“How are you going to be a revolutionary if you are such a traditionalist? You are holding onto the past…”
The dialogue from recently awarded movie La La Land made me introspect, as I thought about the traditionalist in me, sitting amidst books strewn floor, with the background score of typewriter keys. The choice between Kindle and paperback books seemed like a surmountable task. Much like Sherlock’s Mind Palace, it was time to dive into my own and conquer the ineffable choice by calculating and analyzing both of their features.
Physicality
Kindle’s USP for the mankind was the ease of storage, provided by it. The quick pace demand of the urban world was satiated by Kindle when it came to logistics; carry millions of books in a compact device. In matters of travelling, or situations when nothing comes to your rescue, Kindle serves as the Knight in shining armour, helping you elope from boredom. However, Traditionalist comes raising banners and protesting that a pound heavy book is not such a hassle and a bibliophile would not deprive their bags of books. The touch of books, the smell of crisp pages and the feel of print under your fingers brings beautiful sensations, and is definitely worth a pound.
Ease of Access
Revolutionist are back with a headstrong reply, that reading is already a dying habit and here you are aiding the cause by clutching onto paper until you suffocate it. Kindle no doubt, provides the ease of access to the extent that books are downloaded almost instantly. In case, a book is finished, and reader is curious to know the sequel, the process is simple, and would be done almost instantaneously. However, when it comes to paperbacks, scrolling through the books, spending hours in your favorite bookstore, going bind after bind, or simply waiting for the postman to arrive with the excitement of a child, has its own charm. The sheer profundity and emotionality experienced, on browsing through the pages and touching the cover for the first time is unmatchable.
Monetary aspect
The most convenience provided by the kindle is in monetary aspect. Even though the initial investment seems bit higher than a usual paperback, the rest is a smooth road. Most of the ebooks available online are way less expensive than the actual paperbacks, thus, easing the pockets of an average reader, who otherwise would have been apprehensive in buying, and thereby less reward for the hard work put in by the writer. However, the promise of owning a paperback and putting your name right beneath the author’s name makes one sigh with pleasure. Putting little notes along the lines which inspire you, or simply leaving a message on the last page, are the reasons enough to overlook the cost. After all, metaphysicality of ebooks somehow cannot be as satisfactory.
Endurance
Imagine being lost in your multitude world of books, and suddenly the magic spell wears off, as “battery low” sign flashes on the screen, or any circumstantial event results in loss, theft or damage of your compact device which so far has been acting as your personal genie in the bottle? It is bound to be heartbreaking for a bibliophile, as books are the most prized possessions. Paperbacks do have an edge over ebooks when it comes to endurance. Hardcovers stacked high and proud, on the book shelves not only enhances the aesthetic value but also, ages like a wine, the older the better; the smell and feel of those crisp pages. They act as a legitimate legacy, in case of passionate readers.
Memoirs of Reading
Reading in the sunlit corner of café, sipping coffee and holding your current read in your hand is a subjective idea of heaven, which works for many. When it comes to Kindle, the memoirs of reading are easier to graft for much like a cellphone, it can be carried with one almost always. Either roaming on Parisian street or chasing clouds in an airplane, you will have the comfort of your ebooks. However, sitting on the couch by the fireplace or in a bathtub, paperbacks prove their ultimate loyalty, being there at your beck and call.
Still lost in reverie, between kindle and paperback; somehow the battle between tradition and revolution is quaint, and does not demand an immediate action for the realization sets in, that it does not matter whether it’s kindle or paperback, as long as you are keeping the reading habit lit, and not letting the imagination run dry within you, the world remains a better and peaceful place. For the hardcore traditionalists and revolutionaries out there, feel free to state your rigid choices, and check out various authors’ works featured on Allauthor.com; do not fret, for the books are available in both the formats.
