The truth about e-reading

Laynie Clark, Opinion Editor

If you are anything like I used to be, you are against e-reading. You would much rather stick to the feeling of rough paper on your skin and the smell of comfort wafting through the air when you crack open a real physical book than click a few buttons on a Kindle or Nook. Well, what if I told you that your reading experience could be more enjoyable when using the electronic medium?

Throughout the years, there have been many discussions on e-reading and the destruction of it, but let’s consider the benefits. Reading on a Kindle — or any other e-reading device — is a matter of convenience. Reminisce on the times you have tried to read a book in bed: the struggle of finding a comfortable position is never-ending, you worry about bending the book or crumbling the pages and you cannot lie down. (Basically, it never works.) But with an e-reader, the possibilities are endless. Reading at night becomes your new favorite pastime because you can lie down, turn off the lights and have the most relaxing reading session of your life. 

Not only does it make bedtime reading more enjoyable, but it also makes looking at your bank account more enjoyable too. E-readers work the same way that Netflix does — you pay a monthly subscription fee and get access to more titles than you could imagine. The fee is generally under ten dollars, which is way less money than buying paperback books, especially if you read more than one book a month; having an e-reader is a financially smart decision. Not only that, e-readers cause less worry when traveling because there is never a concern about the pages getting crumpled and torn. 

Trust me, I understand your attachment to paperback, or hardback, books. There is truly nothing like reading a physical book, but it is time to start opening up to new ideas because you never know how much of a difference it can make in your everyday life. I have seen the error of my ways: e-reading is not the enemy, it is the future.