Kindle vs. An Actual Book

The subject of an e-reader vs. a book made from paper is something I've talked about before. But it's something that presents itself once again due to my friends having them and my constant dilemma of trying to decide which books to take on work trips and vacations. Sometimes this quandary is not too intense, but this is only when I have a stack of New Yorker issues that I need to catch up on. However, this is not always the case.


I am not the only one. This short post on one of my favourite sites touches on a lot of the same reasons why I cannot break down and get one (or ask for one for Christmas/birthdays/graduation).


I recently put this choice in the hands of fate. Except Fate was an elderly lady with a Boston accent. She was walking around the convention hall where I was trying to give away copies of some environmental science journals, and she asked me to take a survey about the convention center. If I took it, I would be automatically entered to win an e-reader. I took the survey with mixed feelings. I didn't really want an e-reader, but I did want to take the survey on her fancy-schmansy iPad. 


Maybe the real question is this: forget the e-reader, do I secretly want an iPad?

Kindle?

A very good friend of mine recently asked me if I wanted a kindle for Christmas.Thankfully, she understood why I said "no, thank you" (though I really appreciated and was surprised by the offer!). I just love real books too much (my very good friend also shares this sentiment): the feel of the paper, the smell (of old books and new), and the freedom to underline a favorite phrase. Speaking from a student's perspective, I also really appreciate the ability to flip back and forth easily-especially when I'm looking for a specific part of the book but am unclear on the exact chapter it's located in.

I will admit that loading several books onto the slim, easy-to-tote kindle/nook/what-have-you would be worlds better than jamming 6 hardback books into my carryon bag (and occasionally forgoing an extra shirt or two just to accommodate), but I just can't bring myself to convert. I get tired of looking at a computer screen (even though the e-readers are reputed to have excellent back lighting and are easier on the eyes than a tv or computer screen), and I daily look forward to reading an actual book on my lunch break or on the train.

Bring on the paperbacks! I suppose I'm just an old-fashioned kind of girl.