“I guess there are never enough books.” —John Steinbeck
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The decision on whether to read a book in print or on an ebook device usually comes down to personal preference. But I came across something recently that made me think there may be more benefits to reading on paper rather than ebooks, so I thought I’d share that here.
First, a little data on the marketplace. I read this on Investopedia.com
According to the Association of American Publishers, e-book sales in the U.S. were down 1.5% during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first three months of 2023, for a total of $255.6 million in revenue. They currently make up 12% of total consumer book sales. Their share of the market has been inching up over time, but hardcover and paperback books still rule the market, with approximately $3.3 billion and $3.1 billion in sales in 2023, respectively.
So it’s a competitive marketplace with each book type finding favor with different groups. Here are a few of the reasons people may choose one format over the other.
Ebooks
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” —Stephen King
The word that comes up often when talking about ebooks is “convenience.”
- An ebook can be bought from an online store or checked out from the library and be available immediately.
- A single ebook reader can store thousands of books, and it’s much more portable than dragging around even a few paperbacks.
- An ebook can be read in the dark.
- The font size on an ebook can be changed.
In addition, Project Guttenberg provides thousands of ebooks downloadable at no cost.
Ebooks do have some disadvantages
- They require electrical power.
- They can cause eye strain.
Print Books
“A room without books is like a body without a soul”. – Cicero
Print books may not be as convenient as digital, but they do have advantages.
- Print books don’t need power.
- They’re easier on the eyes
- They provide an enjoyable tactile experience
But there’s more. I ran across an article on howlifeunfolds.com about the benefits of reading print books, and I’ve listed a few of those additional benefits below:
You absorb more information.
Readers of print books absorb and remember more of the plot than readers of e-books do, according to a study that was presented in Italy in 2014. In an earlier study, print readers also scored higher in other areas, such as empathy, immersion in the book, and understanding of the narrative. Scientists believe this effect is related to the tactile sensation of holding a book in your hands.
They help children become better readers, too.
Another study of young children between the ages of three and five revealed that kids had lower comprehension of the story when their parents read to them from an e-book as opposed to a print book.
They can help you sleep better.
When you’re winding down for the night, reading from a screen or scrolling through a social media app on your phone are bad ideas. Study after study has shown that the blue light from your screen can toy with your melatonin levels and circadian cycles, making it harder for you to fall asleep and making you feel groggier when you wake up.
Having a library at home is linked to higher academic achievement.
Students who have books at home are more likely to score higher on tests, according to a study of readers from 42 countries. It doesn’t matter how many books you have, but each additional book helps children perform better in school.
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I like to read fiction on ebooks and nonfiction on paper. One thing I like about paper is the ability to write notes in the margins, something I’d never need to do in a novel. However, reading the article on howlifeunfolds.com, I may reconsider how to add more print books to my reading.
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” —Walt Disney
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So TKZers: What’s your preference in reading: print or ebooks? Do the benefits of print books listed above influence your decision?
“A delicious murder mystery” —Readers’ Favorite Reviews
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, or Apple Books.
I read mostly e-books, for several of the reasons listed above. They’re instant. I can download a book if I’m not sleeping at night, if I’m camping and have no physical books with me, if I’m traveling, or if I read about a recommended book and can check it out of the online library. I can also use my phone as a mobile hotspot, so don’t need wi-fi, and I can charge both my phone and iPad with solar, which is handy when we’re sitting on top of a mountain in Colorado with no electrical hook-up.
If I can’t find a book, either in my local library or online, I will buy it, usually from Amazon, simply because it’s click, click, done. The delivery in x-many days isn’t too bad. I’m sorry to say I haven’t been in a bookstore in years, even though we have several nice ones here. I used to buy a lot of books from Walmart’s book section, but seldom do that anymore, either. I think most of it has to do with vision. Although I don’t wear glasses, in weak light I use readers. The typeset in some books is so small, it’s a strain to read them, even with readers. I found one of John Gilstrap’s books in Fleet Farm’s book section and bought it. I like to read physical books to my grandchildren, because there’s just something right about holding a child on your lap while you read and turn pages so they can see. I haven’t tried that with an e-book but doubt it would feel the same.
Morning, Becky.
I’m with you about ebooks that give us so much freedom.
