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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:
TheWindowDonkey · 20/04/2015 20:14

I read books on my ipad Kindle, I like the fact that its cheaper to buy books on Kindle and as I read a couple a week when i'm in the flow of things that an important factor. However, i hate the effect this is having on my eyesight, if I have been reading on the ipad for over an hour my eyesight goes fuzzy.
I love, love, love the feel of a real book, and if i read a particularly good book that i know i'll read several times i'm a little gutted if I didnt buy it in paperback. So, i prefer real books, but my budget doesnt stretch to it! (And i'm too crap at taking books back to the library to use it, i rack up too much in fines!!)

Coffeecoffeebuzzbuzzbuzz · 20/04/2015 20:15

I am a devotee of both but mostly prefer my kindle these days. I love the portability it affords and the fact I can have several books on the go without taking up too much physical space. E books also seem more affordable to me these days with a young ds and working part time and there is no guilt about sending a book to charity shops as they are no longer physical. I love to read in whatever guise though!

treaclesoda · 20/04/2015 20:15

They both have their pros and cons I suppose.

I love the look and feel of an actual book, and I love how easy it is to flick backwards to re-read something, or to see how much longer until the end of a chapter. And I love going to someone's house and seeing the books on their shelves, it can be a real conversation starter if you've got similar taste and they might be able to recommend something.

But in reality I mostly read e-books, partly because of the ease of being able to carry multiple books on a lightweight device. But most of all, it's because 1) I can make the type bigger, so that I can easily read in bed without having to wear glasses and 2) the back light allows me to read in bed if I'm lying awake at night without putting a light on and waking my husband.

insanityscatching · 20/04/2015 20:15

I have a kindle and love it when I'm out and about and especially on holiday but when I'm at home I much prefer a paperback. I love the whole experience of a new book, from browsing in the shop and buying it and physically holding it, to the smell of a new book to the feel of the cover and the weight in my hand. I don't think I will ever switch completely to using my Kindle tbh.

MooseyMoo · 20/04/2015 20:19

Books for me. I love the smell of a new book. You can tell my favourite books as they are the well thumbed ones on my shelf. When browsing books at a shop or library a well designed cover will catch my eye ie The Miniaturist and make me pick it up check the back cover.

LifeHuh · 20/04/2015 20:21

If I had to choose it would be paperback/hardback - I love my Kindle for the portability, and the ability to browse and sample books so easily, but on an e reader, all books are the same . There is no variation of font, paper quality , paper colour, size - no cover art ( for some Kindle books, no cover art at all , for others it is just that on my Kindle Keyboard everything is shades of grey!)
Some books I want to keep, I want to read them, enjoy them, and then have them around the house. Also It is more likely they will still be around for me to enjoy in 10/15/20 years time like the books I have now that were my Mum's,and my Grandma's.I don't think the books on my Kindle now will be readable in 10 years (and what if the e reader dies and you can't afford to replace it?)
Also anything where you need to flip backwards and forwards, or refer to several books simultaneously doesn't work on e reader.

Mylittlepotofjoy · 20/04/2015 20:24

I love the smell and touch of book, however since the paper white kindle was introduced there is now competition. It's kindle every time for me. I used to hate having to have a light with the other kindles at night and the same with books. My husband gets disturbed by light and I often read in the night so my paper white is pure perfection :)

isthatmorelego · 20/04/2015 20:30

She bought me a Kobo 2 years ago , I also use kindle but for me paperback is my go to always I do use the library a lot .The other thing is a friend and I always swap books. My major fail issue charity shops with booms can't leave empty handed.

llewejk · 20/04/2015 20:31

I do love my Kindle but I do still love a paperback.

A Kindle is great on the beach as you can still read in the sunshine. Plus great when feeding as you only need one hand ;-)

TopazRocks · 20/04/2015 20:33

Well, I was anti-E reader when they first caught on, sort of accepting that they suit others but resisting it for me. BUT ..... last week I bought a half-price Kobo (I don't want Kindle as I'm trying to wean myself off Amazon). So far I've managed to load NOTHING as nobody here knows the Wi-Fi code. Later this week I am off on a 3-week trip round several European countries in. Complete with bag of books. How pathetic is that? Sad I feel I have failed as a 21st century human being. I just don't have time to fiddle about with it before I go - and search the house for the damned code. Blush

Kraggle · 20/04/2015 20:34

Ebooks for me. Over 200 books on my device and thousands more in the Palm of my hand.

allybird1 · 20/04/2015 20:35

There's nothing like a real book, especially for relaxing before bed. I did buy an e reader which I took on holiday, but I have only used it once. Its a shame as it sounds like lots of people think they're great. I love reading paper books with the children, they are so interactive.

