Which is better: a book or a Kindle?

i love books. i like to flip through each page, hold the book in my hands and if it is a new book i like to sniff the pages, take in the fresh smell and feel the glossy pages. A kindle is convenient but a book is a friend, a companion and something to cherish.

by joya.

For the experience and pleasure, a book is always better because it is textile and more visceral. But if I am on the go, I prefer to take my kindle as it is lighter and won't get the pages damaged. It is also cheaper. You can get thousands of free books on the Kindle. These are books I would not otherwise buy/read.

by Bryony Harrison

See, that's the toss up; a kindle/tablet is light and stores thousands of books at any one time, whereas a book (unless a story book), generally holds the one narrative, and can be heavy.

hard copy books for me everytime .. tried a kindle... hated it.
To browse the shelves in a library is the best. All I have to do is go to a section in the library e.g: travel, history, language etc., and be inspired. The cover, the brief description of the book, leads me to discovery. bah... Kindle...

by wicky

I completely agree! My step mother has a Kindle fire and I hate it. It doesn't compare to a book, and like you say, an Kindle in the bath?! Pah!

Perhaps it's because I haven't really tried a Kindle yet, but I prefer hard copies of books. I hate reading off a screen and I never end up engaged in what I'm reading, just racing through it before the battery runs out. Books I can take my time with.

by Vanessa M

-Vanessa, I completely agree; looking at a screen doesn't engage me the same way a book does.

I always favour a novel. In the past ten years the rise of tablets, iPads and hand held devices has been phenomenal; Googlebooks, as well as the availability of classic texts via the internet has meant that the book ceases to exist. The traditional penning of ink on to parchment is thus a rather old-fashioned method. I, however, am not a child of our time when it comes to a novel. What makes a novel 'novel' is the fact that it has been pressed with ink that might smudge if you press hard enough, the pages may get stained if your fingers are mucky, and when you're caught in the rain, it might become your make-shift umbrella.

A book has the ability to wear and tear, to weather the elements of life, and still becomes a tangible, legible possession whcich you can proudly own.

An interactive interface, with a bright screen (which can hurt your eyes, just like a TV), is not so suspectible to weathering. If you drop it, the kindle or tablet may break and you thus lose the library of twenty books you had catalogued. If you attempt to use a hand-held electronic device to save you from getting wet, it will be ruined.

It's safe to say I'm in favour of a book - pages of paper encased in a soft, or hardback cover

by Jamie0liversgirl

Book - I read in the bath, spa or on the beach - none of these are favourable to the kindle (or ipad) should you drop it. The book will dry out and be readable. Also I take it into the sauna...kindle would never survive that!

by Lydia C. Lee

A kindle/tablet certainly wouldn't! Down with technology!

Until I read these answers I thought I was the only one left who'd not fallen in love with their kindle. Amongst all my friends I think I'm the only real book lover left. U truly get the benefits of a kindle; quick, easy, beats taking a second suitcase of books on holiday with you and it saves cutting down trees for books. But, try as I have done, I just love reading an actual book. I love the feel of turning the page, I life holding the book. I love going to my book shelf and picking up my well loved/well worn copy of Jane Austen. I even love the smell of a book. Okay, that last admission was slightly odd but when all is said and done I can't see me ever converting full time to a brightly lit screen no matter how convenient that might be.

by helenonthesofa

I have to agree Helen. A book does something to me that a Kindle, or tablet of any kind would never. Granted, it's not so good for the environment, but, like you say, there's a significant difference, and the look, feel, and very smell (hehe), of a book is a damn sight better than a bright (cold) screen.

I have a Kindle but I don't use it as much as I could, simply because of one thing: I love to read in the bath! They need to make a waterproof Kindle to get me to convert.

by Lindsay Law

Wouldn't that fly in the face of a tablet though? Waterproof? Crazy!

Hard copy books are better, although the trend is towards eBooks. They have better economies of scale for the author, and more people are turning to iPads and Kindles.

by Justine Crowley

I know what you men, hard copies have a more luxurious feel in my opinion, and seem a more tangible item. Unfortunately, a kindle is more economical. Sad, but true.

a book in bed Have you ever fallen asleeo reading in bed and be wacked on the nose by a kindle it hurts kindles are fine on the go

by Elean

Haha, no I haven't read a Kindle in bed and had it hit me on the nose. Books are much less dangerous I guess.

