Ebooks v. Books

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Books vs. E-Books: Which is Better?

Books have been around, well, for centuries. The demise of "dead tree" books has been predicted for years, but somehow they've managed to survive. Electronic readers have come (and mostly) gone, victims of bad software, limited title selection and high prices. But now, the Amazon Kindle seems to have taken off. Will this be the end of bound books?

Newsweek thinks it's a championship fight between books and ebooks. Who will win?

I say books! Books are better! However, I'm willing to listen to the other side. Here's my take, then tell me what you think.

photo by janetmck on Flickr

20 Reasons Why Real Books Beat Ebooks

Reasons 1 through 10

stack of books1. You can take a "dead tree" book on vacation, to the beach, or to the park (and leave it behind without guilt).

2. Printed books are available everywhere. There are books in bookstores, airports, supermarkets, libraries, and yard sales.

3. Books are forever. When you're finished reading a book, you can put in on a shelf (and remember the story when you look at it).

4. There are millions and millions of paper book titles in print. Books in Print offers a database of 7.5 million titles in the US alone.

5. No software upgrades. You never have to buy a new Kindle or iPad to enjoy printed books. Digital data degrades over time and software becomes obsolete. Books can last for centuries.

6. No batteries required. You don't need a computer, an Internet connection, or special tools to read a printed bound book.

7. Books are cheap. Used books on Amazon cost as little as 1 cent. Kindles start at $79 (with ads!). That's a lot of books! And Kindle books can cost more too. The paperback version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is cheaper than the Kindle edition!

8. You can use old books to hold your new books. Stack them up, lay wooden boards on them, and create bookshelves.

9. Books don't melt or break. You can leave a book out in the sun or in a hot car.

10. You buy it, you own it. You never know when an e-book can be deleted from your e-reader. Books are yours. Period.

Stop by every day to shop our new Deal of the Day at BarnesandNoble.com!

Great Books That Are Not On Kindle

The Good Earth

The Good Earth (Enriched Classics (Pocket))

Amazon Price: $3.80 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

This novel was awarded the 1932 Pulitzer Prize and it's still a winner, over 70 years later. Wang Lung is a poor and illiterate peasant farmer. He goes to town to buy a bride, but can only "afford" O-lan, a plain, hardworking slave woman.

She turns out to be good luck. As time goes on, Wang Lung's fortune's change, but as he grows richer, he also grows greedier. The more he has, the more he wants, and the more he "needs". It's a story of what happens when a poor man suddenly succeeds, and how that success changes him.

A Baker's Dozen of Seuss

Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss

Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Not even employees of digital companies want their kids to read digital books. When you're learning to read, you need something to hold in your hand, and touch, and turn the pages. Plus, I'm not so so sure it's a good idea to give an expensive e-reader to a baby.

This collection includes photographs and sketches, as well as: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, Horton Hears a Who!, Yertle the Turtle, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Green Eggs and Ham, and more.

Moving Violations

Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence

Amazon Price: $6.14 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

A car accident left reporter John Hockenberry paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this, he manages to navigate through war zones in the Middle East, up mountainsides, and around exploding volcanoes.

He says, "In America access is always about architecture and never about human beings. Among Israelis and Palestinians, access was rarely about anything but people. While in the U.S. a wheelchair stands out as an explicitly separate experience from the mainstream, in the Israel and Arab worlds it is just another thing that can go wrong in a place where things go wrong all the time."

2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey

Amazon Price: $4.22 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

If the movie confused you, read the book to find out more about what really happened. It all starts three million years ago... and then moves forward into the future. A large monolith is discovered on the moon. It's millions of years old. But how did it get there? And how did we get here? Humans go to investigate, with their brand new HAL 9000 computer running the spaceship. Something unexpected occurs...

