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 my paperbacks because I always have one in my handbag to read wherever I go whether it is sitting in a doctors waiting room or any other waiting room or a train or bus ride or in my car waiting to pick up my grandson from school or reading at night in bed. Must have a paperback in my handbag and for this reason I don’t like hardcover books (too big to fit in my handbag). I have not tried ebooks and don’t want to worry about charging,
You never have to charge a paper book, you can read endlessly…which I do!
I love books for all the reasons everyone has mentioned. But the main reason I love real books is the lack of interruption. You don’t have to stop reading because the battery is out, or the airline attendant makes you shut it off, or many other ways e-readers fail to come through at usually the worst moment. There’s nothing like a real book in your hands.
Many of the books I buy and like to read are not available as Ebooks. We travel to national parks when we go on vacation and I love buying books in NP stores that I can’t find elsewhere.
I have loved books for as long as I can remember. I used to read my mom books while she was sewing. I would have been 3 or 4 years old and I was relying on the pictures in the book in order to ‘read’ it to her. She pretended to be delighted to hear the story. I’m grateful to her for indulging me and starting me on a lifelong love affair with books.
I love paper books over e-books for a few reasons: (1) Reading a paper book is better for your eyes than reading from a screen with a lighted backdrop. (2) If the power goes out for more than a day, all of your e-books go away as your devices run out of batteries. A paper book you can still read by candle light. (3) I do enjoy the feeling of sitting on the couch with a good book in hand, it is easier for me to be drawn into the story with a paper book rather than with an e-book.
I have been a “reader” for as long as I can remember. Always won the “most read” books during my grade school years. Didn’t get to read as much as I wanted when I went to college, starting working full time, got married and has children, but now that I am happily retired, I always have a book or two or more with me!
There is just something about the feel and smell of a physical book that an e-reader can never achieve. I do have a Kindle that I use occasionally but I always return to physical books.
I’m actually a big fan of e-books, especially the e-ink variety which I find a little easier on the eyes than physical books. I like being able to pick the type style and the size that’s easiest for me to read, and I don’t miss having my eyes travel such a long distance for each line that some books, especially hardcover books, require. I like being able to start reading new books on the day I discover them, I like the lower price of most e-books, I like being able to underline passages and have them collected in one place with links to the text in the book, I like the ecological benefits of no paper or transportation required, and I like the open space I have saved in my room by not having the physical books laying around. But….
When reading an e-book, I miss the professional typesetting layout, with hyphenation used judicially to avoid gaps between words. I miss being able to fan through the pages quickly to refer backwards or forward without having to bookmark my current page. I miss knowing exactly where I am in a book, exactly where the next chapter break is, or even where the end of the book is. E-books sometimes have a “time remaining” function, but this can sometimes be thrown off if you do a lot of stop-and-go reading, or if the book has an index or endnotes, or if the publisher has snuck in a sample excerpt at the end. And, of course I miss the ease of lending, exchanging, or donating the books in my collection.
Both formats have their advantages, which means they both will be around for a long time.
I love BOOKS and PBS!
I started reading seriously rather late with ” Shogan “. I was hooked . There seems to be nothing on TV worth watching so I spend a pleasant evening with a variety of books.
There is nothing more thrilling to me than to hit a book sale where I can just start loading 25-cent paperbacks into a tote to take home for me, my brother, my daughter, my granddaughters and to sell on eBay where I usually make my original purchase price back. Then with MY books (new releases, books I have on my wish list here, and, books I read years ago and would like to revisit) – I log them into my TBR list and put them in order on my book shelves…Ooo — I’m going to go read some in a BOOK!!!
Books just make me happy!
I am like many other people who like the feel of a book in my hand and also visually seeing how much is left to read! I would love to win a book like this that sounds great. Thanks for this opportunity!!
As a bibliophibian raised at the knee of two generations of voracious readers, having books I can read, loan, give anytime is the best thing. I tried an eReader and though it was a convenient little library in my pocket, it was also a source of anxiety trying to keep it charged, and frankly ut ofended my joy of hoarding (just books though!). Thus, I may keep a Kindle app on my phone, but what I really want are a steady stream of real books, a working coffeemaker and a soft chair in which to enjoy them. Uh, and peace on earth, etc. >.>
I’ve always loved books. I read them to my daughters as they’ve grown up and instilled the love of reading in them too. I guess my favorite thing about printed books, is that I can sit down with my girls, pull a book off a shelf, and read with them. Technology is great, but having that time with my kids is even better.