Also love this: “because there’s just something right about holding a child on your lap while you read and turn pages so they can see.” Totally agree.
Interesting the point about being able to absorb more information with print books. I wonder now how life might’ve been different if those stacks of Zane Grey novels I read as a kid had been read via ebook and not in print. Would they have had the same impact? Hmmm…..
Like you, I generally purchase most nonfic (that I know I’ll want to mark up) in print, and everything else in e-book. Would I rather buy everything in print? Yes. But being able to adjust the font of an ebook is a huge deal, plus I just don’t have the space for all the books I’d love to have–I think I have something like 1500 books on my Kindle. No way I could physically house even a fraction of those.
The other bummer about reading fiction in ebook format is you can’t finish the physical book then pass it on to someone else.
But I’m very thankful we have the option of having both print & ebook.
Good morning, Brenda.
The storage capacity for ebooks is a huge plus for me too. And I love having so many books at my fingertips.
Amazon used to have a way to lend ebooks that you bought from them. I haven’t looked at that for a while, but you might want to check it out.
I’ve heard of that but haven’t looked into it. And unfortunately, if the person you want to lend to isn’t very techy, it would be problematic.
I read both, and don’t really have a preference when it comes to the “story.” I don’t find print any easier on the eyes than digital. I have reading glasses with lenses that cut down on the blue light.
The only peeve I have is with people who say ebooks aren’t “real” books. It’s the words, not the format, as far as I’m concerned.
I think most digital platforms allow you to share a book once. The Hubster and I share accounts at Barnes & Noble & Amazon, so we can both read the same book.
And then there are audiobooks.
Hi Terry,
I originally thought to include audio books in this post, but I thought that might broaden the subject too much.
I never heard anyone say ebooks weren’t “real” books. Yikes.
I read most of my books on an e-reader for the reasons mentioned, but I read important-to-me books in physical form, again for the reasons mentioned. If I’m learning a new subject or studying the Bible, I want a physical book. It feels more immersive, and it feels more permanent in my head.
Morning, Priscilla.
There seems to be a connection between the sense of touch and the brain when it comes to reading. How interesting. I like the way you describe it: “It feels more immersive, and it feels more permanent in my head.”
Have a great week.
I’ve tried e-books but they are too one dimensional for me. Nothing beats the feel of a print book in my hands, especially one that I take around on my travels for a few days; it becomes like a buddy and I absorb everything about the physical copy (feel of the cover and binding, even the smell of the paper) not just the story. It is just a much more inspiring experience. E-books are here to stay, for sure, but they will never take over completely. Much the same as when VHS tapes, DVD’s, came out – they found their niche, but the physical engagement of movies, like physical books, will always remain strong.
Hi Bryan,
When you look at the stats from investopedia.com, I think a lot of people agree with you.
I like the way you describe taking a physical book with you: “especially one that I take around on my travels for a few days; it becomes like a buddy and I absorb everything about the physical copy”
Kay, when ebooks first hit the market, many “experts” predicted the death of physical books. Then surveys found physical books were best for kids learning to read, comprehension, retention, tactile effect, and other factors you mention. More recent surveys and sales figures back up those early findings. Thankfully print is far from dead.
My preferences are the same as yours, ebook for fiction, print for nonfic. Love the ability to adjust the font size and store hundreds of books in one small package. But I retain info much better in print and also like to highlight passages.
In a society that’s increasingly detached, I think people crave something to hang onto. Long live print books.
Morning, Debbie.
Ah, the experts! They remind me of Twain’s remark about science: “One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.”
“Long live print books.” Now there’s a cause that’s worthy of support.
I read print books exclusively. I like to browse books in person, at the library or a bookstore or my favorite used-book store (The Book Barn in CT if anyone is interested!). I can buy used paperbacks for a buck and donate them or pop them in a Little Free Library once I’m done. And books I want to keep, whether fiction or nonfiction, I want as solid objects, not pixels on a screen that might vanish. It’s not about the romance of print for me as much as a deep dislike of the electronic world’s infringement on ordinary life.
Good morning, Janet.
Browsing in bookstores is such a delightful way to spend a couple of hours. I love your method of buying used books and donating them when you’ve finished reading. Great idea.
