The preciousness of print
By Christian Jay B. Quilo
IN THIS day and age, almost everything has gone digital — books included. And while the eBook does have its own advantages, one can’t help but miss the classic paperback that we grew up with. Hence, some die-hard bookworms still turn to the good-old printed version to read. Here are 10 reasons printed books will never go obsolete, even with the advent and rising popularity of eBooks.
The tangibility of printed books makes the reading experience feel more authentic.
The texture of the paper, the actual flipping of pages (and even the smell)—the downloadable version of a book can never have the same palpable experience of the printed one.
Printed books don’t need a battery.
No need to worry about low battery or having to charge it. You know you can always count on a printed book anytime, even when your phone’s dead and you can’t charge it anytime soon.
Printed books age beautifully.
There’s something about the natural browning of a printed book’s paper—a vintage look, one may say—that adds character and makes it all the more special.
Printed books are easy to keep.
You can just sit them nicely on a bookshelf where you can see them and if you want to re-read them, you can just get them right away. They don’t get tucked away in some folder in the limitless labyrinth of files in your device’s memory storage.
Printed books are easier to make notes on and highlight.
There are parts of a book, maybe a memorable line by a character or a pivotal scene in the story, that’s just worth highlighting or even writing down some comments on the side. These personal touches make the book more valuable.
It’s easier to concentrate on the actual reading.
No annoying notifications popping out every five seconds to interrupt your reading. It’s just you and the book itself.
Printed books don’t hurt your eyes.
It’s bad enough that on a regular day we spend most of our time facing the screens of our smartphones or computers. Shouldn’t we give our eyes a rest from our gadgets? Not to mention, the lights emitted by our devices are potentially harmful to our eye health.
Printed books are easier to share.
Isn’t it nice to share with a friend the great book you just read? And then gushing over it together after he or she is done reading it. Handing over an actual book just makes it more personal compared to just copying a file and sending it, you know?
Printed books are more discreet.
Just find a comfortable spot and you can read almost anywhere like at the park or on the bus. It’s much more subtle than busting out a tablet in public that may or may not warrant attention from people with not-so good intentions.
Printed books are great conversation starters.
Picture this: You’re at the train station, sitting on a bench and reading a book while waiting for the next train to come. A stranger sits beside you, glances at the front cover and asks, “What’s that book you’re reading?” I mean, that sounds like a promising start to a great love story right there.