You have listed every reason that I love books. I can’t remember when I didn’t love to read. I remember learning to read my older brothers’ books before I was even in kindergarten. I remember my mom yelling “Turn off that light & go to sleep!” or Linda, I’m talking to you! Get your nose out of that book! When I read a book I get lost in the story & nothing else matters. I don’t hear or see anyone or anything when I read. I love the worlds it takes me to.
I am so glad that book sales are going up. I was really scared that because of ereaders they would stop publishing real books that you could feel in your hands & smell that new book smell. Nothing is as powerful as the written word.
I love being able to hold a book in my hands while I read it, because in the future all it takes it picking up the book again and opening it’s pages before I’m transported back to when I read it first. I can feel all of the emotions–the nostalgia hits hard. I don’t think that experience can be replicated with an ereader.
It is a happy day when the mailman has delivered the next book from a Paperbackswap club member.. just like Christmas almost every day.
I love books because I love to learn by reading; I identify with their permanence; seeing them on my bookshelves comforts me; and I can loan them at will immediately.
I love being able to to see how much further till the chapter ends. That way I can read a few more pages to get to the end or stop at a safe spot. Those authors that have a cliff hanger at the end of each chapter make it really hard for me to put the book down. I like Ebooks too, but I had a bad experience….my battery died on a trip. No charger! Oh, and I love that smell of a new book!
There’s nothing better than a shelf full of good books that friends can borrow from. Then, when it gets too full, you donate some to your local library! eBooks just don’t work like that…
Although e-books have their benefits they can NEVER replace the beautiful artwork and photography one gets in the real thing. I especially love the artwork of children’s books and the ability to revisit them whenever I want. Also a HUGE PLUS of the real thing is that they are my favorite gift to give and they can be personalized. My children now have a collection of their own to share with and pass on to their children. It’s impossible to “read” and enjoy a book with a child and NOT flip back and forth through the pages. 🙂 “Read it again mommy” I love books!!
I love physical books because I can see at a glance when looking at my bookshelf a colorful array of books of different genres and sizes. When my (now) husband and I moved in together, we combined book collections- and learned more about each other in the process!
There is nothing like that feeling I get after I’ve read the last sentence of a book and clasp that book shut. It’s a sense of accomplishment almost that I just read that book in its entirety. In that moment I get a wave of emotion in reaction to how I feel about that particular book, whether it’s sadness because it’s over, satisfaction because it was a great story, annoyance because the story didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, or maybe a combination of different things. Sure I can get a similar experience with an e-book, but it’s just not the same thing as looking down at the book in hand and realizing that you’ve really read every single one of those pages.
I think I would read more e-books if they were more affordable, you just can’t get the same deals on e-books compared to physical books most of the time.
This may seem unimportant to most people, and I agree with most of the reasons to love paperback books, but one thing for me is that I often read in bed long into the night/morning. Often I fall asleep while reading and am awakened by my book hitting the floor when it falls out of my hands/lap when I fall asleep. My paper book is in little danger of being broken or destroyed when it falls to the floor. Worst thing that happens is that I sometimes lose my place where I was reading.
There is something antiseptic about reading an e-book, nothing comforting at all. A book is always, warm, welcoming……and comforting. For me the best form of escapism.
My battery never runs out when I am reading a print book! 🙂
I love books because it is like having a personal time machine, I’ve traveled the world, seen multitudes of new world’s, fallen in love, went on adventures with best friends, had a best friend with for legs, been away at sea, and much more. Each time I open a book I am taken somewhere new.
When I was a kid up to now being an adult books have always kept me company. I can look around and see them as friends. They allow me to learn something new, learn skills, be encouraged, help me understand my life better, help me understand my past and what has happened to me, help me laugh a little more. They are visually pleasing and never leave until I want to share them, donate them or send them to someone on paperbackswap.com
A book is unequivocally the most passionate extension of your soul. For centuries people have fought and frenzied to obtain the written word. The most beautiful libraries in the world have BOOKS on the shelves from floor to ceiling, not a tablet sitting on a table. The covers, art work, binding and descriptions are all part of the dramatic story contained inside. A book by itself is a masterpiece and some books in my collection took years to find! It is the most rewarding relationship in the world, the love of a reader and their book.
I love print books! If you fall asleep while reading, there’s nothing to shatter when it falls out of your grasp. Also you don’t need to recharge a print book.
My like of print books comes from the need for something physical. The desire for something I can feel taste and smell. A diver’s tether to the physical world, while I’m plunged into fiction.
