I’m often asked what I think of e-books and e-readers (e.g., Nook, Kindle, Kobo). My answer has always been a rather emotional argument in favor of the real thing, a book made of paper, with a real cover and real pages. My line of thinking has always gone something like this: You can fall in love with a story on an e-reader. But you have a love affair with a book. It’s a very sensual and, to my way of thinking, more meaningful experience.
Well, now science is backing me up. An article by Rachel Grate, published on the Arts.Mic website, reports findings in many studies that suggest reading a real book offers a multitude of healthy benefits, physically and emotionally, that e-reading does not. For example, readers of real books remember much better what they’ve read. Reading a real book reduces stress. And people who read real books tend to be more empathetic in their response to the adversity of others than those who stick with e-books.
Check it out: http://mic.com/articles/99408/
Then visit your local independent bookseller and stock up one of life’s greatest elixirs—the written word.
I feel the same way. I like how a book feels in my hands, how it smells and how attractive it looks.
I especially love placing the book on my book shelf when I have finished reading it. All the colorful books in a row represents all the stories that have entered my consciousness and changed my life forever.
I too enjoy a real book over my e reader. This summer though I down loaded Ordinary Grace into my e reader, it was on the book list of a friend of mines mother. I have never read anything by you Mr Krueger, and thoroughly enjoyed this story. I then decided to look in the kindle store for other works by you, It was then I discovered the Cork O’Conner series. For me it has been incredibly convenient to voraciously read this series….I am sad that tonight I have down loaded the last in the series into my e reader….I am feeling the sadness of starting a book that is now currently the last in this line up until this point. Hope you are currently still writing and inspired. I have loved these books and look forward to many more, even if I read them on my kindle.
I was going to make a comment, but after reading Ken’s I would just be repeating his words. Definitely the feel, the smells and how it looks. And how they all look on the book shelf. Maybe because years ago someone told me a story has to have the sights, the sounds and the smells, so they kind of all go together. Haven’t had a chance to read Windigo Island yet Kent as we have had a very hectic fall and was going to wait for a cold snowy Saturday or Sunday. Guess I don’t have to wait any longer for that do I? Way too soon, for the snowy day that is. Suppose you are working hard on that next stand alone book you had mentioned. Can hardly wait. Jan