A book is like a piece of clay. Clay, like a book, cannot be immediately turned into a masterpiece. It takes time and work. You can't take clay and mold it into a great work by just holding it in your hand and squeezing a couple times. Just like a book is not a great work simply if it sits on a shelf. One must read it, and even then it won't be great. Maybe the first 20, 50, or even 100 pages are a drag. But once you get to the middle, maybe it starts to pick up. Then it becomes great, like a finished clay sculpture.
I agree with Nancy Jo Sales when she says that "I don't think that books will ever be gone...We need them too much." Unlike the transistion from CDs to iPods, you will always have the group of people that resist change and read off of good old fashioned paper. I am one of those people. I don't own a kindle, and probably never will. I get more satisfaction out of finishing a 600 page book and the feeling I get when I close the back cover, rather than simply clicking the power switch on an iPad or what have you.
Q: Why is it important whether you get your information from a computer or a physical book?
DS: For me, I get more out of an actual book. As stated above, I feel like I accomplish more when I close the back cover on a book that I just finished. I think there are people out there who think like me, and they too understand the meaning of the weight of a book.
I think you're right, there are people who will only ever read books. I wonder about my kids or their kids, though. Will they feel the same way or will they grow up in a totally digital world?
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that you feel more "accomplished" when you finish reading an actual book. Even though I like e-readers, you're right, a physical book can feel much more rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI also like reading actualy books because I like to turn the pages and stuff like that. But I'm getting a Kindle for my birthday because of the amount of books I read, I just need them all in one place. I guess that it is just inconveiniet.
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