In the midst of the digital era, I'd like to step up and defend the traditional book. Don't get me wrong, I love the latest in book tech, but nothing beats a book in its purest form. Here are a few reasons why.
1. The Feel
There is just something about holding an entire book in your hands and feeling the pages as you turn it. There's a connection to the material that doesn't seem to happen when you read on a mobile device. As books age, they also sort of pick up a book-y smell that is quite comforting. The whole process of reading becomes an immersive experience.
2. They're Better For Your Health
We've all heard it so many time before. The eerie glow from our electronic devices is slowly killing us. Sure, that's probably a little extreme. I mean, just about everything is "killing us" these days, but it really does affect your health. Especially if you're reading at bedtime with all other lights off. Your body responds to the light your electronic reading device and it can dramatically affect your ability to fall asleep and also how you sleep throughout the night. In fact, the best recommendation for bedtime is to read a traditional book until you get tired. If you've been having trouble sleeping lately, just take a week to read an actually physical book instead of looking at an electronic device thirty minutes before you fall asleep. I guarantee you'll start to sleep much more soundly.
3. The Feeling of Accomplishment
Each books you finish is sort of like a trophy that you can keep forever. You can proudly display it for guests as a conversation started. You can do this with three or four books or you can have an entire room devoted to it. Personal libraries are quite impressive and there is an air of intelligence and sophistication that comes with a room like that. Build it up, take pride, share your favorites with your guests. Good luck doing that with an eReader. Or, if you don't care to build your collection, you get to pass it along to someone else who will enjoy it.
4. The Ability to Completely Disconnect
This might be just me, but I'm guessing it's not. If I attempt to read on a mobile device, it takes me forever to get in the zone. I'll get distracting by every little thing whether it be email, or Facebook, or any other app that is just an easy click away. A physical book allows me to put all of that aside and really dive into the world the author has prepared for me. Number 2 on this list also plays a role here.
5. Nostalgia
A lot of the books I own have a story behind how I obtained them, whether it was given to me by a friend or family member, or is a special edition, or happens to be a signed copy. Nostalgia gets pretty lost with eBooks and I'll take nostalgia any day.