In Praise of eBooks by Carol Browne
In
Praise of eBooks
As a voracious book reader, I have lived my
life believing in the superiority of the printed book; then my beta-reader
kindly gave me her Kindle. Once I had figured out how to use it (three weeks
well spent), my perspective underwent a sea change.
When I bought my first eBook and saw it
download to my Kindle, it was a magical moment. I was also delighted to
discover the device doubles as a flash drive.
There’s something amazing about travelling
around with an entire library of books at your disposal and in these days of
multi-tasking, being able to read, eat and drink at the same time in total
comfort is most welcome. To someone like me on a low income, the availability
of cheap or free eBooks is a blessing too.
From an eco-friendly point of view, no trees
are cut down to make eBooks. Digital publishing also allows more authors to put
their work before the reading public, often publishing great work that
traditional publishers have rejected because they aren’t commercial enough.
I once assumed the device itself would be a
distraction but, if you’re an avid bookworm, the body of an e-reader is no more
of an intrusion than the body of a paperback; no more of a hindrance to your
enjoyment than a screen is when you are watching a good movie.
Many will disagree. A teenage friend of
mine prefers printed books because he likes the act of turning the pages. For
me, the Kindle’s page-turning function is quicker and easier. Plus, you can say
good-bye to the exasperation of having your bookmark fall out and not being
able to remember where you were up to.
Meanwhile, another friend of mine is
changing her opinion about eBooks. While moving to a smaller house, she
regretted her vast collection of paperbacks that would have to be accommodated
in less space—and then discovered many of them were mouldy and infested with
mites. Yuk. She’ll be buying her first Kindle soon!
There is still a place for printed books in
my home. I have about a dozen I will always cherish, but these books belong to
an exclusive club. It’s unlikely I’ll be adding new members.
Unless they’re written by me, of course.
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