Book Vs Book: the Differences Between Paperback and Ebooks

One could argue that there is nothing more satisfying than flipping through the pages of a fresh paperback book and admiring a personal carefully color-coded library. Another could argue that the mass printing of novels is terrible for the environment and having a sensible e-reader with hundreds of your favorite books downloaded is not only eco-friendly but also space-saving. In the US, the book publishing industry generated nearly $26 billion in revenue in 2020. While a large part had to do with the pandemic causing nearly everyone to pick up a new hobby, the rise of ebooks has begged the question: what are the pros and cons of either of these two reading mediums?

Paperback Books

PROS

• That esteemed feeling of opening a paperback in a public space

• The possibility of starting an organic conversation with someone new if they walk by and comment on the title you’re reading

• Used paperbacks can be extremely cost-effective and even cheaper than e-books

• Less likely to get distracted by notifications or lights blinking on a device

• Information is more easily absorbed particularly for kinesthetic readers

• Doesn’t require electricity or charging

• Eye friendly for those with light sensitivity

• Learning and comprehension are statistically better with physical books

• The feeling of an authentic reading experience

• Aesthetically pleasing to the eye

• Annotations can be aesthetically pleasing as well

CONS

• Susceptible to damage or loss

• Requires lighting

• Options for dyslexic and neurodivergent readers are essentially non-existent

• Can be very expensive–especially when buying newer and more popular titles

E-Books

PROS

• Extremely portable–even if you don’t have an e-reader you can use a cell phone or tablet and sync between devices

• Vast selection of books to choose from right on your device

• Free books are constantly available (sign up on Bookbub for email alerts)

• Kindle Unlimited is an excellent subscription service for access to about 1.5 million titles at your fingertips

• Great for the environment without printing costs

• A bigger market for novellas and chaplets

• Taking notes on an e-book is very easy, and doesn’t damage book integrity

CONS

• Running out of battery is very annoying

• Screen exposure can be tiring for your eyes (although many e-readers have adjustable options for this)

• Sharing books is more difficult–while there is a way to share books through kindle, it is a long and taxing process that is just not worth it at times

I personally fully enjoy both mediums. I love stacking my books from the used bookstore in rainbow order. Sometimes I get a new copy, but I try to buy used to help reduce emissions and spending. I find annotating in a paperback helps me retain and relate to the story on a deeper level. It also feels amazing when I finish a book and I close it on that last page. But, I also love the convenience of reading in bed with my kindle, lights off then easily shutting it and turning over to sleep without having to click off a light or tuck in a bookmark. I really enjoy being able to borrow any book from the library on my kindle at my leisure without even needing to take a step out of my home.

No matter what kind of reader you are, the most important thing is that you are reading even if it’s one book per year. Remember, libraries are free to use! Grab a library card and borrow locally if purchasing novels is too expensive. You can also easily borrow e-books from libraries from the comfort of your home. There are many free reading websites such as Project Gutenburg where you can download e-books for free and Open Library where you can create a free account and borrow scanned books to your heart’s content!

Which type of reading medium do you prefer? Are you an audiobook person instead? Let us know in the comments what your reading style is.

Article edited by Lola Lujan.