Ereaders aren't a new thing, but in my experience they are severely underrated, and some people think they're superior beings for preferring paper to electronic books. I would like to stress that preferring to read one way does not make you any better than people who prefer to read another way. There are advantages and disadvantages to both paper books and ebooks. But bear in mind that ereaders weren't invented just for fun, they were invented because they have benefits over paper books.
I've had my Sony Reader for more than three years now, and it's still exciting to read stuff on it. So, here are 11 reasons why ereaders and ebooks rule.
Disclaimer: There are different types of ereaders, and these features might not apply to all of them.
My baby
1. They're light and easy to hold
Some books are just too massive. This is where ereaders come to the rescue - I downloaded
War and Peace because that book is over 1,000 pages long. Reading a 1,000-page paperback is not fun at all - I'm reading the last Obernewtyn book, which is over 1,100 pages, and the page size is big too. It's really hard to read.
Those are my legs and that is the book. It's soo big! *cries*
2. You can look up what words mean!
I can't stress enough how useful this function is. When you're reading something and come across a word or phrase you don't understand, just press down on the word and the definition comes up! This is so much better than having to get out a dictionary. My vocabulary has definitely increased since I got my ereader.
3. They're portable
Who here has had to bring a whole extra suitcase full of books with them on holiday? I have, and it sucks. With an ereader, you can bring tens, even hundreds of books with you on holiday, and only need to make room for one device that's usually smaller than an actual book.
My ereader, next to my laptop for reference
4. You can change the font and text size
The text size in some books is just too small for comfort, and in others it's too big. On an ereader, you can choose the font size that suits you the best, and you can also choose what font the text is in. How cool is that?
5. You can get books without having to leave your house!
Going to the library is a hassle. Going to a bookshop is dangerous. If you have an ereader, you can get books just by having an internet connection. (This is very useful when it's the middle of the night and you want something new to read... Shhhh!) I download most of my ebooks for free from
Project Gutenberg and
Goodreads, although I also borrow them from the library. Of course the same problem occurs with ebooks as it does with paper books - you end up with more books on your shelf than you can read. But it's still more convenient.
6. Nobody knows what you're reading
Are you reading
Les Misérables, or are you reading
Fifty Shades of Grey? No-one knows. However, this can be slightly awkward when your Year 12 form teacher asks what you're reading and you have to say, "Fanfiction, actually..."
7. They're electronic devices, which means... buttons to push!
Who doesn't love playing with technology? C'mon, it's fun.
8. You can make notes on the page... without ruining the book!
You can highlight sections, make typed notes and handwritten notes, all without marking the paper. What sorcery is this?
9. You don't need bookmarks
No matter how many ebooks you've got on the go, the ereader always remembers where you're up to. Your younger sister can't pull your bookmark out of an ebook!
10. There's no way to damage the book
No dog-eared pages from when your "friend" borrowed your book, no food or sand in the pages, no yellowing of the paper, no cracked spine, no rips and tears and dents and bends... It's incredible. My ereader is getting old and has cracks and chips in it, but since I'm very protective of my physical books, it's much safer to have an ereader.
11. Ebooks are the best for studying at a tertiary level
(Note: I don't use my ereader for this, I use a computer, so this reason is a bit of an odd one out.) It's so much easier to download ebooks you might need to refer to in your essay and use the finder to find keywords than it is to use paper books. I wouldn't be able to study without textbooks and journals being available online. Thank you, internet!
Do you have an ereader? If so, what do you love about it? What do you dislike about it? Do you ever buy ebooks, or only download free ones?
