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Paperback or E-Reader? Join the great debate to win £100 of books or e-books

500 replies

RachelMumsnet · 20/04/2015 15:06

Are paper books old news? These days there are more e-readers and literary apps than you can shake a USB stick at. We want to know if you've eschewed paper for digital, or if you reckon a well-thumbed paperback beats technology hands down. Join the discussion to let us know which medium you prefer and why, and you'll be entered into a draw to win £100 bundle of books OR £100 e-book bestsellers courtesy of Bloomsbury.

OP posts:
1033MICHELLE · 21/04/2015 09:20

I love paper books as you can't beat the feeling of holding a book in your hands. I have not got an ereader and have no interest in getting one. I can understand they are useful for holidays but with a young son I have no time to read on holidays.

PestoSwimissimos · 21/04/2015 09:20

I am a bookworm, I've always enjoyed reading and have loads of books. However, I now revel in the fact I can read much more conveniently on my Kindle Smile

It holds plenty of books, all categorised by me. I never lose my page, I can always make it brighter or the font larger if my eyes are struggling. I can also access and purchase the next in a series, should I so wish.

Best of all it takes up barely any space and books tend to be cheaper than hard copies.

Truly amazing Smile

I do, however, still buy hard back reference books and I also still use my library as I do still like perusing the shelves for reading matter which I wouldn't necessarily purchase.

NoisyOyster · 21/04/2015 09:21

Has to be a proper book. I've tried the I-book things and it just doesn't compare.

I love the smell and feel of a real book; skipping through pages; picking up a worn and well loved book and knowing where exactly to flick to to reach my favourite chapter.

Plus you can take real books in the bath Grin

ButterflyOfFreedom · 21/04/2015 09:24

Definitely paper books!
I love having something 'proper' to hold, look at & keep.
My books look good on my book shelves and it's easy to quickly pick one up & flick through it.
I love going into book shops and having a look around.
New books look & smell good too!

I have often toyed with the idea of getting an e-reader maybe just because friends have them or its the latest technology so feel I should - a bit like downloading music to an ipod instead of listening to cds ( I still do the latter) - but have always stayed loyal to the paper back! Smile

Ganne · 21/04/2015 09:29

At home, books. Away, e-books.

sparkysparkysparky · 21/04/2015 09:29

Love the feel of a paper book as does dh and dd . BUT. I have MS and can't hold a book for very long any more. My Kindle has liberated me. I've never read so much as I do now - old favourites, brand new stuff, different genres, new discoveries ( currently Jasper Fforde). DD mixes as she pleases. DH has dipped his toe into e books too. It's great for travelling light. Even DM has an e reader and she's in her 80s.
I was a total cynic (it's not a proper book, is it) but health circs have converted me.

Jux · 21/04/2015 09:29

I get paperbacks for favoured authors, and cheap ebooks for fluff or to try a new author if I'm unsure about them. That way a crock of poo won't be cluttering up my shelves. We are stuffed to the gunnels with books. So many boxes of them, so little space. So the ebook would be perfect for us, but then it's not so easy to share a book (especially as dh is stuck in the dark ages and won't touch a Kindle or its ilk).

I could read on my iPad or phone but I don't want to! This is foolish I know, but I love gadgets and tech and have been waiting for ereaders since I read of one in a sci fi novel in about 1969/70. I love living in Science Fiction Land Grin. Money carried around on a card? Gasp! Communication devices which fit in a pocket? Gasp gasp!! A device which weighs almost nothing and can hold a library? Gasp gasp gasp!!! Yes. Here and now is great!

Mind you, I prefer to handle a paperback, and like to decorate my home with books rather than knick knacks and gew gaws, though we have those as well of course.

jodiecrossley1 · 21/04/2015 09:33

I love a physical book, I used to have a kindle but really missed proper books!

andywedge · 21/04/2015 09:41

Paperback

The battery doesn't go flat on a paperback

jessiecat33 · 21/04/2015 09:42

I much prefer paper backs as i like to have the real thing in my hands but i do have my ebooks which go with me wherever i go as i am addicted to reading and can read anytime then x

SoupDragon · 21/04/2015 09:44

A Kindle doesn't work for reading in the bath

Of course it does. You just need to try not to drop it in - just like with a real book! I think I've only dropped/dipped about 3 books in the bath in my entire life.

