E-Readers Are Rock Stars, but My Heart Belongs to Hardcovers

Huh, I think it's easy to take research at face value - for example, the idea that having more books in the home leads to smarter kids. People with more books probably spend more time reading - to their children and to themselves. Children who see their parents and family members reading or more likely to read. As an educator, I encourage parents to model a reading rich environment. So until someone does a study that doesn't simply conclude a causal relationship but rather measures reading habits in general (which I'm sure there are) using e-readers, we can't say for sure e-readers are detrimental. I also find that having a Kindle allows me to share with my friends - a friend of mine recently asked me to read with him an Oliver Goldsmith book. Now I live in Guatemala, and he in San Francisco, and an e-book is what actually made it possible. Now what I do agree with is the unfortunate commercialization of books (however, thousands of good books are available for free or less than a couple dollars). I'm sure that soon, or one day in the near future, we'll be able to trade and rent out ebooks...

AHA! I have no choice but to buy more books now!

I like the real thing hard cover book very interesting article and I agree with it 100%. I will get E-Reader some day when hard cover books become a thing of the pass.

Well I'm a NOOK owner and I can tell you that I read twice as much as I used to, and before buying the nook I read ALOT so its practically in my face all the time. The reason why my parents got me the nook was because they didnt want me wasting up to $15 a book in bookstores. So they got me the barnes and noble NOOK and now I dont waste more then $9 for a book. Yes it does limit social interaction, but for some its a good thing because all they want is to sit in a comfy chair and read a book in silence.

I think we all agree that reading books will remain a very important activity in our daily lives, my library is testament to that, but, having the e-readers will be a good thing too. Must we continually over analyze everything?

I am also an avid reader with hundreds of books that I want to donate but can't bring myself to get rid of. I love hardcovers and I feel I will miss actually holding and having a book. I know I am going to give in to technology eventually but I'm going kicking and screaming.

Great observations...a lot to think about. I find myself partial to actual books, too, and it was great to see the analysis you provided. Thanks for a thought provoking read!

As an avid reader myself, I can tell you that I don't agree with your article. I have an extensive home library of books but I have also purchased the Kindle and I am here to tell you that it is every bit as satisfying as reading a 'real' book and as for the effect on children I can say the both my son and daughter have Kindles. My daughter has always liked to read but my son is pretty active so reading was never high on his list. Since he saved for (learning about financial responsibility) and purchased his own Kindle, he reads about 10 times more than he used to. In the last six months alone he has read three different book series of books with more than 400 pgs a piece. He is only ten years old. So it upsets me when I see articles like yours claiming that ereaders aren't as good as the 'real' thing. We share our books on the Kindles the same as we do with the books on our shelves. I have seen a lot of good come from owning our ereaders and I think people should keep an open mind instead of always pointing out derogatory things./???

As an avid reader myself, I can tell you that I don't agree with your article. I have an extensive home library of books but I have also purchased the Kindle and I am here to tell you that it is every bit as satisfying as reading a 'real' book and as for the effect on children I can say the both my son and daughter have Kindles. My daughter has always liked to read but my son is pretty active so reading was never high on his list. Since he saved for (learning about financial responsibility) and purchased his own Kindle, he reads about 10 times more than he used to. In the last six months alone he has read three different book series of books with more than 400 pgs a piece. He is only ten years old. So it upsets me when I see articles like yours claiming that ereaders aren't as good as the 'real' thing. We share our books on the Kindles the same as we do with the books on our shelves. I have seen a lot of good come from owning our ereaders and I think people should keep an open mind instead of always pointing out derogatory things.