1. Relaxing

Photo Credit: Helga Weber

I’m not fond of rainy days, but it happens. So to me, a pretty good way of spending it is to curl up on the sofa and work my way through a book. Prop yourself up with plenty of cushions, snuggle under a blanket if it’s cold, and lose yourself in a Kindle … just not the same is it. Give me a book any day.

2. Bookshelves

Photo Credit: yyellowbird

From where I am sitting, I can see all the books on my shelves. To me, they are part of the décor, the different coloured spines and shapes adding something to my home. Sure, an e-reader saves a lot of space, and I’m sure it’s great if you’re travelling, but what is a house without books?

3. Safer

Photo Credit: Steve Webel

Electronic gadgets are always at risk of theft, and it surely won’t be long before we start hearing about a rise in Kindle thefts. But who’s going to steal a paperback book? Plus if you spill something over a book and it’s ruined, the value is much lower than a gadget.

4. Eye Strain

Photo Credit: < Ross

I wonder if e-readers will cause more eye strain than reading printed text, since effectively it is a small computer screen. Maybe it’s designed to deal with the problem. But I would find it a lot easier to read a book than a little screen.

5. Browsing

Photo Credit: canong2fan

Browsing round a bookstore is a real pleasure. You may come across authors you had never heard of, all sorts of topics you had never thought of reading, and with second-hand bookstores you never know what gems you may come across. Downloading books takes all the fun out of it.

6. Cover Art

Photo Credit: Mr Bizzle

In the same way that the cover art was a big part of collecting LPs, so it is with books. The electronic version has no art, no colour, but is just words. It’s really not that appealing.

7. Pictures

Photo Credit: Arty Smokes (deaf mute)

Any books with illustrations just won’t work on an e-reader. What about art or photography? Imagine trying to read a recipe on a small screen (and that’s without trying not to spill anything all over it).

I’m not a technophobe, but while I can see the point of Mp3 players, as a true bibliophile I cannot see that physical books can ever be replaced. Space saving is all very well, but nothing will ever be an adequate substitute for a real book. What do you think – do you find e-readers work for you?

Top Photo Credit: win___hiro