My wife is a voracious reader. That girl can plow through a novel in a day, no problem. Me? Not so much. But, being the thoughtful husband that I am, I thought a digital reader was the perfect Christmas gift. So, I did my research and bought her the Sony Pocket Reader, because it's small and you can download books for free from local libraries. It seemed like a great idea at the time.
To say that she was LESS than thrilled with it would be a gross understatement; she hated it. Not the actual item per say, but what it represented to her...the death of print. You see, for my wife (and many others I suspect) reading is not just about the words, it's a tactile experience that extends from the fingers, to the eyes, to the brain. It requires the scent and feel of PAPER to really work. You have to hold the book, curl the pages and bend the spine. She's tried the reader several times, but her lack of enthusiasm is palpable. In fact, the ONLY time it seems to have any use for her is when she can't get to the library or book store and HAS to have a book. Then, like a junkie looking for a fix, she'll capitulate, download a book and muddle through it. But I know all the while she's thinking how much BETTER the experience would be with a REAL book...and yet I never fully understood why. That is, until the other night.
While in desperation mode, she downloaded a novel and started to read the digital device. After a few hours, she seemed to be genuinely enjoying it this time, so I thought I'd once again ask the magic question, "how 's your book?" Her response finally put it all into perspective for me..."it's not a book, it's a story." WOW, so that's it. Regardless of how easy or convenient they might be, as long as there is ink to stain their fingers, a digital reader will never be a book...it'll only ever be a story. I don't know if I agree, but at least now I understand.
To say that she was LESS than thrilled with it would be a gross understatement; she hated it. Not the actual item per say, but what it represented to her...the death of print. You see, for my wife (and many others I suspect) reading is not just about the words, it's a tactile experience that extends from the fingers, to the eyes, to the brain. It requires the scent and feel of PAPER to really work. You have to hold the book, curl the pages and bend the spine. She's tried the reader several times, but her lack of enthusiasm is palpable. In fact, the ONLY time it seems to have any use for her is when she can't get to the library or book store and HAS to have a book. Then, like a junkie looking for a fix, she'll capitulate, download a book and muddle through it. But I know all the while she's thinking how much BETTER the experience would be with a REAL book...and yet I never fully understood why. That is, until the other night.
While in desperation mode, she downloaded a novel and started to read the digital device. After a few hours, she seemed to be genuinely enjoying it this time, so I thought I'd once again ask the magic question, "how 's your book?" Her response finally put it all into perspective for me..."it's not a book, it's a story." WOW, so that's it. Regardless of how easy or convenient they might be, as long as there is ink to stain their fingers, a digital reader will never be a book...it'll only ever be a story. I don't know if I agree, but at least now I understand.
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