Welcome Nerds, Bookworms, Bibliophiles, Errant Readers, Casual Observers, etc. Pick your team and cheer loudly.
Welcome to the Great Book Debate. In one corner, we have the heavyweight champion world-famous Paperbacks, and in the other corner, the animated, portable, price-friendly, and durable eBook!
Thank you, thank you! We have gathered here to find out which version and holder of our beloved Books are better.
In my opinion, this debate should not even happen because why in Booklore do you want to compare an Apple and an Orange? They both have their usefulness, benefits, and uniqueness. However, readers are peculiar, inquisitive, and meddlesome, so here we are.
From here, we'll look at each version, a bit of their history, pros, and cons, and find out which one is the best.
Paperbacks are books with a cover made of thick flexible paper binding. The cover can be laminated with either gloss or matt lamination. Its average life span is about 10-20 years. They were 1st introduced in 1935 by Alan Lane, who started Penguin books. However, some would like to claim it was Charles Dickens with the introduction of the Pickwick papers. Whatever you believe, it helped make the cost of buying books cheaper for readers when compared with buying hardcover books.
They provide a high-quality option for reduced weight and cost, making it a win-win for both the publishers and the readers. Paperbacks are easy to carry around; don't even get me started on how that has been saving lives and increasing knowledge.
Have you ever fallen in love with a book just because of the cover(I did with this book)? Books look nice in your hands, almost like ornaments comparable to metallic jewelry. You also get to add comments, thoughts, and ideas all over the medium. (pro tip: use a pencil)
It even helps with your health as it helps to improve memory and reduces stress. I remember studying for exams and was seriously stressed out. I just wanted to unwind and calm down, so I and the irawo (the moon) would binge read the complete Harry Potter books, and believe me, it helped. I always felt better and ready to face studying again.
It also brings back memories. Remember those notes you made in the books? Nostagic. And beautiful. They produce attractive bookshelves (have you ever seen an ugly bookshelf?) And which bookworm can ever forget the divine smell of books?
Okay, paperback supporters, hold it. That's enough! The eBook team is about to make a grand entrance; let's make way for the Electronic King.
Ebooks were propelled into the limelight in 1971 by Michael Hart, who created the first-ever ebook after deciding on an impulse to type the US Declaration of Independence into a computer. In 1997 E-Ink Corporation created a technology that would let digital screens reflect light just like ordinary paper without the need for a backlight. The Rocket eBook became the first commercial e-reader device to use this technology which several other manufacturers eventually used to create new eReader devices, including Amazon Kindle, which was released in 2007.
So what's so cool about eBooks?
One device can house thousands of books. You get to carry a library wherever you go and change your mind on what you want to read and when you want to read it. Think about the amount of shelf space you are saving. It is impossible to lose as it can be downloaded on multiple devices which is convenient if you are on the road and it can also be read offline. If by some mistake you lose it, you can always re-download the book.
It encourages you to read more as you get to download new books by the same authors or series, which can be annoying if you can't find the remaining series.
EBooks can be easily updated to include up-to-date information.
You can share with as many people at once, although DRM (Digital Rights Management) is putting a comma to that.
It also helps to save time and money. Money that could have been used to travel to buy books is minimized.
In addition, there are interactive elements embedded with audio and videos. External links can be included for further information about the book. It is easy on the eyes as you can adjust the brightness; change the text's fonts, so reading in the dark is much easier.
You can mark and quote sentences, save your page, and search using keywords with ebooks. It cannot go out of stock as it is always available.
They also have the read-aloud feature, allowing you time to do other things while listening to your book. It is environmentally friendly, reduces carbon footprint, and is affordable in the long run. With ebooks, you can mark passages, save pages and search text.
Great, so we have analyzed their pros and uniqueness – let the battle begin!
| What the tech enthusiasts say... | The Middle Ground | What the paper-worshippers say... |
|---|---|---|
| EBooks are much more affordable when compared to paperbacks. At first buying, the device might be expensive but in the long run, it would benefit the user greatly. It is cost-effective for the reader. | There are health issues while reading during the night, mostly on tablets and with backlit e-readers. It can cause sleep deficiency, eye strain, or damage health. Paperbacks can be difficult to read at night without lights. | Files cannot download if the appropriate software is not installed on the devices. If you don't have an e-reader, you might not be able to read the book, even if it is on your device. Paperbacks are accessible immediately after you open them. |
| Paperbacks can easily be destroyed by the elements and passage of time; something eBooks get away with as long as the cloud is safe, there is always access to it. | Both versions cannot withstand a liquid shower. They are both susceptible to liquid, and it is even worse in ebooks as if the liquid, say water, gets into the device, might not be able to use it ever again, unlike a book that can still be dried scavenged. | E-readers are required to be upgraded periodically. Refusing to do so could lead to the risk of losing saved books. |
| Paperbacks can get torn and rumpled from consistent folding and exchanging hands such that they lose their flexibility and attractive cover design. EBooks continue to look as attractive and pristine as the first time you opened them. | Paperbacks can become valuable over time and can be sold for an enormous amount compared to the amount bought. This is rue for some first editions. | |
| While both can be shared, eBooks take the lead with the number of people one can share with at once. | Paperbacks make for attractive gifts compared to eBooks. While they are both the same, presenting a paperback with their beautiful artwork and bindings pulls at the reader's heartstrings. | |
| Paperbacks can be large and heavy. They require the use of a book bag or cart to move them from place to place unlike eBooks that are as light as the device it is, no matter the number of books in it. | EBooks can run out of batteries, something you will never have to worry about with paperbacks. No batteries, no eBooks. | |
| Numerous distractions such as notifications on the device can distract the readers from enjoying their book, unlike paperbacks. |
Do we have a winner? Not really. The truth be told, it depends on the reader. The main thing is to be able to adapt when the need calls for it. You can have your attractive bookshelf and smell the pages whenever you want but when you want convenience and you are on the road, being able to read an ebook on the go is a plus for me.
So get a collection of books you treasure and keep the rest on the cloud, a win-win for everyone.