LED Booklights

Mighty Bright, Lightwedge, and Clip-On Booklights

Ebook or traditional book, sometimes you need a little help to see your book better. Booklights are just the thing. They clip on to your book, so you can read without disturbing anyone else.
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The Mighty Bright Booklight

Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light (Silver)

Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

This light has not one, but two bulbs. You can use one or both, so it's extra bright when you need it. It uses regular AAA batteries, so you don't need to go out and get the odd coin-shaped kind. The neck bends so you can point the light exactly where you want it.

Important!

Books Are Eco-Friendly

Some say ebooks are "greener" - but trees are a renewable resource. The rare earths and minerals used to make e-readers aren't. Plus, you need batteries and electricity to operate them. Books can be pulped and recycled.

BOOK: Bio Optical Organized Knowledge

Very funny (it's in Spanish, but there are English subtitles).

The comments (which are in English) are pretty funny too.
Popularlibros.com - Did you know the BOOK? English subtitles
by leerestademoda | video info

1,871 ratings | 413,644 views
curated content from YouTube

20 Reasons Why Traditional Books Are Better Than E-Books

Reasons 11-20

11. No DRM (digital rights management). You can read your printed book at any time or any place (on the bus, in your living room, in your den, etc.). You don't need to pay twice for the same book for different places or technologies, such as one copy for your smartphone, another for your digital reader, and a third for your computer.

12. Sharing. After you read a "dead tree" book, you can share it with a friend. An online book friend in New Zealand passed a book on to another friend in Virginia, who sent it to Arizona. It then went to me in New York, and then on to California. Can't do that with a digital book. Can't enclose silly notes in a digital book either.

13.Airplanes. A fight attendant recently told a friend she couldn't use her Kindle in-flight. Books have no electronics. Nobody can tell you to turn off your book.

14.Books can swim. Sure, they may get a bit crinkly if they get wet at the pool or the beach (or if melted ice from a cooler sloshes on them), but they're still usable. Kindles will drown.

15.Resale value. Used books can be resold on Alibris or Amazon. You can even start your own online bookstore.

16. Shoulder surfing. If the person sitting next to you is reading a real book, it's easy to sneak a peek at the title. Hard to do with a Kindle or a Nook.

17.Book signings. People line up in bookstores to meet their favorite author and have their new book signed. How do you sign an ebook?

18. No viruses. Books don't crash, get viruses, or go blank suddenly. They don't need virus checkers either.

19. Page numbers. Books have page numbers - so you can cross-reference annotations and footnotes. Not to mention see (at a glance) how long the book is. Electronic readers, like Kindle, have no numbers; you can't tell how far you've read, or how many pages there are to go.

20. Pretty bookmarks. Each one I have reminds me of where I got it or who gave it to me. An electronic marker can't help you reminisce.

21. Illustrations. The drawings in books like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or The Wind in the Willows are an integral part of the story.

Best Selling Paperback Sale! Buy Two, Get your Third FREE at BarnesandNoble.com!

Your Turn!

Which is better? Books or E-Books?

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There are way more books in print than I can ever read! Hooray!

hakamike says:

Books all the way, books rock.

Helenee says:

I am a reader, which means I will read everything and anything under the sun, whether in print or in digital form, published in a book, leaflet or scribbled on a piece of napkin, doesn't matter.
On the other hand, I like browsing a book -- smelling a book -- and keeping short notes on a handbook. Especially this notekeeping thing is a major drawback when using ebooks.

SudokuNut says:

I'm a big fan of real books. I use both but there's just not the same emotional connection between thumbing through a real physical paperback and clicking through an ebook. It just doesn't compare. Real books give rise to real feelings for me beyond the actual text on the page. Ebooks just feel...cold.

jaye5500 says:

i have absolutely nothing against ebooks. However, i still having a book in my hand to read.

sedatedeyes209 says:

I'm not entirely opposed to e-books, I find them convenient really and sometimes cheaper, maybe even free but nothing beats the joy of holding an actual book, turning it page by page and smelling the words on paper. Between nostalgia and convenience, I vote nostalgia.