First of all, I love bookstores and print books! That said, as an ‘older’ adult needing to downsize, e-books are here to stay in my house. If I had my way, I would have a full library [from the 1800s], mahogany bookcases, ladder, comfy leather chair, and all. But reality is not that way. I was one of the first Kindle purchasers and I love my Kindle. Perfect for doctor office visits which seem to be more frequent these days…. As with many of you, most of my books are on my Kindle but special books are still print. And as Bryan said, the feel of the cover, the smell, all lead to the enjoyment of the book and ultimately the story. I hope both are here to stay!
Hi Fran,
I can identify with your comment. We also downsized to a smaller home, and there just isn’t room for all the books we’d like to have in print. I love everything about print books, but I’m glad to have my ebook reader. There’s a place for both.
Have a great week.
Good morning, Kay! This post is especially near and dear to my heart, as a life-longer reader and retired librarian. I read fiction in eBook, for the reasons mentioned above. My Kindle Paperwhite uses e-ink, so is much easier on the eyes than reading on my iPad for extended periods of time can be–though I will do that in a pinch. Non-fiction histories I’ll read on Kindle as well, as well as some books on writing, but other non-fiction books, especially astronomy books, I prefer in print. Lately, I’m reading more writing craft books in print, I find I like the format better for that.
In a couple of weeks it will have been five years since I retired from the library, so my experience is getting to be a bit old, but when I did work there I found there were die-hard print only readers, and I suspect that’s still true. I’ve also seen more sales of my mysteries in print than I ever did of my fantasy novels.
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Good morning, Dale.
Since you were a librarian, I was especially interested in your opinion on this.
Interesting that your mysteries sell more in print than your fantasy novels. I wonder if that’s age-related.
Have a good week.
My day job as an IT guy means I sit around sometimes waiting for a computer to update. The books on my phone are great to fill that void. But, the eye strain is much and finding the happy middle between readability and only have 16 words per page is hard.
I like paper. I like bookmarks. I also tend to collect books. I love my collection. There is something more real if you will about reading from paper.
Hi Alan,
You’ve added something extra to the conversation: bookmarks. I also love them, and you’ve given me an idea for a future post. Thank you!
Have a great week.
Hi Kay! Good discussion here.
I use both Kindle and print. Reading for pleasure is usually on my Kindle, study on paper. And I used to read for 30-40 minutes before bed, but not anymore. I find that I fall asleep faster if I don’t fill my head with cool JSB or Gilstrap characters right before I want to conk out.
Never tried audio books. My attention span isn’t as long when I’m listening as when I’m reading, for some reason.
Have a great week! 🙂
Morning, Deb.
Looks like most of us read certain types of books in print and others as ebooks.
I’ve noticed that I have to be selective about books I read just before bedtime. Thrillers might not be the best choice. 🙂
Have a great week.
Fun to revisit the ebook/paper reader topic from time to time. I’m Dale Ivan Smith in reverse–a lifelong library patron until retirement, now a “librarian” for our retirement community library of >800 books, mostly crime thrillers. Two other residents and I reshelve returns and vet donations to fit the preferences of our 300+ residents (not all of whom use the library).
We do have our transitions, people moving on to managed care or the Great Beyond. The family members tasked with disposition of goods have no clue about our preferences–no politics, religion, memoirs–so we get an occasional book dump of boxes and bags. Those we don’t use go to the County library or local thrift shops.
This role gives me an interesting perspective on reader tastes. In this 55 or over community we are primarily 70s and 80s, a few 90s. The increasing use of ebooks is making a dent in our paperback and hardback borrows, but it’s hard to tell if the older books (cutoff at 2005 pub. date) get used at all. It’s a borrow-and-return-when-you-can policy, so we judge to our best ability from the returns bin.
A few years ago we created a special bookcase with shelves for New Arrivals, Classics, Biographies, and Large Print. But the other bookcases are getting jammed with ever-newer donations of the biggies (Baldacci, Patterson, Grisham, etc.). Soon two or three of us will have to devote an afternoon to culling the old-and-worn.
It’s a fun job, but someone has to do it.
Hi Dan!
What a wonderful service you’re providing to your community. Does your library have a Mystery section? I’d be happy to donate my novels if it does.
Do we have mysteries? You betcha we got mysteries! How generous of you to offer, Kay. PM me and we’ll make it happen.