Kindles are great if you're travelling (especially O/S), where you're restricted by weight. You can fit thousands of books on it and it's not as heavy as a book can be at times, but I still prefer the feel of a book, especially soft covers. I find hard cover books heavy and cumbersome and hurt like buggery when you drop them on your toes/feet! Done too many times I can tell you! The anticipation of turning the pages and the feel/smell of a book, especially an older second hand book is the best. I hope books are never completely phased out of our lives by technology. Mandy E,

by steve

Hey Mandy,

Sadly I feel books are already on the way out, but lets hope it won't be in our lifetime. Granted, there is still a demand, and of course, there are popular authors, but with everything available online, it's only becoming a sad reality.

-Maybe just pack a few soft cover novels in future! Haha.

I have 2 kindles, 1 basic and 1 kindle paperwhite. I must say that the experience is nowhere like reading a real book. It is better than reading from your computer, admittedly, and with the kindle paperwhite, you don't even need the light on. The kindle is lighter than a book in most cases, and it certainly beats carrying your whole book collection around. But then reading a real book has its own perks, where you can enjoy flipping through the pages and feel the smell of old papers.

by annep

You're right. It's a toss up because the benefits of a Kindle are obviously the weight, storage, ease of reading, etc, but then the experience and pleasure from reading printed text on a page is completely different. Oh the times we live in.

I love a good book, but ebook readers can be easier and lighter to when travelling.

by Charlotte Jain

Pro's and cons of each, although I'd like to argue there are no cons with reading a real book.

There's nothing like the feel of a book in your hands, the crinkle of the pages, getting into the perfect position and then moving to turn the page. I spend enough time looking at screens between my laptop, tv set and iphone, so it's refreshing to get back to paper when I do get the chance to read.

by Sarah Bell

Exactly! Well said Sarah.

I LOVE my kindle on my Ipad... it's so convenient for travel, though if I see a book I want in an airport bookshop I will still buy it. On the Ipad I can have several books going at once which is one of my bad habits ( see the stack of real books by my bed, all in various stages of reading).If you have a house full of books as I do, digital reading offers a bit of relief and extra floor space.

by jnana

Your response makes me giggle. Maybe a kindle isn't so bad then.

Love the smell and feel of a good book! :)

by Happy Mom

Exactly!

Books are real and can take you to wonderful places. I don't think looking at computer screens is a good idea for any long period of time.

by Matteo Lor

I feel you!

I loved my Kindle when it first came out but now I just use the Kindle app on my iPhone. Why carry around an extra devise if you already have the capabilities with you. The only time I ever buy a book anymore is if it is not available on Kindle.

by Tracie Louise

Books 100% I would rather pick up a book any day compared to reading of a screen. Plus books are forever.

by Ivana Grubesic

Well said Ivana.
I completely agree.

I'm reading a paper book right now, but I usually read on my tablet using the Kindle app.

by DamienR

It's a difficult question to answer as I don't have a kindle

by Maria

So far, a book! I haven't tried hard though. Just one book which was a reference one and was painful to flick around on. So much easier to look and back and fwd with real thing.
I will retry with fiction next time around.

by aodon

I prefer a Kindle because it is smaller and lighter.

by ritaf

A book, although a kindle is at times a lot more practical but a paper book doesn't get a flat battery.

by Valadhiel

Don't have a Kindle, & at the mo, doubt I will.

Much prefer a paper book. One can get it as a HB, TPB, or PB. The feel of a book is better than a cold screen. Reading a book is easier on the eyes'.
When buying a new book, flip through its' pages & smell! It's like that beautiful 'new car' smell!
A book I can keep in my 'Lounge Library' & admire, & 'grab' anytime I like! Try doing THAT with a Kindle!

To have my books in Subject, & Size Order, is very pleasing. If I need to 'research' anything, I go to my Library, & can put my hand on book, as required.
I suppose coming from an era where books were loved, & appreciated makes all the difference!

by donjo

I always read books with paper as I've no idea what a Kindle is.

by Miro

I read only printed books, I don't even have a kindle nor do I want to buy one. You can't even compare the feeling of reading a printed book to a kindle.

by silvi