Post #2: What is a book?

A book is a journey. Books can take you places. They allow you to use your imagination and submerge yourself into a story. The size of the book or the format isn’t what takes you on this journey, it’s the writing itself. It should not matter whether you are reading from your kindle, from your phone, or from a hard copy. All that matters, or all that should matter, is the content of the book. Although I prefer hard copies of books, if they disappear one day I will be okay with it. Yes, I will miss holding the book in my hand and flipping through the pages, but the most important part of reading will still be there, the story.  I do not read books so that I can hold them in my hands and or admire the cover. I read because I love the stories and the messages that authors write. Those stories and messages will always be there, even on your e-reader.

The books that you buy on your electronic devices are the same as the books you buy at the store; the words just aren’t on paper. But they are the same exact words so it shouldn’t matter how they are formatted. Electronic books are more convenient in the sense that you can buy them wherever, whenever.

I am not arguing that electronic books are better, but I am not arguing that paperback books are better either. Personally, I don’t think it matters. The words, and the structure and the story are all the same no matter how you read it. I understand that sometimes books hold sentimental value, but isn’t it the story that has true value? The story is what you remember after reading a really good book. No one ever remembers their favorite book because of the way it looked or the way it felt when they held it. They remember the journey the book took them on, the same journey they would have gone on reading it from a kindle.

So, instead of worrying so much about the slow downfall of paperback books we should focus on the book itself. If we worry too much we will miss out on what truly matters, the story. I think we should just sit back and enjoy the journey, no matter what form it is in.