Why is it that we love books so much? Is it the solid feel of them in our hands? The cover art? The new-book smell? The old-book smell? Is it being able to tell how far we’ve read into the book (and how much is left) without even looking? Is it that they can be read anywhere, without batteries or technology of any kind? Is it that our eyes get tired from screen reading in a way that they don’t from reading ink on paper? Is it that we can continue to read our printed book on an airplane during those times when digital devices must be turned off? Is it that we actually own printed books (not just the right to read them), and can put them on a bookshelf when we’ve read them, or lend them or swap them?
For us, it’s all of those things! And we’re clearly not alone: publishers are again reporting a significant fall in ebook sales, while the sales of print books continue to rise, for the second year in a row.
We have nothing against ebooks — we think any kind of reading is great! We know that ebooks have their conveniences (for example, they’re lightweight to pack for travel, and the ability to enlarge the font can be useful for visually impaired readers). But we’re glad they haven’t replaced the real thing. Because we love the real thing so much. Don’t you?
We bet you do! In fact, we’re inviting you to tell us the one main reason why you love print books … if you do, you’ll have a chance to win a free book! The book is a brand-new hardcover of a very heavily wishlisted book — the New York Times Bestseller Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll.
Luckiest Girl Alive
by
Jessica Knoll
ISBN 9781476789637, Hardcover
A young woman is determined to create the perfect life — husband, home, and career—until a violent incident from her past threatens to unravel everything and expose her most shocking secret of all. A riveting debut novel that reads like Prep meets Gone Girl, described by Reese Witherspoon as “one of those reads you just can’t put down!” This book currently has over 400 active wishes in the club.
Make a comment below before noon ET on Friday, May 27, 2016, and that will enter you into the random drawing to receive the book. NB: Contest open to PaperBackSwap members only (join here!).
Here are a few comments from some of our members to get you thinking:
“There are too many awesome bookmarks out there to never use them! I have some really old ones passed down from family members that make me smile every time I see them. You don’t get to use those bookmarks with ebooks!” ~ Jill H.
“It’s very nice to be able to pass a book around the family before I swap it.” ~ Rick M. (RickMatt)
“I really prefer to hold a physical book, and the feel of the pages as I am turning them.” ~ Diane G. (icesk8tr)
“I like the feel of a real book 📚. I find them easier to read and not as hard on my eyes 👀 as an e reader.” ~ Angela H. (Halti4)
Tags: Book Suggestions, Contests, PBS Market
I love reading books and find e-books cumbersome. I like to feel the book, turn its pages, leave a bookmark when I rest from reading. I usually read in bed before going to sleep and an e-book does not feel appropriate to read in bed, therefore I will continue to buy and read hard cover or paperbacks forever.
One characteristic of a book that I like is being able to read the author bio and photo. It helps me connect with the author. You don’t get that with a ebook. Also, books don’t need to be charged nor do they require batteries.
Holding a book in my hands, opening it for the first time, putting the pages up to my face and breathing deeply.
Bliss.
I love the feeling of holding a book while curled up in bed. Just the physical sensation of the book in my hand is electrifying.
I love real books for all those reasons mentioned above. One thing that you don’t get with an ebony is the turning of the pages; when you start a book, read for an hour, turn so many pages, and finally get to see the real evidence of your progress. That will always hold a special place in my heart for a real, paper-paged book.
Real live physical page-turney books are satisfying in a way eBooks will never be for me. And they don’t beep! 🙂
In this day & age it’s all about technology which is why reading an actual book in hand you are able to live in the moment thru a book. A book can take you to so many places without any type of technology or any glitches that come along. By just reading & living in the moment of a book thru the description of an author’s words is the greatest way to stay in touch with the simple ways of life. A great way for your mind to escape the troubles we all face in today’s society. Amazing how a front cover looks & words on pages can be such a great escape.No matter how young or old there is always a book to be found for everyone. As the old saying goes never judge a book by its cover instead open your mind to a destination way beyond from just what you see & you may discover the greatest things.
I love to hold a book book! To be able to share wonderful books with friends, to make notes, and the ability to easily find a passage and reread when you have an “I can’t believe I just read that” moment. The best for me is to see progress through the book and one page in a book book is ONE page!