BarbRad says:

I'm a bookseller of both new and used books. Need I say more? Your children probably won't cuddle up to you when you're reading from a kindle the way they would if you are reading from an open picture book. And, of course, there are all the reasons you have already given. My other reasons are in my lens "Are Paper Books Obsolete?"

TamaraKajari says:

I'm all for books. I totally understand the situations when e versions are better, but for my own pleasure of reading, I have to turn paper pages and hold the book in my hands. When it comes to gadgets I'm living in the wrong century :)

JerriHerico says:

Nothing beats the sweet smell of a newly-purchased book!!NOTHING!!!!

leek_sprinkles says:

I can't understand why people prefer e-books to the traditional sort. I have a huge book collection, and I can't ever imagine transferring that lot to a Kindle or something of the sort; for me, holding the book is part of the fun, weird as that sounds.

Glenn619 says:

Though its the era of the e-book i still prefer the traditional reading books

DecoratingforEvents says:

Technology is great but I still love curling up with a good book. There is just something about holding it and turning the pages as I read that I love.

Wednesday_Elf says:

Definitely printed books. I 'collect' books by specific authors and have a personal library of somewhere around 800 books! There is something special about holding a book in your hand, carrying it around from place to place, having it 'right there' anytime I want! I'll never run out of 'printed' books to read!

WindyWinters says:

I'm for books as they are more versatile and there are a lot more titles. I especially enjoy having a variety of reference books handy. i.e. dictionary, atlas, dummies books etc!

Home-Interior-Designer says:

Books. Nothing can replace the feel, smell and look of a book in your hand, especially an old one. One is literally holding the fruit of nature as well as the dreams of mankind.

Chadrew says:

I love paper books :) it's no contest - printed books are much, much better than ebooks you read on your computer screen. They don't tire out my eyes as fast, I can carry them anywhere, read in any position, etc. Plus if I'm reading something on my computer, there are tons of distractions... I keep checking my e-mail and stuff like that.

HOWEVER, I have to admit that I've never used Amazon Kindle or any other "reading device". I am sure reading e-books in one of those is much better than reading them on the computer monitor!

I think it will still take a while, but eventually digital books / reading devices will be so advanced, a "digital" book will look just as good as a printed one, it will require no charging, and one flexible paper-thin device will be able to hold entire library. Until that bright future comes, I'll go with printed books.

Peregrina says:

I do think e-books have their uses, but I'm very fond of "dead tree" books as physical objects, and think rooms without bookshelves would feel bare.

Natalie says:

I prefer Printed Books. Like it said above, physically we own the book, put it on the boards or bookcase, or keep it in the cabinet. It's just not the same, when I read Digital Books, I don't feel that I'm reading a book. However, eyes will get tired immediately by reading Digital Books :)

Payten says:

Printed books are better because you can get more involved in the story because when i read a "real book" its like i become part of the story as one of the characters but when i read a digital story i kept getting lost (i lost my place) and i didn't retain as much as i did when i read it from a book

Payten says:

Printed books because they are textile and help some concentrate better than staring off into cyber space (which is what i do)

Betsy Robinson says:

You can't dog-ear pages of an e-book. You can't run into something you didn't know you were looking for when you page through a reference book that's digital. There is no visceral adventure, no ability to lie on your couch contemplating some amazing thing you just read without the feeling that you're using up electricity while you contemplate. I have made an e-book for actors looking for monologues that I sell on my website. They can print out whatever short piece they want from it. But for pure reading pleasure, it's got to be a printed book.

Print is sooo 14th century! GIve me digital!

NorDac says:

My vision is getting bad. EBooks are easier to read. I also live in an area where books stores are hard to come by. With an ebook I go to amazon, choose a new book (at about a third the price) and am reading it in a few minute.

Ebooks are also easier to store, I can have hundreds and my reader doesn't get any bigger (unlike my book shelf).

