We could call it "the reading challenge", as electronic reading is apparently having a great success – even though I will always side with paper books. Which one is going to survive? Is paper really going to collapse under the Kindle novelty, or will it eventually prove superior? Here it could be also cosidered and analysed how our brain receives and elaborates readings differently depending on whether we read on paper or from other devices.
Good question! I definitely think electronic books overtaking completely would not only hinder the industry but for people like me, I have a hard time reading off screens for an extended amount of time. I'd like an answer the that question, why? Why can't some people focus while looking at screens but read books quite fine? In PDFs I lose myself and re-read paragraphs all the time but that never happens with paperbacks. Is it something to do with our eyes or our attention spans? – Slaidey5 years ago
This is really interesting. I once saw a quote that said stairs didn't disappear with the invention of the escalator. I wonder if that can be a jumping off point? Perhaps the revolution of "vintage" and "what is old is new again" could help inform an argument for the continuation of paper books. I think this article would draw a lot of attention and comments – DClarke5 years ago
This is a great topic and question to explore! With the rise of digital publishing, the publishing industry is in a state of transition. Many people believe that print is going under; however, I do not believe that this is the case. There are millions of faithful, lifelong readers who refuse to use ebooks and take great joy in reading paper books. – Morgan Muller5 years ago
Definitely think this is a good topic to explore- especially with technology advancing so much every year. You could also talk about the advancements of newspapers and how the use of paper news is quickly becoming obsolete. Also even the use of iPads in classrooms as opposed to text books. – Samantha Brandbergh5 years ago
I think this would be a great topic to explore. The Ebook industry has soared within the past three years and is only continuing to climb. Libraries now are giving the option to rent Ebooks from their online catalogue. Also, Ebooks are easier for travel so that could be something to look at as well.
I still personally believe that nothing can come close to actually holding a book. – Lexzie5 years ago
I think that in the end, many years from now, most things will exist in a digital form. But I wonder if paper will disappear entirely, because we have a good use for tangible things that can't be replaced, such as business cards, pamphlets, tickets, and many others. As humans, we appreciate physical things a lot more than virtual because they seem more real, and therefore more valuable. Although I see kindle versions on the rise, I do not see them overtaking the book form entirely. – kathleensumpton5 years ago
Books are a sacred artform and kan never be replaced by electronic books. Never. Recently I went to Germany where I found a bookstore that sold extremely old books. One of them was offered to me for roughly 80 dollars. That's a lot of money for something that's supposedly going out of style. I find Kindle very useful for garbage erotica and short story magazines. Books as digital stuff just won't work. And don't forget, some don't follow the herd mentality of what's fashionable. Of course on Kindle I've discovered that people kan publish nonpeerreviewed books as information. This is not good at all. This can allow the spread of lies, and misinformation to others. Plus what about artistic books? Books that have pictures. Books that mimic papyrus oder medieval manuscripts? One must take that into consideration. Books will never disappear. Too many people love them for what they are. I think the two mediums will just sit side by side. – Starvix Draxon5 years ago
The flow of information is vital for progress. Paper has been important in that regard by being a practical means for dissemination of ideas. Ebooks may turn out be just a temporary alternative to the standard of paper books. One that may be replaced by another form we have yet to behold. – L:Freire2 years ago
Yes, this is such a pertinent topic, especially thinking about how we as a culture view cinema today. It might even be interesting to look at how the Oscars have been viewed since the start. Did the Academy Awards truly value real art more in previous decades (like the 50s and 60s) then they do today? Why do millions of people (like myself) continue to tune in every year, even when there is always going to disappointment or snubs? Is it all just arbitrary? These are the same questions I ask myself, so this would an interesting debate to look into. – Rachel Watson5 years ago
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Thank you, sabrina! It’s been tough to write without including Roald Dahl, indeed! But I’m glad you enjoyed it – I enjoyed writing it 🙂 (Not sure about Harper Lee’s novel as well, but thank you for mentioning “The Phantom Tollbooth” – it’s now in my reading list!)
Thank you, MHayman. I’m glad you enjoyed it!