Honey, let me ask you… print book or e-book?

I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.

J. K. Rowling

Okay… take a deep breath. I’m afraid we’re about to swim head-on into shark-infested waters. I’m opening up Pandora’s box, and it’s downright scary. ‘Cause people have major OPINIONS about this subject! Let the games begin…

I will start by straightforwardly offering my preference… I’m an e-book girl. Before you react, let me defend: I love books, almost more than anything, so at some point I had to switch to being an e-book girl. I ran out of room, shelves, stacking places on the floor. My toddlers were being injured by unstable “walls” (books). Here are a few other reasons e-books’ siren call caught me in its clutches: I can buy a new book at 2:00 a.m….in my pajamas… in bed, and I don’t have to find a “place” for it on the shelves. I don’t have to get rid of a book I love/want to read/can’t live without. There’s lots and lots of room. How lovely! And, when I’m on vacation, I have, at my disposal, hundreds of books in one device (I was the girl who used to have one suitcase for clothes and one for books). E-books also tend to be less expensive than the hardbacks, and that saves money (if I’m I’m going to buy it, I might as well buy the cheap version). And… they sync up with Audible books, so I can go from my car to my easy chair, and never miss a chapter. (Ahhhh, Audible… a whole other upcoming blog post!!!)

Now, before you get huffy, I’m also a library girl. Love me a library. And, now, they have e-books too. Best part? I don’t have to worry about returning it by the due date. It just goes back at the end of my time allotted. They actually send you reminder e-mails to warn you that you’d better start reading faster, as your time is drawing nigh! You actually download library books from Amazon (a process which we’re all familiar with!). So, I usually check the library first, and if it’s available, I put myself on the waiting list (there’s always a waiting list). I’ll wait. (I’m retired!!!) Easy-peasy.

Are there things that I miss? Yes. The feel of the book in my hands, the smell of the book when I open it (perhaps I should formulate a new perfume or scented candle?), the feel of the paper. However, when I do grab a book off the shelves (and I frequently do!), there are things about it that (now) drive me nuts… like when I try to highlight a word that I want to check pronunciation or definition on. I hold my finger there… and nothing happens. Or when I tap the side of the page to turn it… and nothing happens. Or, if I decide to switch to a different book… I have to stand up and go to a shelf!

Are there exceptions to my e-book preference? Absolutely. For instance, cookbooks. I love the pictures! And, I really like to make notes, keep the page open while I’m cooking, and dog-ear pages after I’m done (don’t hate me). I always want a print copy of a cookbook. Home reference books? I usually like a print copy. I don’t like having to constantly refresh an e-book home reference volume while trying to fix something. And, sometimes (true confessions)… sometimes I love the e-book so much I’ll buy a hardback of the same book (this doesn’t happen often). But, if it’s exceptional, like Where the Crawdads Sing, I might just do it. And, when I do buy print copies, I always try to patronize an independent book store if possible.

The reality is, e-books opened up so many opportunities for me to expand my library, without giving up treasured items. Someday, Mr. G. and I are going to have a formal library, with shelves upon shelves upon shelves, and then we’ll be set. Until then, I’d love to know what floats your boat in this ocean of books we have at our disposal. And, rest assured, I love them all!!!

Thursday, on the blog, we’ll talk about my favorite mystery series. Until then, my friends!