TheCureForYouthMinistry says:

I have to say, I love my iPad with Kindle and IBooks. Both programs let me share a line for a book via Facebook and Twitter as welll as the ability to take longer notes on a line or a paragraph. I still love paper books, but I think I can read more ebooks per year.

ernieplotter says:

In terms of space, practicity, ecology and sharing, ebooks are better. For me are ebooks!

Susan52 says:

Okay, I've always defended "real books," but I was sitting on the deck this morning reading from my new Kindle and said, out loud, "Anyone who doesn't like the Kindle hasn't tried the Kindle." I am crazy about ebooks!

thegirlnextfloor says:

eBooks are the way of the future, in my opinion. I think books are a waste of trees, which will damage the planet far more in the long-term picture. Why do that if you don't have to? I mean, sure...books are sentimental and all that stuff, but is the ability to reminisce worth the price we pay in harming the planet we all have to share? Not really. The cons outweigh the pros. I would argue that ebooks are actually more portable and accessible than print books, actually. Anywhere with an internet connection makes it possible for you to read your ebooks. You don't have to buy a Kindle, you can download the app for free on your PC and read them anywhere you can connect to the internet and download the application.

mcochs says:

I'm with JaguarJulie on this one. However, if you are elderlyand/or have eye problems the eBooks and eBook readers could be better because you can change the font size like you can on your computer.After a stroke weakened my eyes,I found the eBook readers easier.

kajohu says:

I love my Kindle, although I certainly don't turn up my nose at "real" books! I like being able to store many books on my Kindle, and only having that one small device to worry about. But....it costs more than going to the library to check out the books there.

costinget says:

It's a blessing to have stored as much you choose and read as much whenever you choose with a kindle reader.
But, I can appreciate a papper book, too

Korvus says:

When you buy an ebook, you don't need to pay for the delivery and you don't need to wait for it. You buy it and start reading.

And yes, you can take it with you anywhere because you can move it to your iPhone, actually you can carry ALL YOUR BOOKS with you.

And by the way, ebooks are cheaper than books since they don't involve printing costs.

And ebooks save space.

But here is MY FAVOURITE: you can SEARCH through your ebooks! Try to do that on the paperbacks!

Bon Crowder says:

Ooo, ouch. I have to choose one or the other? Even though I have a post on my blog (#12 above) about my preference for paper books over e-books, I still see the benefit in e-books. Furthermore, Husband, a professional organizer, doesn't freak out over too many copies of e-books. Stack my bookshelves too high with paper books, and I get in trouble.

ulla_hennig says:

It is difficult for me to say either printed book or e-book. I see advantages with both of them. I am a very fast reader, and whenever I go away in my holidays I have to carry loads of books with me. A kindle reader would be of some help here. On the other side I like well-designed books, and I would not give up owning "real books".

JaguarJulie says:

You know I have to ride the fence on this debate as there is a place for printed books as is there a place for digital! I think the classics, the bible, and coffee table books belong in print. But, give me digital so that I can use my Kindle!

Bodybychocolates says:

I would have to agree that books are old but when I want to set in the tub it isn't easy to read an ebook so it just depends on the type of matterial weather book is better or ebook is better and the length is also important.

Murphy says:

I agree for reading pleasure it has to be the printed book. But for studying I have discovered that digital books are not that bad, given you find the right ones. It is much easier (and faster) to search for the terms I'm looking for. Plus books providing short theory overiews such as from bookboon definitely help me in getting things done - this way I have more time reading the books I want to read for pleasure. So overall, I would say it is the mix.

 
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I love real books — holding them, turning the pages, and looking at the covers (can't do that digitally!).

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The Help 

The Help

Amazon Price: $7.98 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

When I was a kid, we had a "cleaning lady" - much like those in the story - she was from the South and worked really, really hard. We used to call her our third grandmother. As I was reading the book, I kept wondering what she would have had to say about it, and what her own stories were. We (stupidly) never thought to ask.

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