I LOVE the smell of a book!!! Well not the old musty ones. LOL Nothing beats the crispness of the pages, the wonderous smell and the ability to highlight and write in the book!! When I highlight and underline and even write comments in the book, I sense a deeper connection. AND someday I’ll be gone and my kids or grandkids or someone at the thrift store will get to be entertained by my thoughts. 😉
I love print books, after reading i like to see it in my library, to make reference to it any time i like,to underline some points i think is important to my interest and so fort.
I love physical books. Although e-books and audio books may be convenient, I enjoy having books on my night stand, desk, and bookshelves. A get a sense of pride when I turn to see my collection of knowledge.
How can you get deep into a “page turner” without turning a page? I have resisted e readers and will continue to do so as long as real books are available. My little paperbacks have stories on the outside as on the inside.
Books don’t run low on batteries. The illustrations in a picture book cannot be replaced by one on a screen. I love reading a book with my grandchildren on my lap.
I just love to read and I hate ebooks. I have hundreds of books that I have read both paper back and hardback. I need to start cleaning out as I am running out of space to store the books.
Books are a comfortable. Opening a book, smelling the pages and feeling the spine beneath my hands is a sort of therapy. Holding a book calms and soothes me in a way nothing else can!
My favorite part about reading a real book is the sensation of turning the pages and feeling I am seeing everything exactly how it was printed. I like my e-reader, but I love having pages to turn and find that viewing pictures or illustrations in real books as opposed to digital copies is much easier and more enjoyable.
You can take them anywhere! You can get them wet and they can most likely dry out. Most importantly, if you want to backtrack or look something up for remembering it’s so much easier to find in a print book.
Part of the beauty of physical books is selecting one. First, you go to a place (library, bookstore) where you are surrounded by possibilities. Then, you make your selection based on so many factors – the cover art, the synopsis, the author bio, the font, the snippet you read when you opened it to a random page. The selection of an eBook is not nearly as satisfying an experience.
I love the feel of the book in my hands. There is just something about the feel of the paper as I turn the pages. I also like being to see how far I am in the book at a glance. Sometimes that is a hindrance because I put off doing housework so I can finish it. LOL
It also keeps my hands busy so I don’t eat junk food.
Keep the paper books coming!!!
My daughter made me some awesome bookmarks! The best way to show them off is to use them!
I’ve tried the e-readers….just don’t care for them.
I really love the feel of the book in my hands…turning actual pages. As with many of the comments, I also like the smell of the book (old or new) – seeing, at a glance, where in the book I am.
I’m just old-fashioned, I guess! LOL
I have to hold the book to be able to flip back and forth with the pages–can’t do that with an ebook no matter how much I’ve tried! I also like being able to see how far along in the book I’ve read. The art is so much more vivid in the physical book – just can’t get that on the Kindle.
Just like many of the above responses, i love the feel of a real book in my hands. I want to be able to feel it and turn the pages. I also love dipslaying my books on a shelf where others can see them and read them. Ebooks are ok for some people but i want my children to know what a real book looks and feels like.
I love the smell, the feel, the soft pages. I love having a full bookcase loaded with adventures, wonders, lands, emotions and beautiful stories. A lot of times the cover art will sell me on a book all by itself, you dont get that with E-copy books. I like reading through the book and periodically looking at the front just imaging the storyline. The best part of a bookshelf though is choosing which one to read next!
When I was much younger in school I hated to read. Little or nothing could keep my attention. At 21 I married the prettiest, smartest person who happen to be getting her degree as a Reading Specialist. She encouraged me to read subjects that I already had an interest. These last few years as I near retirement I realized that the physical bound book is a symbol of what has transformed me over the years. It is me in my dress blues with all my metals of honor on my chest.
I much prefer reading a hand-held, real paper and ink book although I have an IPad with many downloaded books. I always seem to reach for my ‘real’ book. One of the main reasons is that I often have to go back and refresh my memory on who a character is, or what happened at a certain point. That is MUCH easier to do with a print book than an e-book. Just last week, I opted to take my IPad (rather than my paper book) with me to read while my husband and grandson fished. I was sooooo frustrated because the sun’s glare prevented me from seeing the print on my IPad. So I just had to sit there watching the bobber in the water, wishing I had brought my ‘real’ book!
I love real physical books because I can hold them in my hands, crush them against my chest and take them everywhere I go. A tablet or laptop doesn’t give me the same satisfaction.
In think that in that time before sleeping, small lamps and soft yellowing pages are more conducive to preparation for sleep. That and I’m more likely to sit down and page through a previously read book in a spare moment then to want to ‘log in’ yet again.
