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That is a link to the study that says basically books are better :p so ner ner ha ha!!

I have wasted a few hundred dollars on e-readers and tablets, in an attempt to move to e-books. But I have an emotional attachment to paper books. I just don't find the same joy of reading with e-books. The nice cover, well laid out pages, different fonts, the joy of turning pages, underlining stuff ( with a physical pencil ). All that stuff is missing in e-books. And this is coming from a guy who works with technology for a living. My level of comprehension is just not the same with an e-book. To me, E-books and all things e/Internet are for skimming, not really reading for enjoyment. So, I get into this skimming mentality with e-books. A nice paper book worth $15-20 or even more gives me so much more in return. Compared to eating out, movies etc. that is money so much more well spent. Finally, this might be the weirdest part, I don't really like the ease of buying books with e-readers :-). Buying books is an experience by itself. One-click actions on a bunch of books that come cheap, spoils the experience for me. They end up becoming just some documents sitting in a device. Documents that are cheap, that I can easily open, easily carry with myself, but not really enjoy reading.

Every few months I revisit this debate for myself, as paper books pile up in my house. And I will continue to explore. So far, e-readers have failed to give me the same joy of reading that I find from paper books.

Nothing can replace a real book for me. I love the feel of it, the smell (I know it sounds weird, but I'm sure my fellow readers understand!) and I feel like I'm getting somewhere when I turn a page. I also LOVE my bookshelves in my house filled with books! The e-readers just are not the same. It's harder on my eyes too.

I've been an ebook reader almost exclusively for over a decade, going back to my Sony PDA and my ereader.com account. I love knowing that I always have plenty of books in my pocket, and scrolling through my covers list brings back all of the same good memories that scanning my bookshelves used to provide. And there are no worries over whether that brick of a book that I want to read is going to be too heavy to handle for any length of time!

I burrowed Kindle from my friend when I was going on little trekking trip, they wanted us to carry light baggage as much as it is possible. Well, I didn't enjoy reading at all. It doesn't matter how well Kindle has enhanced reading experience with the light, underlining and marking important passages, it doesn't satisfy me. I want my pencil, my dictionary, that weight in my hand is most important. One of the most important thing is size of the book, hardbacks and paperbacks come in so many sizes, it doesn't satisfy me to read everything in that slate. Secondly, the experience of painstakingly searching books, beside book shops we have stalls here that sells second hand books. I bet, they have got better stock than these book shops, but it is just unorganized. And when you get what you want... that's an absolute bliss.

E-books vs. paperbacks is like having an online friend as opposed to a "real" friend; like, one you can give a hug to or go out for coffee with :)

I like reading physical books at night in bed or on my sofa, but I take my e-reader to work and on the train. There is something more pleasing about reading a physical book but it's never one or the other for me, it's all about where and when.

We are all different. Let's celebrate that. I agree with both and I do love both. Even when traveling I still take both...hahaha

21st century is unhealthy fast paste life. It doesn't mean it's a great lifestyle but we all have to adapt. I take my kindle to waiting rooms, doctor offices and on the beach, not to ruin my precious paper books.

Mimi wrote: "We are all different. Let's celebrate that...."

I must confess that I loved publishing the first ebook (Oct. 28, 05), but still got a very large thrill from 1) holding my book in POD (PRIDE'S CHILDREN: PURGATORY), and 2) the couple of times people have brought one of the paper books to me and asked for my autograph.

There is nothing quite like it. Ebooks forever, but... for a few?

Here is a thought....
When arguing both sides....

Ebook advantages:
-no need to worry about storage
-easier if moving a lot
-clutter free
-financially cheaper
-letter size adjustment /I needed it in the evening when my eyes are really tired/

Just saying....:-))))

Shannon wrote: "Nothing can replace a real book for me. I love the feel of it, the smell (I know it sounds weird, but I'm sure my fellow readers understand!) and I feel like I'm getting somewhere when I turn a pag..."

Another reader here who "smells" brand new books! Reading is a sensual experience, see, smell, touch, add a snack and you've got almost all senses firing!
Between laptop, iPad, phone I have enough electronic devices and no interest in ebooks. I too, love my bookshelves! You have to, to lug them every time you move! LOL

I am a hard core hard copy reader, but am considering a back lit kindle if I can find one that doesn't give me a head ache. Not for all the time, but for times when I have large loads to take with me.

I go back and forth. I get on a kick of hard copy only - love the feel, smell, experience. On vacation this past summer, I brought 3 hard copies with me, and that reminded me why I love my Kindle. I also prefer my Kindle at the beach. So I'll use my Kindle exclusively, and then when I switch back to hard copies, I wonder why I used my Kindle at all. And the vicious cycle continues...