I love paperback/hardback books because they are just more real. I love that you can feel the pages and I absolutely adore the sent of old books. Nothing compares to a good book. (:
E-books are good when you need to enlarge and things. However, I get fidgety and bored easily so like to carry a paperback around in my bag, read in bed, or simply use it to practice my sketching… Find you can’t depend on an ebook for all that when you need to charge it…
I can’t put an eBook on my bookshelf. I enjoy looking at them, taking them down and reading a random page. It is a constant visual reminder of what I have read and what I still need to read. And, when it is time to move on, I can then trade them for another potential gem.
The one main reason that I love print books is because I have a sense of where I am in a story by how many pages I’ve read, and how many I have to read. I know that just by looking at where my bookmark is sticking out from the book. If it’s near the end, and I’m going to be traveling, then I know I’d better pack another book too!! Plus, if I want to re-read a passage, I remember where it was by remembering how many pages I had read before that passage and whether the passage was on the verso (left hand page), or the recto (right hand page). Just not the same with an e-reader.
The main reason I love books is, you can dive into a book and leave your worries, stress & headaches behind for as long as you need. Printed books are portable, you can take them anywhere even the bath, not so with electronic gadgets, no worries about reception and water & electronics does not mix.
I like the way the book feels in my hands. The main reason I like to read print books is the scent of them. New or old I love them.
I miss having pictures or illustrations in the e-books. I prefer the feel of a book in my hand, being able to quickly go backward and refresh my memory concerning a certain event in the story, and being able to see how much more of the book remains to be read. I do like the Kindle reader for reading in bed because I can adjust the type size and read without my glasses. Also easy to just lay it on the floor by my bed, or on the table and slip off to sleep. But for bathroom reading, waiting room reading, travel reading, the “real McCoy” is my preference.
I love real books because if I read something in it that refers to a character I can just flip back to that part and read it again. To me a book is more personal than an electronic device. I carry my book everywhere and have had interesting conversations with people when the notice what I am reading. Long live printed books!!
Although, I love my Kindle for travel and reading away from home. I still love the feel of an actual book in my hands, and feel that the print is sometimes easier on my eyes. My preferences are Hardback, Signed, and First Editions.
I look at a computer screen all day at work, the last thing I want to do when I get home to relax is stare at another screen, so I love my “real” books as my husband refers to them!
I love nothing more than an old, well read book. A home without books looks sterile and cold. Reading books are as much a part of me as my green eyes and curly hair. Books have entertained me, educated me and relaxed me. I just don’t get the same satisfaction from reading an e-book.
I love print books because of all those reasons as well, but most of all…Print books a just better! When I receive a book as a gift, it’s just more sentimental. You can’t really write a meaningful inscription on an eBook. They’re easier to give as well. I have tons of books from my childhood that one day my children will enjoy. Honestly, would you want a book from someone that they held and enjoyed or a tablet full of eBooks? I also love being able to see all of the books I have yet to read. I buy so many and I love being able to look at them and think to myself, “it’s not your time to be read by me…but soon.”
I love my paper back because of the feel of it in my hands. I also love the smell of the printed pages.lol. e-books are also cool but I love the fact that reading my paper back takes me to a world where the characters come to life right in my hands. No interruptions what so ever either by low phone battery or incoming calls . I like the fact that I Can close the book and envision the drawing on the cover page as described in the book. I don’t need to worry about damaging my eyesight because of my phone screen light . when I read my paper back at night, I feel like my bed light illuminates the pages and bring the characters to life! Pretty amazing right?!
I like being able to go outside and read without the strain on my eyes or the glare of a screen, as well as the feel of the paperback cover and the pages as they pass across my fingers. There’s nothing like that. Feeling the pages thicken in one hand as they think out in the other, filling you with excitement as you near the end. Thinking “it’s only X many pages or chapters, I can finish this tonight.” Nothing compares to a real book in your hands when it comes to reading.
I love actual books for most all of the reason mentioned above. True, e-readers are convenient and portable (you can take multiple books with you without adding weight to your luggage lol), but there’s just something about holding a book in your hands that’s not the same with an e-reader. I think they are easier on my eyes, and I like to flip ahead in the book (eh, I’m impatient) very quickly sometimes. Or go back and re-read something I may hae missed before. It’s not so easy to do with e-reader. 🙂
It’s not just the feel of a book, or the look of a book, it’s the magical places that a book takes me. Places I wonder, dream, fantasize about. The only way that I will every experience most of these places.
Something about the feel of a real book makes it easier for me to be transported into the literature world. Maybe because it reminds me of how I read as a child, before e-books and Audible existed. I do have a Kindle, but it honestly is not the same, as many others have already stated. And the smell….the smell of a book is probably my favorite smell.