This Fall, (back when I wrote for our school newspaper), the editor for the Arts and Entertainment section of the Keene Equinox asked me to weigh in on the e-book vs. print book debate. Prior to that essay, I had written book reviews on books of various genres, so that made me the resident "book expert". At the time, I had very strong opinions on the matter, and wrote a length article on the subject- now, I won't subject you to the entire article (though, if you're interested, it can be read here) but I think an excerpt will help to show you just how opposed I was to the who ebook reader concept:
"Once the electricity goes out and the Internet fails, the only reading I do will be done by candlelight, and my $200 Kindle, Nook, or Sony e-Reader will be about as useful as a brick. In fact, in the advent of the zombie-vampire apocalypse, a brick would probably be more useful, thanks to its potential to smash in a few zombie faces. But for those of you who fail to take the very real threat of a zombie uprising seriously, there are some other more immediately reasons to keep on reading the old-school way.
Fundamentally, the idea of a portable library is a very appealing one, especially for bibliophiles like myself. Man, just the thought of consolidating my entire library onto a device the size of a single paperback sends shivers up my spine. But the perceived benefits of such a device, the benefits that booksellers like Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Borders are trying to sell you are outweighed by a laundry lists of cons.
[...]Until manufacturers and booksellers understand their customers and master the art of competitive pricing, you're probably better off spending your money on something else, like a modest, but zombieproof underground bunker, or a lifetime supply of canned tuna."
Besides the talk of zombies, it is exceedingly clear that I was anti-kindle. And yet, less than a year later, I ended up as the proud owner of a Barnes&Noble nook. I even bought it a leather holder!
So why the sudden change in heart? Well, I was and have always been a quick reader with a voracious appetite for books, but it wasn't until I went to South Africa that I really realized what a problem this really was. Since I was going for three weeks and would be unable to do laundry, most of my luggage space was devoted to clothes...which left very little room for books. To make a long story incredibly short, I read all but one of my books on the 20-hour flight there, and had nothing to read during long car trips or before going to bed.
Thankfully, the trip itself was exciting, but going made me realize the benefits to having digital copies all your favorite books within arm's reach. By switching to ebooks, I gain the ability to bring a huge assortment of books with me- not only does this maximize valuable space in carry-ons and luggage, but it also gives me more freedom. If I change my mind about the books I intended to read for the trip, it's okay because I have other options.
That being said, my original complaints still hold true. Despite the long battery life of the nook (which is nothing close to that of the kindle, or so I've heard), I've still opened up the device to find the dreaded dead battery screen, which can be a pain if there's no outlet nearby (or, if you forgot your cable). When it comes right down to it, I still see my nook (who I named Sir Isaac Newton <3) as a omnibook, and so I forget that it has needs.
However, despite these needs, the nook does not offer the one, single feature that would make all that hassle worthwhile. Twice now, I've pulled my nook into bed with me, turned off the lights....only to remember it isn't backlit! Sure, I could buy a flashlight attachment, but I really don't want a battery-operated attachment dangling off my nook and taking up space in my bag/drawer/wherever. If I was really feeling that ambitious, I'd just read by flashlight under my covers like I did in grade school!
I've also experienced some problems with corrupted files and improper spacing, or files that just appear as blank on my nook. It might be a minor thing, but nothing is more frustrating than getting your hands on the newest installment of your favorite series and then realizing that your damn ebook reader can't open the file!
But the biggest problem for me is that it just isn't the same. No matter how hard I try, reading on the nook is not comfortable. It doesn't feel like a book, it doesn't look like a book...it's exactly like reading on the computer! While that might work for some people....it's just not my thing. So while I enjoy owning a nook and the freedom it grants me, at the end of the day, I'm still a regular book girl.
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