I love the tactile feel of the heft of a book and turning the pages. An e-reader is great for portability of many books, but it doesn’t have the same feel as an actual book.
One big reason for loving physical books is the light projected from e-reader books isn’t natural light. There is nothing natural about holding a battery or electronic device.
I sometimes read at night if I can’t sleep under old-style incandescent bulbs which are better if you’re trying to fall back asleep then florescent light.
My chiropractor mentioned it is not healthy to have any batteries near your body, as it alters your body rhythms and immune systems. I don’t need to add to the problems I already have.
I can take a physical book someplace without fear I’m going to misplace it and lose a lot of money. Physical books are more economically replaced if an occasional one is lost or damaged.
I enjoy actual books over ebooks because I love the feeling of turning pages, the smell of the book (old or new), and being able to swap and share books easily with family and friends! Plus, I love having a full bookshelf…it shows me a world of possibilities every time I look at it!
I love a real book because while I’m reading I never have to worry if the battery will die or if I’ve brought my charger….so I can read anywhere knowing my book will never go dark!
I love to have a book to read. Reading from the electronic devices tires out my eyes more than having a physical book in my hands. I love the feel of it.
I like the feel of a real book and I find it much easier to go back and find a certain passage or quote when I’m looking in a traditional book.
I like the feel of turning the page and holding the book. I have tried e books and just don’t get the same love of books.
I enjoy knowing I can pick up a book at anytime and just read. Tech fails and it is also bad on my eyes. I haven’t found a way to adjust the settings that ever makes me happy. An actual book makes the grade every time.
For books that have really left their mark on me, I like being able to leave my mark on them. It’s just a handful or two of really beloved books, but I like to be able to write thoughts in the margins and underline. Lending the books opens up interesting conversations and makes for a unique experience. But I love the thought of passing them on to my daughters one day, leaving a trail of my footprints through my favorite stories for them to follow if they want to.
I love reading novels. But I especially love holding a book in my hand. It is a special feeling to know I have someone’s story in my hand for access at any moment of my day or trip (in a car). There is no meeting someone else’s schedule. A book is just sitting there waiting for me to read it at a moments notice.
There is a security in knowing I am in charge and that only the writing talents of the author pull at my heartstrings. I love different authors for different reasons and respect their different styles. Holding their book in my hand is a gift because I know firsthand what it takes to write a story. Nothing can ever replace the feel of a book in hand, and that is why I like reading a REAL Book-In-Hand.
There is something very romantic about books. I have lots of books on my bookcase and I love the thought of being surrounded by so many stories of love, loss, and far away places.
I love the feel of the book – being able to know how far I am through the book. I also enjoy reading about the author – getting their background, and also what other books they have written. My husband has a kindle, but I still want the feel of the real book in my hands.
My favorite thing about a real book is being able to hold it in my hands, smell the scent of the book, whether old or new and be swept away to another place and time!
I love the feel of books in my hand, and the smell, and the low technology. 🙂 You can just pick them up and read without codes or log-ins.
I love to read a real book in lieu of an ereader because it is one less thing that I would have to charge. I also love the smell of a book and the fact that I can read it anywhere. I carry a book everywhere I go.
I don’t have to worry about making sure my book has a full charge and can read it without being tethered to an outlet.
I love holding the book in my hands. I don’t have to worry about having a battery charged.
feel in hands – comfort and can read again,,, like visiting a friend
I actually just like reading on paper rather than a screen and holding a book feels better than a tablet! Happy Summer Beach Reading!
I love being able to rely on the printed page. My husband and I are both avid readers and we travel a lot. Being able to read a printed book regardless of how or where we’re traveling eliminates the need for an electric converter when charging of a device is needed in a foreign country. We’ve had an electronic reading device ruined when it got wet during a surprise rainstorm. You can’t just let it dry like you can a book. Ebooks often don’t do justice to photographs (I almost exclusively read nonfiction) or often, photos are not included at all. With a printed book, you can immediately find the things you’ve underlined for re-reading later. Whew…are these enough reasons?? Thanks.
For me, reading a good book is like being able to express myself. Through the amazing mind of a brilliant author, I find my own thoughts written on paper in a way that my feeble mind could never do. In this I find contentment and a sense of belonging.
I love it when I am reading a printed book in public and someone walks up and either asks me about it or comments on what they thought of it. I have met some really interesting people that way. Additionally, a printed book in the hands of a reader is one of the best ways that an author can freely publicize their books!