On My Mind: Printed Books Versus Electronic Books

Hello, Book-lovers.

As you can see by the title, we are confronting a question. A question which has been brought up and argued over time and again since electronic reading devices first appeared. I ask you to please hear my opinion out, even if you do not agree with me. Also please do not hate me if you do disagree with me, and I will do the same for you. :)

Also, there are no pictures in this post. Why? Because I want you to use your imagination.

I used my comment on Lands Uncharted to write most of this post, however, I expanded it and added some new things.

First of all, as I said a long while ago on Lands Uncharted when they brought this question up, printed books smell wonderful. They all smell different, some with a strong smell that makes your nose itch, others with the lovely smell of crackling paper, still others with only the hint, a breath, of that unique, elusive, smell.

Secondly, you can feel them. Some are hardcover, wrapped in cloth, others smooth and paper-like, and others with the titles engraved upon their cover. Not to mention the dust jackets, which feel as soft as a baby's skin, or stiff like new paper, or have the title in shiny raised print, which you can stroke lovingly as you read the wonders of the novel.

Third is the persona. Each book has a personality, from being caressed lovingly by a young child, so much so that the book is worn and old, or being placed on a shelf, in perfect condition its whole life, or in the bottom of a backpack, always there when the owner needs it, or any other place it endures life. If you go to the store, and buy two of the same book, they still have different personas, though they may be hard to find. If you buy two of the same used book, you will see the different personas of the two books all the more clearly. This makes printed books unique.

Last is life. Maybe the life comes from the character. Maybe it comes from the author's love of his/her masterpiece. Maybe it comes from the love the reader puts into the book. Maybe it comes from the places it has been, from the trees from which it was made. Maybe it comes from the time that makes it old. Maybe it comes from its smell, its feel. I hold it comes from all of these things.

For books, printed books, are full of life, and that life cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Spruce Nogard