The issue: eBooks

There is nothing like sitting back and opening a good book. Looking at the artwork on the front cover, feeling the pages as you leaf through it and the papery aroma of the bookstore that emits from within the pages – all of these actions entice the senses. Any reader will agree that they enjoy the physical aspect of reading: picking out a book, feeling it in your hands and even the pleasurable sensation of turning the pages.

However, this pleasant everyday process is being overrun by the rise of electronic books, which are read on devices such as Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Nobel’s Nook.

Convenient as it may be to have many books in one little place, this takes away from the personality of having books. Here, books become just another device. Aren’t we already surrounded by enough electronics? We’re around cell phones, computers, iPods and the myriad of other tools out there all day. It seems like our faces are always hidden behind little glowing screens. Books allow you to put those devices down for a while and have some time away from technology. But this is not so if even your book is electronic.

These electronic readers are by no means cheap, with prices ranging from one to nearly four hundred dollars. That’s not to mention that you also have to buy most of the books you wish to download. Since these items are so expensive, you should be absolutely sure that it would be worth your money. A lot of people get caught up in having to buy the next big thing. They must have what everyone is buying. They just follow along with the fad and when it has lost its luster, they use that item less and less.

Let’s not forget that technology can sometimes be quite unreliable. Malfunctions are bound to happen. What if you were to lose all of the content that your electronic reader contained? That would be a lot of money going down the drain, especially if you neglected to get a warranty for it. Additionally, what if you somehow damage it yourself? Even a ratty old book can still be read.

Books have been around for so long, they are an integral part of the world. It would be a shame if their importance to humanity decreased. There is something alluring about having a library full of books. What would you do if all you had was a Kindle or a Nook? Have it on some stand? It’s just not the same.

The world is becoming more advanced and everything is being upgraded. However, is it right to completely leave the roots from which we started? So many traditions are being lost, and we are moving too fast in the direction of technology. It makes me wonder where things will be in five to ten years. Will books essentially be obsolete? Let’s not let little electronic files overtake something that has been around for centuries. Go pick up a book and just slow down for a minute. You will realize how nice it is to take a break from technology.