Gutenberg vs. Bezos, Part III

In recent posts, I was debating whether to stick with conventional paper books or get an e-reader.  My internal debate rages on.

The Boy and I were sitting down to stream Parks and Recreation on Netflix.  It was taking forever to load and we had to reboot my computer.  The Boy said, "I hate the internet!  Books never crash!"

Books never crash.  I love it.  Recently, his Kindle ran out of charge and he couldn't read it before he went to bed.

Point: Gutenberg

I read Gone Girl entirely on my iPad.  This was the first book I've ever read entirely in the digital format, and I survived.  I even enjoyed the book.  I brought it to my daughter's track meet and read it in the sun before the races started.  It was fine even in portable mode.  It never crashed.  Reading this book on an e-reader was not a fail.

Point: Bezos and/or Jobs

Now I am reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.  This is the nicest book I've ever read.  As Linda Richman says, this book is like butter.  It has the softest, thickest, creamiest paper I've ever seen in a hardback.  I collect stationery and I don't have stationery this nice.  I want to rub my cheek against the pages.  I can't say that about the iPad or Kindle.  I am afraid to read The Goldfinch at the dinner room table for fear of sullying it.  The book probably weighs three pounds, and I don't care.  I feel bad for people who will wait to get this in paperback.  They will miss out.  The book itself is a thing of beauty.  It's like the publishers went all out to say "Ebooks?  Whatever.  This is how REAL books are made."

Point: Gutenberg