FiveShelties · 20/04/2015 20:42

Definitely both - I love my Kindle because the books are so cheap, need no dusting and is fantastic for travelling. Non-fiction I like to have the actual paper version. To be honest I would hate to be without either medium.

oddsocksandlollipops · 20/04/2015 20:43

I prefer paperbacks, I have a kindle but I must admit I don't really use it. I much prefer reading a proper book.

bughead · 20/04/2015 20:50

I much prefer books that you can pick up and read, plus there would be no more wonderful book shops to look around with just ebooks. Also do seem to have anything mechanical go wrong with me, at least with a book one is not open to as many gremlins.

whatwoulddexterdo · 20/04/2015 20:53

Paper books definitely are my preference. I love love love seeing them all on my bookcase. I can tell you exactly what was happening in my life by looking at a particular book on my shelf and those I display are the ones that remind me of the powerful emotions they provoked when I read them. I love the covers, the creativity that goes into them, the blurb at the back and even the authors acknowledgments and dedications.
I do have a kindle and have hundreds of books on this too, but I find the experience of reading digitally to be that much more clinical. There is nothing visual, just black and white words on a screen. I also find it extremely difficult to flick back and forth through chapters.

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 20/04/2015 20:59

I like to take my kindle on holiday, saves on luggage.
Ultimately I still much prefer paper books. I can never remember the title of the book I am reading on my kindle and tend to skim/speed read, whereas I can really savour reading a 'real' book.
If I spend money on a good book, I want it on my bookshelf.

Loula117 · 20/04/2015 21:02

I love my kindle, but it will never take the place of books for me. My shelves look so pretty!

ToniWol · 20/04/2015 21:13

Both here as well. DH and I are both big readers and so we have a huge number of books around the place. With DD arriving I've managed to replace some paper copies with e-books (especially those that I've read so often that they're falling to pieces...), but other books, especially cookbooks and my crafting books, are much better in paper format. We also keep to paper format for series (Wheel of Time for one, although I've got some in Kindle format as well when I was doing a re-read on the bus to work...).

DD only has board books at the moment, and she won't be allowed to read on my iPad until she's a lot older. So hopefully she'll inherit our love of books.

Cassns1 · 20/04/2015 21:14

I love both e-books and a good ole paperback or hardback. I'll read almost anything and there is so much to choose from with e-books without having to have a book ordered in. I also find e-books so handy while my little girl is snoozing. She can hear a page turn in her sleep and then is up raring to go! No noise with an ebook. However with a paperback I can bring it anywhere and not worry about it getting stolen (or sitting on it??). Not the same with a kindle or other e-reader. Both have their pluses. My e-reader can hold 100's of my books, saves my shelves from collapsing. However i like browsing in bookstores and reading the back of actual books. So either way Its happy days ??

over40andmumtoone · 20/04/2015 21:17

I'm a paper only book reader, I can't imagine ever wanting an e-reader

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2015 21:18

Topaz, is your wifi code on the back of your router?

I was another late convert to ebooks. Had a kindle app on my laptop but didn't really get on with it. Then someone lent me a tablet with a kindle app, and now I'm hooked. Agree with those that say real books are better for the sort of non-fiction where you might want to flick back and forth looking for pieces of information.

lotsoffunandgames · 20/04/2015 21:19

It's got to be real books not e books.I have read some on my kindle but it's not the same as reading a proper paper book.I usually use the library (as I am skint!), But I do share the books I do buy with friends or MIL and they lend me theirs. I still feel that excitement when I get a new book!

momofmonster · 20/04/2015 21:20

I understand the convenience of an e-reader but for me it has to be paperbacks. I love curling up with a book on the sofa or in bed.

MasterchefMeansRiceKrispiesForTea · 20/04/2015 21:33

Hello! First post for me.

I've been torn for a long while. I haven't got a kindle but do have the app on both my phone and iPad. The iPad is a massive pain in bed, it's too heavy for one handed holding and gives me a dead arm. Not sure I fancy it donking me on the nose when I pass out reading either!!! It's also too bright no matter how much you turn it down. The iPhone's ok for the commute, but way too small. I've found both such a pain recently I've now got a massive stack of proper books by the bed, so the book explosion has reappeared. However, I've read lots more before bed recently as a result. Having read all the positive things about kindles on here though it does make me think it's time to buy a proper kindle and admit I bought the wrong toy in the first place.