eBooks vs printed books: 6 reasons eBooks are better

I think of July and August as the dead of winter, hibernation time, time to contemplate, meditate and cogitate. The death of the fiscal year is a time when we are forced to look back on what we’ve done with the year just gone, how much money we've made, and unfortunately how much we spent (and what we can grab back from the government which it so happily takes from us).

I’ve spent some money on printed books this year, I’ll admit. However, I’ve also spent not so much money on other books of the digital kind, ie eBooks. I’ve paddled into the shallow end by getting free digital books I can read on Kindle for iPhone or iPad (one of the books was The Sun Also Rises, which I found sexist, racist, kind of outdated – but very well written! Anyway, that’s another story… apologies to fans of Hemingway).

eBooks vs printed books: which is better?

Here's my take on the eBooks vs printed books debate and the top 6 reasons an eBook wins over a printed book every time.

1. You can read anywhere

It’s always with me (or I should say they are always with me – I can get about 28,000 free books now!). If I have a few minutes to spare waiting for a friend or a meeting (but not at traffic lights), I can just click and read a few pages. Entertainment and knowledge is always at hand. This is strangely comforting.

2. You can access one instantly

If I see a post about a certain book, I can go to the site and get it immediately. That is huge in our want-it-now society. Also, if I move onto the next post, I've forgotten so I have to buy it when I see it!

3. They are easy to hold with one hand

It’s so easy. It’s not heavy like a book and you only need one hand with an energetic thumb. How amazing that you can read 'War and Peace' with an iPhone/iPad/iAnything in one hand and hold a margarita/soda/milkshake in the other! Not in bed necessarily but around the pool or in a hammock.

4. You have thousands of books at your fingertips

I like the fact that I can take thousands of books away with me on holiday. I probably won’t even finish one, but it’s pleasing to know they are there, in the background, supporting me. And, if I get in an airport queue, I might just have the time.

5. You can customise your experience

You can adjust the screen brightness and colour of your device to use warm light and auto-brightness (so you can read in the dark), make the text bigger, and show reading progress.

6. Generally cheaper than printed books

This is a huge factor for readers. You can pay $30 or more for a printed book, with casebound books costing even more. eBooks can be considerably cheaper for the same experience.

Are printed books still better for some readers?

Obviously there are some readers who prefer holding a physical book in their hands, they love the feel of turning the pages, and physically knowing where they are up to in the book. Some people still love having a physical library to browse and show off their reading proclivities to friends and relatives - nothing wrong with that! And they are still excellent to give as presents. So, yes, there will always be a place in the world for that beach paperback or bound copy of Oliver Twist.

eBooks are our friends. Embrace them, give them a try. You just might like them!

See the Books page for more.