Print Books (v) eBooks – Do We Have To Choose?
OK, hands up who prefers an ereader to a print book?
Hands up who prefers a print book to an ereader?
And hands up who doesn’t care?
I fall into the last category – I own a Kindle, a Kindle Fire tablet and an i-Phone on which I can download and read books.
And thanks to my job, I have access to unlimited print books, many available to me before they go on sale in the bookshops.
(I know, it’s a hard life…)
There are advantages to both electronic and print reading – the ereader lets me take a dozen novels on holiday without being charged for excess luggage, and I can increase the print size when I want to snuggle up and read in bed without having to wear my glasses. Nor do I need a book mark. If I finish my book sooner than I expected, I can download another one instantly. And if I like the sound of a book review, I can download or pre-order it without having to write down its title, author, then make my way to a bookshop only to discover I’ve forgotten to bring the note.
On the other hand, the print book gives me instant access to its title, author and summary – I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been asked the title of a book I’m reading on Kindle and have to confess I can’t remember it. “But it’s really good,” I say shamefacedly. Plus there’s nothing like the smell and feel of a freshly printed, pristine book, just waiting for me to dive in and read it.
And of course, I can then pass it on to the avid readers among my family and friends – not so easy with an ebook.
And don’t we women love to read! eReading company, Kobo has just released a study which has delved into reading habits of the world’s best and most prolific readers, and women come out on top!
Key findings reveal:
- 75% of the most prolific readers are female
- Over three-quarters of the most prolific readers are 45 years and above, with the largest single group (30%) comprised of those aged 55 to 64
- Romance is the bestselling category – prolific readers read romance for almost 90 minutes a day
- The most prolific readers (who read at least 30 minutes a day) read for 20 hours a week, or three hours a day
- Prolific readers buy an average of 60 eBooks a year as well as 16 print books a year
So it seems eBooks do come out top for most folk – but in the end, for me, the reading experience will always be about the story.
If it’s engrossing enough it could be printed on Post-it notes – I’ll still read it right to the end.
What do you think? Let me know on Twitter. Just follow @goodykate
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