One Point in Favor of Hard Copy Books

I love reading on my iPad. Absolutely adore it.

As for buying books electronically? An awesomely dangerous convenience.

I don't even have to put on pants to go buy a book? One click? That's amazing!

*Cut to me looking at my credit card bill.* 

I spent how much money on books this month? Well, that's okay. I'll just cut back on my other luxuries. You know, like food. I can definitely get by on less of that, right?

Anyway, electronic reading is amazing, but paper books still have some advantages. One of the big one is the ease of sharing.

As I mentioned, I've had some recent success in the world of garage sale book buys. I spent a considerable amount of time in a waiting room the other day. I knew it would be a time consuming morning going in, so I prepared. Filled my bag with two of my new paperbacks and set out.

I was well into my waiting when another woman in the waiting room asked what I was reading. At this point, I have never been asked about my reading material when reading electronically. Maybe they will someday, but thus far no electronic versions have engendered conversations with strangers. Not that I'm necessarily complaining - I enjoy solitary reading time as much as the next bookworm - just observing.

I told her and handed her the book to read the back cover. She said it sounded like a fun story and I told her that if I finished it before I left, it was all hers. As I'd gotten a head start on it during my hour long train ride, I did indeed finish it prior to my departure. The woman thus became the new proud owner of Suzanne Brockmann's Kiss and Tell and I got the joy of coming home and realizing that this book was one of the duplicates in my garage sale box, so I still also own a copy. It was a big win/win of a book day and not one that would have happened had I been reading an electronic copy of the story.

Sure, we might have started chatting even if I was on my iPad and perhaps would have touched on books. But even if I told her about my current selection, she could have at most written down the name and that would be that. This way, I got to actually share a book and see someone's excitement about reading it, which is always fun.

I'll likely never see this woman again, but I'll remember her and that waiting room every time I re-read the book.

Paper books can not be gotten instantaneously and they require a hell of a lot more storage space, but I'll probably keep collecting as many of them as I do electronic books. I guess that day in kindergarten is burned on my subconscious because I really like sharing (at least when it comes to books, do not try to eat my nachos) and hard copies just make it easier.