Another post in my series of Wednesday Night Dessert. WhoopWhoop!This time I'll be addressing the theme of different formats and platforms for my beloved books. I have heard so many debates about the topic, that I finally wanted to have a say myself!
I think I'll say couple of words about each and then we'll see, which really is the best.
Firstly, there are the good ol' paperbacks (or hardcovers for that matter). You buy them, you have them, no matter what. You can read them anywhere and how many times you want. And I LOVE the classical entertainment value it offers. There's really no feeling quite the same than sitting down with your favorite book and a steaming cup. Really! Best. Feeling. Ever. Sadly, there come the tricky parts.
Books are expensive. As a college student I have a really strict spending policy. Every now and then I still squeeze in a book, but still. Then there are libraries. Another magical place. I honestly could spend a whole day walking from shelf to shelf. But if you live in a non-English speaking country then you know the problem. New releases take ages to be available, a then there's the 2 month long waiting list. Charming. If I have waited a whole year for a release, then there's just not enough force in the world that would make me wait another two months, knowing others enjoy freely. Grr.
There come in the saviors - eBooks. They're a lot cheaper and instantly accessible. You can't fight the logic in that! What makes people dislike them, as I understand it, is the need of an additional equipment, making it hard for the eyes and impossible to concentrate. And I really get it. It took me a year to get accustomed to electronic books. Once in university, all my study materials were suddenly available only in pdfs. I cursed the system and all technology, but kept on reading. And after a while I have to say it became a really convenient and comfortable way to read.
I adjust the font size to my liking, you can choose intesityof the background light and overall customize almost everything to your liking. While reading a real book I especially enjoyed the act of flipping the page. So, I chose an eReader that has an animated page flipping function. Also I can use my phone, laptop or iPad. I love it.
And finally there are the audiobooks. Most infamous of them all, I feel. It's not really a reading now, is it. But imagine a situation where you literally have no time for reading. At some point my every waking second was spent on the run. On my way to the bus, in the bus, running to school, then on to work etc. Riding a bicycle, working in the garden. That's how I discovered audiobooks. There's really nothing more pleasing then using the time, which other way seems wasted, practically!
A lot depends on the reader as well. There have been couple of books I haven't been able to concentrate. Like for example, the intonation of the reader seems wrong, or sometime the accent, the tone of voice etc. And still, there are wonderfully done editions as well, where the reader makes the book come truly alive.
In conclusion, I love all the formats of books. Just for me, there's a time and place for all of them. I have been introduced to all of these by people with similar problems and for that, I'm eternally grateful! I LOVE holding a good book in the evenings, I LOVE listening and cheering for an awesome YA heroine while out for a jog and I LOVE devouring couple of chapters on my laptop between classes. (There's just NO way I could fit a whole novel into my bag :( ).
So here you go. Another Wednesday night rambling. Have a sweet evening!
No comments:
Post a Comment