I AM delighted that real books are making a comeback (GDN, November 2). As far as I’m concerned, they never went out of fashion and e-books are simply a passing fad, as George Williams pointed out in his excellent article.
Books can be passed on, handed down or treasured for ever. You can lend them and smile when they come back more dog-eared and with a coffee stain on the cover.
You’ll know if the reader was a ‘fold-the corners-down’ type or a ‘leaver of toast crumbs’ and you won’t mind because all of these extras add to the book’s character – a bit like wrinkles on the face telling the story of a life well lived.
In contrast, e-books are sterile. Nothing sticks to them, neither toast crumbs nor memories.
Books can line your walls, hold your doors open and decorate your home. They are more convenient than e-books. You don’t have to charge them before you start reading or risk them running out of battery at a crucial moment.
On holiday, you can’t leave an e-book on your sunbed because it might get stolen.
You can’t relax in the bath for fear of dropping it in the water and as for reading before bed, that violates the rule of no tech in the bedroom.
Can you throw an e-book at a spider? Can you write an inscription to your loved one on the front cover and your shopping list on the back?
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