Kindle Vs Paperback!

This is one debate which will probably never end and perhaps continue for a long long time. While, all readers started their reading journeys with the good old paperbacks but there are quite a few who have changed their loyalties and moved to read Kindle books and then there are many who are still on the fence. It’s true that paperbacks have an air of charm and nostalgia associated with them but Kindle nonetheless is a worthy opponent.

Today, I have a few avid readers on my blog here who are sharing their reading preferences. All these readers have strong arguments and thoughts supporting their reading choices. Let’s see whether they are Kindle Fans or Die-Hard Paperback Fans or Still Indecisive Fans.

And the debate begins :  Kindle Vs Paperback

Vidya Sury

Kindle or paperback? As a voracious reader, while it’s always nice to curl up with a paperback, I do find the Kindle app a boon. Being visually challenged, I like that I can zoom text and read comfortably. I usually read at least three books at a time, and carrying them on a handheld device aces everything else. Especially while traveling–I remember the days when I struggled to accommodate two Stephen King novels in my luggage and felt miserable when I exceeded the weight allowance. And let’s not forget the price savings. That said, I have a massive library of thousands of paperbacks across various genres. And oh, when I read in bed, a 700-page novel hurts more when it falls on my face when I feel sleepy. So, I say yay! for Kindle.

Tulika Singh

I stand right in the middle of this Kindle vs Paperback controversy. Yeah I’m a past-life Libran. I resisted the Kindle for a long time but I’ve grown to love it since. Here’s how it works for me – I buy a book, a physical one, if I think it’s a ‘keeper’, that I will read it multiple times and might also like to lend and share it, the ones whose sight delights me as they sit in my bookshelf. On the Kindle I prefer one-time reads – thrillers, travel quickies and the books I get for reviewing. I absolutely love the ease of carrying multiple books as also the Kindle’s inbuilt dictionary and the facility of marking passages. I find myself looking up words which I would have otherwise skipped over. That’s a plus.

Now

Corinne Rodrigues

I never thought I’d say this but in this Kindle vs Paperback debate, the Kindle wins hands down. In our Mumbai flat, our bookshelves are overflowing. So when we moved to Hyderabad, it made sense to keep things slim, because eventually the books from Mumbai will move here. So space is an issue. While I still prefer reading non-fiction paperback, most of my fiction reading is done on my Kindle Paperwhite. I love reading more than one book at a time, so it makes sense to have them in one place and I can skip from one to the other easily. I read a fiction paperback after about 3 years recently, and it was one of the books you gave me, Shilpa – After You, by Jojo Moyes.

Inderpreet Kaur Uppal

I am a Kindle devotee, even though I love paperbacks but what I truly love are books. Travel is a big part of our lives so I collect my favourite books on my Kindle with the freedom to stock up on books without filling shelves. It helps me travel light, read anywhere, anytime with an eclectic collection of books. The instant access to a book, no waiting for the courier and the low cost of buying an eBook than that of a paperback is a win-win for me. Plus, I am the proud author of three published eBooks on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing so I can’t imagine my life without Kindle.

Shalini Baisiwala

When the world was introduced to e-books, I too gave into the allure of it. But I was sorely tested in my reading as I couldn’t concentrate on the text because it felt very mechanical. There was no paper smell to add to the essence of reading and not being able to physically turn the page was a huge bummer for me.  Add to this the audio books which folks said is great as its as good as listening to a story telling. But guess what? It was a huge let down for me again. I couldn’t stay focused on the story as my mind wandered. I tried this while walking and just sitting down too. Both times I was bored by the audio telling and it was a pain to complete the book.  So I reckon I am that old school book Nazi who needs to hold the book and be able to touch and feel it while reading it.

Rubina Ramesh

I was a die-hard fan of a paperback. I still remember being around eight years old and stealing my mom’s books. The first book I read under the blanket was Yargo by Jacqueline Susann. Such a forbidden fruit in those days but a story that stayed with me all my life. More than that, what stayed with me was the musky smell of the paper, that overheated blanket and the feeling of being marooned on an island where no one disturbs you. Then came the world of Kindle. I was delighted at the number of books I could carry with me while traveling. Being a traveller in the early days of my marriage, I didn’t have the luxury of taking books with me. Kindle became my best friend since. So as a romance writer, I can genuinely say I am cheating on Paperbacks with my Kindle. But first love is never forgotten.

Chicky Kadambari

Kindle vs Paperback—that one choice that poses existential crisis to all bookworms. After all, are you really a bookworm if you aren’t living between the pages of a book? A real book… made up of real paper… smelling of real ink? Are Kindle ebooks even books, or are they just digital files on the cloud? These questions continue to haunt me as I struggle with point 2 on my 10-bookish-challenges list. And though the added screen-time threatens thicker eyeglasses, I am sorely tempted by the compact storage and portability offered by the kindle app on my phone! For the time being, still a “confused” reader!

Lata Sunil

I hate the debates on Kindle vs Paperback as I read them both and I also love audio books. But given a choice, I would still like to read the Paperback. Why? It doesn’t need charging. Most times, I have to postpone the reading as the Kindle is not charged. I read multiple books simultaneously and it’s a bit difficult to keep track on the Kindle with its thousands of books. And god forbid if my son feels like browsing something when I am not reading. I am unable to read on the Kindle late evenings, sounds weird but its true. I love to hold the book in my hand, put it under my pillow and that smell is divine.

The verdict on Kindle Vs Paperback… well, we have a divided house. And where do I stand in this reading showdown. Read all about my reading preference here.

What about you?

Are you a Kindle devotee? Or are you still in love with reading the good old-fashioned paperbacks? Or are you a bit of both?