thelittlebooktroll · 21/04/2015 09:56

I do own a kindle and I really want to like it, but I find that I just don't bond with the book in the same way as I do with a proper book.

pockledigg · 21/04/2015 10:02

Books 100%. E-books feel so wrong.

stormhorse45 · 21/04/2015 10:06

paperback books for me. like to hold a book when i read it. and can also let friends borrow them which would be hard with a kindle.

mazgoli · 21/04/2015 10:11

A real book every time. A kindle doesn't feel nice in your hand like a book - particularly a hardback book. The smell of a new book is lovely. The turning of the pages, using a nice bookmark, all contribute to the pleasure of reading.

SevenEleven · 21/04/2015 10:14

I LOVE my kindle! I read at the end of the day to relax before going to sleep and I find the kindle easier to hold, no page rustling to wake up DH if he is already asleep, and all of my books are there in one place, so if I'm finish a book I can just choose another one without getting out of bed, going downstairs to the bookshelves like I used to! What's not to like? I can take all the books I like on holiday with me and not go over my weight allowance. Also I can make the print bigger or smaller to suit my eyes and if I am reading a book to the DCs I can make the print big enough for them to read along too. The only thing about the ereader is that if there are any illustrations they are not very good quality, but that is the only con I can think of.

I think some people see using an ereader as a lesser way of reading a book for some reason. I have offered to buy my mum a kindle for the last 3 Christmas/birthdays as she lugs 5 or 6 books with her whenever she goes on holiday, but she won't have it!! Says she need to have 'real' books!

My final point is that using an ereader saves on paper and printing so is more eco friendly. Surely that is the biggest selling point of ereaders in a world where we are encouraged to recycle as much as possible. I know that we can reuse books, give to charity shops etc, but whilst the huge volume of books being printed is so high, it is still a big issue.

juju3 · 21/04/2015 10:47

proper books - cause they're proper

callkiki · 21/04/2015 10:47

I have a Kindle but still love the feel of books and the only way I like to read them

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 21/04/2015 10:58

Has anyone mentioned font size ? Oh the joy for someone who can never find their reading glasses of making the words visible at the press of a screen. I know they don't smell as nice as books but for the ability to have a font size of your choice, Kindles get my vote :)

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 21/04/2015 10:58

I don't understand people thinking books are better than kindles for reading in the bath. Surely it's the other way round? You can put a kindle in a ziplock bag or waterproof cover (because the touchscreen or buttons work through the plastic) and even if you do drop it in it will be fine. Whereas if you put a book in a plastic bag you wouldn't be able to turn the pages.

AnimalAddict · 21/04/2015 11:08

I will always prefer paperbacks. I have a Kindle that I sometimes use, but paperbacks just feel right to me. It doesn't feel right when you aren't physically holding the book. :)

julieef · 21/04/2015 11:10

I prefer E books as they are easier to store

SalaciousCrumb · 21/04/2015 11:20

I agree about the font size Carrie but a kindle for me is a poor substitute for the real thing. My kindle doesn't work, and I can't work up the enthusiasm to try and get it repaired, which involves a phone call or doing something online - I know they are convenient and saves having so many paperbacks to store.

I have signed up to borrow e-books from my local library and read one on my phone - purely for convenience, but it isn't the same.

CoteDAzur · 21/04/2015 11:26

Kindle all the way for me. It's always in my bag and never more than 2-3 m away from me even when home, because I like to read when brushing my teeth, drying my hair etc which is impossible with a print book whose pages you have to hold open & turn.

Books don't smell like anything but paper, and there is nothing to romanticise about carrying around a 1,000-page tome.

Since my beloved Kindle came into my life, I have been devouring books at a previously unknown speed - I read over 60 books in 2014 and I'm currently on my 27th book of 2015. I love it.

BirdyArms · 21/04/2015 11:28

I prefer reading on my kindle. I'm another person who wasn't keen to get one but was given one as a gift (40th birthday present from book club) and haven't looked backed. I find I'm reading a lot more and love having a kindle app on my phone which means I can read when I have an unexpected free 5 minutes. I do like having a shelves of books and being able to lend them to visitors but my shelves were groaning and I'm pleased not to have to cull them regularly anymore.