In my free time, reading is one of my favorite activities. I always enjoy going to Barnes and Noble to find my next book. As a reader, one thing that caught my attention was the idea of carrying around a Kindle. While bringing a book to places can be difficult due to its size, Kindles are lightweight and affordable, making them easy to toss in a bag or purse. But are they really better than physical books?
Kindles have been circling the internet recently, and it seems their sales have skyrocketed. With the convenience of a small, thin, lightweight tablet that holds thousands of books, who wouldn’t want one? I got my Kindle last year for Christmas, but I wish I could say I prefer it over physical books.
In order to access books on the device, you need to have a Kindle Unlimited membership which is $11.99 per month. Although the price is reasonable, you aren’t given access to every book– only those that “come with the membership.” I have the membership, so I can read books of my choosing without having to search the library, bookstore or spend over 11 dollars on one book. However, I am unable to access popular books, such as the “A Court Of Thorns and Roses” series. Additionally, a lot of the books on the device are older and not something I want to read.
One downside about physical books is when reading before bed, I need a light on. I like to end my night with a book open so I’m not staring at my phone, but having a book light is annoying, and it’s frustrating to sit up so the book doesn’t flop close. However, with a Kindle, it’s a screen so you don’t have to worry about pages flipping over, and you don’t need extra light since it has different settings to make it a brighter, darker or warmer tone.
Physical books come in paperback and hardcover and have beautiful cover art. I love the different designs, fonts and colors to display on my bookshelf. Annotating is also a big reason I prefer physical books over online books. I can use different-colored highlighters for notes or tabs to mark pages. Many may argue that Kindles are easier to manage and carry around, but there’s a certain joy that comes with filling your shelves and browsing bookstores for new reads.
I will forever prefer physical books over digital ones. While they might not be the most convenient option, they can still be carried around. I got my Kindle last year, and I’m already experiencing problems with it. Additionally, Kindles are a hassle because they have to be connected to Wi-Fi to use it. If you are considering getting a Kindle, think about the pleasure that comes with adding a new book to your collection or choosing what markers to annotate with.
