Five years ago, I actually wondered the pros and cons of reading books using a Kindle. I kept on reading books in their physical form, as that has been my default and preferred method. However, given that I have recently been on the road for a month, I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to try out a different medium. And now I have a few thoughts about it.
I was positively surprised that the transition between a physical book and a Kindle was relatively easy. Of course, there are the things that I missed: in particular, I missed the physical sensation of visually seeing where I was in the book. After all, there isn't a bookmark that would physically traverse the book from beginning till end. I also missed the smell: books have a smell, whether it's a brand new book or an aged one. I smell my books, and of course, this was impossible when reading with a Kindle.
However, I must also say that it was very practical to read using a Kindle. I was travelling for a month, and during this time, I finished 7 books. I didn't have to haul all of them all over the place while being on the road. I just had to carry a very lightweight device. I also liked the fact that I didn't need a light to read with a Kindle, which was absolutely practical when in a dark place, like in a restaurant, when you're waiting for your dinner to arrive. And you can also control the visual appearance of the text: you can change the font size, the text alignment, the font itself, and many other things. These are just little aspects that one simply cannot adjust in a physical book, yet sometimes it makes a big difference regarding a book's readability. So that was definitely another positive aspect.
I suppose the only other point that is a good argument for reading physical books is that I can support local businesses that way. I have this favourite neighbourhood bookstore where I buy (and resell) almost all of the books that I read. I'd rather do business with them than with a global conglomerate. But of course, sometimes one needs the comfort and convenience of reading with a Kindle, and therefore one needs to engage with technology to partake in this comfort.
So at this point, I am torn. I think I would continue on reading books physically, but of course, when I am travelling and need to have an easier time reading a book, then I would not hesitate to switch to a Kindle for the time being.
