. That was how I read the Half-Blood Prince's ending. Now this makes me lol - I didn´t even like that book - but it was kind of fun.

(and anyway books have emotional value. You can hug and kiss them (it?) and mark them with your tears and that just doesn't work with e-books)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

oh I drop 'em in the bath all the time, but the good thing is that - for the author - eventually when the book is completely ruined (my ASOIAF books are expanded hugely) that I buy another one!!

[aunty_marion]

oh I drop 'em in the bath all the time ... yes, I'd noticed! *eyes wrinkly copy of DH on the other side of the room*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Well, you said you were going to cut it up!! Ingrate!!

:)

[aunty_marion]

This is true. Not something I regularly do to books, mind you!

I think that may now have to be next year's project, though - the knitting seems to have consumed most of my time this year!

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

I really only have time to read when I'm in the bathroom and in the bath. eBook... sort of a safety hazard!

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

There's good and bad in both. E-readers, sure, easy for traveling, BUT, as you say, a thief magnet. And, to be snobbish--E-books are fine for read-once books, which is why I think the illegality of passing along a file you KNOW you will never read again is silly. One should at least be able to donate them to a library. But if I want to read a book again, I want a real, paper book. The tree factor...is bogus. Stop using trees! Hemp paper is high-quality, it's a cheap crop, and there are non-smoking varieties.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

And also, specially here - it creates an industry because the forests are managed, which is good for the enviroment too.

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Um...it is book-shaped and can be HELD?

Watch out kitties!

[gweneiriol.livejournal.com]

A paper book can be read in large print without the words scrolling off the page

HEE!!!

Also when I saw "Dear Author", I read it as "Dear Arthur" and thought, "MERLIN!" :P

[dmjumu.livejournal.com]

i can't see ereaders being good bathroom reads either. :( I love this and feel much the same way! I'm glad you included that it smells and feels nice! eReaders and the like seem so hard and cold where a book is soft and opens up to you on a bad day.

...

i didn't quite mean it to sound that dirty... >.>

anyway, thanks for posting! XD

[erastes.livejournal.com]

You are welcome! Not meant to be reader-hating, I know people love them, but I don't see any space in my life for one.

[dmjumu.livejournal.com]

(sorry for the delayed reply, I got my email accounts mixed up and forgot I even had this one. epic fail.)

I agree, they're not bad things, just not my cup of tea. I worry though what they will do to the value of books on the market; worried they'll replace their paper brothers.