Wonderful to read about your helping to run the library at your retirement community, Dan!
This is an interesting subject. I have an old Kindle that I got when SWMBO was getting radiation treatments and it was nice to have. I recollect it was around $250 back twelve or so years ago.
So I get this message from Amazon “we see you have an old Kindle and we’d like to upgrade you, so we have a great offer. We will give you five dollars off your new Kindle.” I said no thanks, and I invested fourteen dollars in a new battery and replaced it. Good for another ten years.
I have a subscription to Scribd and the benefits are a wide selection of things I want to read and the display works well on my iPad. Good for us old folks who have to squint. But I still troll Half Price Books regularly because you never know what you’re going to find. Kind of a serendipity thing. That’s what libraries and bookstores are good for.
But going back to when I was a law student in 1993-1997 and CALR was just making itself known I was the last cohort that learned research in the stacks with books. I found that one could open as many casebooks as you needed on one table and work back and forth until you found what you needed.
So I would get an article from CJS. AmJur or an ALR or something in West’s Decennial Digest, pull all the case reporters mentioned and open them all up and start narrowing my search
This cannot be done on a computer screen which displays maybe two pages at a time. You’re skunked when the power goes out too, or the computer crashes and dies. The research skills I learned made me a better researcher when CALR came into vogue.
Whew! What a riff. All that being said, I like both platforms equally well, but the history of paper books goes back 800 years and that’s a lot that you cant find on an ebook reader.
Hi Robert.
I see this kind of message frequently: “we’d like to upgrade you, so we have a great offer”. My response is almost always, “No thanks. I’m fine just the way I am.”
Love the image of you at a library table with books spread out. Can’t replicate that online.
Have a good week.
I’ve love print books and prefer them for many reasons, but I buy a lot of ebooks because they’re cheaper and easier on my budget. Also my eye sight isn’t as good as it used to be. I’m now checking out ebooks from the library using Libby because it’s free. When I fly I always take my Kindle so I can have several books and never run out in an airport. But print books will always reign in my heart!
Hi Kelly,
I also love Libby and Hoopla. I can’t afford to buy all the books I want to read, and those library apps are wonderful. (And there’s never a late charge! 🙂 )
Have a great week.
I don’t care how a book comes–I’ll read it. I even read the backs of cereal boxes…or at least I used to when I ate cereal. 🙂
I read at night after I go to bed, usually on my iPad, and usually for a couple of hours…although last week I read until 3 in the morning. And that was with a print book. I have monovision (read with one eye and see distance with the other) and do find that I often have a dark spot in my reading eye that goes away after a bit. When I told my eye doctor about it, he sent me for a carotid artery study but everything was okay. I figured out it was caused by the iPad since it didn’t happen with print books.
Hi Patricia,
I love this. “I don’t care how a book comes–I’ll read it.” A book by any other name (paperback, ebook) is still a book. 🙂
Take care of your eyes and have a good week.
A lot of paperbacks sold in Nigeria by American (and other foreign) authors aren’t original copies. They’re either pirated or printed with permission. For those of us who consider reading a must, we mostly have no choice than to go for them.
Amazon is not supported in Nigeria, I’m yet to understand why. Sometimes, while buying a paperback on Amazon, you’ll get a pop-up that ‘Amazon doesn’t ship to this location.’
As an author in Nigeria, it’s difficult to get a sample of author copy from Amazon, either because Amazon won’t ship here or the cost of shipping is too high for the author. This happened to me when I published my first book. Till today, I don’t know what my paperback looks like from Amazon’s end.
So this is what is popular among Nigerian authors. We publish paperback in Nigeria and distribute that within the country. Then we publish (eBook and paperback) on Amazon mostly for foreign audience. It’s the same thing I always advise my nonfiction clients to do.
In essence, I prefer paperback. But when paperback is unavailable, I go for eBook.
Hi Stephen,
When you say Amazon isn’t supported in Nigeria, does that mean getting paperbacks? But you can access Amazon for ebooks?
What’s the title of your book on Amazon?
Good luck in all your writing.
Stephen, I just added your poetry collection, Introspection, to my Amazon cart! I’ll follow you on Twitter too and BlueSky, if you’re there.