Sand Between The Pages

People have been reading print books for as long as they can remember. A book can be carried without care from point A to point B.  A book can be dropped in a puddle of water, left to dry and it is about as good as new. A book can be left in a locker for days and can be picked up and be read right where the reader left off. But with today’s new technology people are trading printed books for computers and for new e-Books or e-readers. Technology is allowing people to carry hundreds of books around at once and people enjoy the convenience of them. People are able to buy book online instead of have to drive to the store to go and get them. But e-readers and e-books are not as amazing as they are appearing to be.

            People having been turning away from print books and that can take a tool on them both mentally and physically. When I pick up a new book, it has a certain smell. Everyone can relate to this smell. Whether they are avid readers or just reading a book for a class, the smell of a book can make reading that much more enjoyable. E-readers and e-Books do have a certain smell, but the smell of plastic is not that inviting. Also the feeling of turning the pages of a book is much more rewarding then pressing a key on a computer or a button on an e-reader. Reading and finishing a print book in my opinion is more rewarding than reading a book on a computer or an e-reader.

            If one was to leave a book under a bed for a year and forget about it, then pick it up later and be able to continue to read it. If one was to do that with an e-reader, the e-reader will most likely be out of battery and need to be charged and electronics should not really be left under a bed for long periods of time. Also many enjoy reading at the beach. Drop a book in the sand and it will survive. Sand between the pages will not harm the book, but drop an e-reader in the sand and the sand could ruin it. Then you would be out of about a hundred bucks and will not be able to finish reading the book. Also you would lose everything else that is stored on the e-reader. E-readers can store many books as well as magazines, music and even emails and pictures. Ruin or lose your e-readers and you have lost much more than a story.

             E-books and e-readers are certainly becoming more popular and are being used by millions. They can store much more than books and people enjoy the convenience of that. But how could one trade the smell of a new book, the turning of the pages for a plastic device that will not last forever. I just do not understand.

Taylor Boulia