Which I read depends on my mood at the time or where I'll be reading. With some books though, I just need the weight of the hard copy in my hand...And then there's some books where I prefer the audible.com version. Sometimes I want to go for a walk or fiddle with some apps yet still sink into a good story.

I think that "both" is probably the best answer - depends on what you are looking for. The latest figures I saw (I think in The BookLife Report put out by Publishers Weekly) indicated that the sales of ebooks had risen over a couple of years, but more recently, into 2015, had fallen off as hard copy sales were increasing again. I've self-published a couple of ebook novels & then had potential buyers - friends, family and strangers - say they'd love to read them, but need to have a hard copy. Also strange: I know of readers in their 60's, 70's and occasionally 80's, who only use Kindles or Nooks, so I don't think that e-reader devices are necessarily limited to younger, tech savvy folks.

John wrote: "I think that "both" is probably the best answer - depends on what you are looking for. The latest figures I saw (I think in The BookLife Report put out by Publishers Weekly) indicated that the sale..."

You're correct. And my teens read hard copies as we are very low tech here. My 18 year old doesn't even like the internet.

Now that the novelty has worn off, I'm not surprised that hard copies are on the rise again. I don't think e-readers are going to go away, but some of us prefer paper for various reasons.

Hard copy definitely. I have an iPad and I'll read on it sometimes but nothing compares to holding a book in your hand and being able to feel the pages and the cover. And nothing beats the smell of a freshly opened book.

Like Salma, I also prefer hardcover books. As a practicing lawyer in downtown NYC, I learned from legal text books in law school and then began a career that involves the constant review and production of bound paper documents to adversaries.
I understand the convenience of reading from a Kindle on a train or plane, but I simply enjoy the turning of actual pages pressed together with a firm, supporting cover. Also, a hardcover book has the feel of something permanent and lasting, coupled with the sense that the words are meaningful even if just for entertainment and escape.
I'll provide an example. My first novel, The Complaint, is a legal thriller released in October, 2013. It's a paperback and I was generally pleased with its overall look and size. However, when I finished writing the sequel, THE DEVICE TRIAL, I told my publisher it had to be released in hardcover. Pegasus, the publisher, attempted to talk me out of it by saying it would be too expensive and would limit sales. I insisted and I'm very glad I did so. THE DEVICE TRIAL was released in hardcover on July 1, 2016 and the weight and texture of the binding and cover resulted in a superior, polished product that will hopefully stand the test of time. The sales were probably down due to the price, but hopefully the story told within the pages will eventually remedy that. Plus, I didn't write the book for sales, I wrote for the enjoyment of attempting to create interesting dialogue between diverse characters that my great grand children may find appealing. So, bottom line, I'm motivated to write the third story in the series and, of course, I will again strenuously advocate to my publisher that a hardcover is the only way to go.
Thanks, Tom Breen

I'll take a paper book any time over a hard plastic device that is soulless. Runs down batteries. Breaks. Has an indeterminable life span and will surely let you down at the least opportune time. Having said that, it's cool to not need a light to read by when I'm out camping. Like 'em or not, they're here to stay.

I'll always prefer paperback over e-reader, but as a daily train commuter, the e-reader makes life so much easier. When carrying a laptop for writing, lunch, and any other miscellaneous gadgets. Having multiple books in one device is a godsend.

I'm a huge fan of e-readers- my eyes are sucky enough now to need large print books, and those can get expensive (even if you can find them). They're more convenient for me (I fall asleep reading, and I always ended up dropping the book on my head), and since I am a very fast reader it's easier than carrying two big books around. I also lost my paper book collection twice in 15 years- once to a bad moving company, once to a major flood. My ebooks are all backed up in numerous places online and off- I'll be toast if the internet and computers all go up in smoke at the same time, but other than that, I'm feeling pretty confident about not losing all of my books again.

I've recently gotten more into e-books. I often just read them on my laptop. Also, I drive a lot and have gotten more into audio books as well! I never thought I would like them, but it turns out that audio books can be easy to focus on and a great way to still learn something or hear a good book while driving.

I recommend audio books to anyone out there who has a long commute or drives a lot.

-Nihar

I read both print and e-books. The latter is indeed most convenient, but once when I saw a print novel on a display table, one that I'd just read, I just had to have it, as though the e-book version wasn't a 'proper' book.

I'm happy reading digitally so I can adjust the font, and it's easier to hold a Kindle or reader than a paperback with a stiff spine. My hands get tired trying to hold it open.

But I do love seeing the colourful covers and the physical sizes of the books, and I still haunt the library.