Why do so many of us persist in reading a paper book - in other words a physical object we can hold in our hands - rather than just switch to reading on our computer?
Personally, there are a few reasons why I can never foresee myself giving up books. Now, in saying that, I am mostly talking about fiction, that is, novels. As part of the generation who did a great deal of their university education via computer (when I studied externally it was even more so) I tend to look to the internet and digital sources to find information.
Occasionally I will get a resource book from the library, or pick one up at a second-hand shop or book fair, but as a general rule, if I want to learn about something I’ll just grab my laptop and off I go. I know some people will cry - ‘but you can’t trust what you read on the net - and besides, how am I going to write notes in the margins’? Well, if you’re reasonably savvy, you can trust what you read on the net - and as for notes in the margins… you can attach comments to a lot of digital document formats!
And for that matter - since when can you believe what you read in a book?? Just walk into any new-age book store or section to see what I mean 
No, what I’m talking about are stories. The type where you get lost, and turn page after page, oblivious to the time passing you by. I don’t know about you, but the thought of reading a novel on my computer doesn’t fill me with joy. Your eyes hurt, you can’t curl up comfortably… you can’t feel the weight of those words in your hand.
I have been partially inspired in this line of thought by the Kindle. Just recently in the US, Amazon has brought out a product called Kindle - a device solely dedicated to reading e-books. Now, we don’t have it here in Oz, but I had a look at it, intrigued. It certainly looks interesting, and I’ll be watching it’s development closely, as a lover of both books and technology. Perhaps it could revolutionise the way we read…
But for me, seeing all my stories lined up in a beautiful bookcase - and being able to reach out and touch them - will probably never be replaced. What do you think?
