The Death of the Bookstore slash Coffeeshop

There’s been a good deal of discussion here about the nostalgic comfort of the paper book, and how many won’t want to do away with them because of fondness for the thick weight and smell of a good book, memories attached to them, the way favorites copies get worn and thin, the notes lining the margins. I’ll agree and say that those things are going to be had to let go of. But as far as comforts go, have we considered basic physical comforts when comparing the old paper books and the new, streamlined e-readers?

Consider how one usually approaches reading a book. We like to get comfortable, wrap ourselves in blankets, recline on the couch or in bed. We light the pages with a lamp or candles.

One’s book can be read, for the most part, single-handedly, and one can hold a warm cup of coffee or eat an apple while one reads if one wishes. One can hold the book steady with just one’s thumb if one needs to reposition one’s self, and there’s no need to worry much if the pages get ruffled or bent a little; it will still read just the same. If one needs to get up, the book can pretty much be tossed to the side. Though it’s made of paper, the book is pretty durable and made for a good bit of wear.

From the very beginning, though, the very act of reading with the e-reader is completely different. It is an expensive piece of technology and must be handled delicately. Holding it one-handed is a little too wobbly for the cautious user’s taste. And perish the thought of getting coffee near it! And the e-reader can’t be held up for too long before wrists will get tired. We’ll have to prop up our knees or put the reader on a table and bend over it. The adjustments necessary to simply hold it will prevent the same level of curling up and relaxing as with a paper book. And instead of the cozy yellow light of lamp, we’ll be faced with the same glaring white that tires our eyes day in and day out with our computer screens. Though purportedly the e-reader screens are designed to be less harsh on the eyes, there’s no doubt that the white light can never be as soft as the yellow light of a bulb. Not just because of the brightness but also because it’ll be shining right into our eyes, as opposed to reflecting on the page from above or behind.

The way we use and think about books is going to have to change, too, obviously. It’s been discussed before in this blog that reading is supposed to serve as an escape of sorts from the modern world of nonstop communication and technological interaction. With the e-reader, your book is just going to be another window open on your computer -- useful when wanting to google a word, perhaps, but also a distraction when the action in the story is slowing and all you have to do is flick your finger to see what’s happening on Facebook. I have a feeling the e-reader is going to do much to help with the problem of our ever-shortening attention spans.

Alongside that are the conflicting emotions that are probably going to make a good-sized division between paper and electronic books. When you spend the day reading a book, you feel accomplished, like you’ve been feeding your intellectualism, doing something worthwhile. No matter how you swing it, though, a day in front of a screen can tend to feel like a waste. You get that sick, dizzy feeling, like you just need to go outside and get something done and not feel like such a slob. Although the feeling might be lessened if you’ve actually enjoyed a good novel on said screen, I have a hard time believing that the negative associations we have with computer screens are going to disappear completely with the advent of the e-reader. Not many people are keen to feel like the deadened, technology-dependent citizens of the future (á la Brave New World), but I guess anything can change.