The launch of new technology has divided our book loving nation – as for every person who races to get their mitts on the latest Kindle from Amazon or jumps for joy when they first glide the pages on a slick and shiny iPad, you can be sure that there are large volumes of traditionalists rolling their eyes in dismay.
“But printed books are the most important artifacts of all human civilization”, some scream, while early adopters of new technology simply can’t fathom why they don’t get with the programme and grasp the pleasure of reading the world’s classics, from Jane Austen to Dostoevsky, free of charge on an iPad2.
Indeed, the launch of ebooks has undoubtedly changed the publishing world forever.
Digital formats have opened up an exciting new way to absorb yourself in literature – in bed or on the move. They’re neat, compact, portable and, as those who’ve got their hands on the new technology may well argue, pretty cool.
But bookworms of old needn’t fret – whilst downloading novels, biographies and history tomes to a Kindle or iPad has replaced paper in many people’s lives, far from being near obsolete, there’s some shelf-life in old books yet.
iPad vs Paper
While it certainly isn’t a good idea to take your iPad or Kindle into the bath or for seaside escapes, compact technology has transformed that long-loved pleasure of reading under a parasol in the sun. Why lug a stack of heavy novels when you can download all your hot summer reads in one very neat and slim-line little package?
Unlike laptops, Kindles also have anti-glare display screens, which means that you can devour your spy thriller or bodice-ripper even in strong sunlight. Whether you’re hitting the road for business or pleasure, an eBook reader is tailor-made for travel.
Trouble is, you can’t collect Kindles and ‘first edition’ downloads, although you will get a vast virtual library for considerably less than the cost of putting spines on a bookcase. Indeed, a wealth of classic novels now out of copyright are available to download free of charge.
For some, the sheer physical pleasures of holding a book in their hands and the inspiring smell of fresh paper when they open the cover and delve into Chapter One is indelibly linked to the joy of reading. And old tomes hold a myriad of delights.
For hygiene freaks, the smell of second-hand novels and inscrutable smudges and stains in library books are the stuff of gothic horror – a kindle is clean and you always know where it’s been. eBook readers are, arguably, also more ecologically sound than books – no trees are felled to produce digital text and internet downloads mean no transportation or delivery costs either.
But while a Kindle is kind to the planet, publishers and the writers who produce the art we crave may be out of pocket as the reduced price of downloads has also lowered their profits.
Luddite or techie fan, the final word is that those who love to read now have the very best of both worlds.
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