An Attachment To Paper

Reading books has been part of my lifestyle and I always make time for reading no matter how busy I am. My book list covers those I find interesting and those helpful to my career, in both printed and digital forms.

I used to prefer digital books, mainly because they were easy to carry. Back in my college years, my e-book reader saved me the trouble to carry a lot more weight than my textbooks and computer, which were already heavy enough for me.

This preference grew even stronger when I became part of the work force. I developed the habit of reading books from apps on my phone. This allowed me to make use of fragmented pieces of time to read books.

In addition, with these apps, I have access to rich sources of e-books. I can find most of the books I want online and the cost is much lower than buying printed books. Interactivity by means of other readers’ comments is another benefit of these apps. I get to share my thoughts and read the thoughts of others during reading, which is fun.

However, I have been reminded of the benefits of paper books since the COVID19 outbreak. Working from home, it is convenient for me to pick up the paper books in my bookshelf.

This traditional way of reading allows me to concentrate better and focus my attention, which is important especially when reading a book that contains useful information and deep thought. When reading a printed book, I am free from distractions that would normally come by on a digital device. I can also make markings in more diversified and convenient way, and the markings I make are more conspicuous when I want to go through the book again.

Another advantage of printed books over ebooks is that there is a sense of solemnity whenever I open a paper book. This has made me take reading seriously. So, if I have to choose between these two forms of reading, I would choose the one that allows me make physical page markings, has fewer distractions and feels different than a gadget in the hand, and that is the paper book. CA