E-reader vs Printed Books: Is One Really Better than the Other?

Avid readers probably go through the dilemma of whether to get an e-reader or just stay with printed books at one time or another. On one hand, printed books, especially old ones that smell moldy and whose pages have been yellowed with age, make reading more intimate and meaningful. On the other hand, an e-reader is slim and light and very handy and can store thousands of books, which is convenient especially if you travel.  There’s also the matter of saving trees (get an e-reader and help save trees that way) and the unreliability of technology (stick with tangible books because they don’t have batteries that run out).

For a long time, I stayed on the side of the fence that advocates the superiority of printed books over e-readers. E-books and e-readers were evil and would completely change and ruin your reading experience. Someday, people would no longer know the joy of breathing in the musty smell of old books and of being careful of the pages lest they get torn. Or so I thought, anyway. Then the time came when I got envious of e-reader owners. They can sort of carry their entire library with them anywhere, and what isn’t great about that? So after thinking hard about it, I finally got one. And, boy, wasn't I excited. It’s just a basic Kindle, the one that supports ads and the cheapest of the Kindle family, but it fits my needs. Getting an e-reader doesn’t mean jumping to the other side of the fence and start condemning those who like to buy printed books though. There’s really no one saying we can’t have both. If you really want to have a tangible copy of a certain book, by all means buy it. But if it’s something that can be gotten for free and is only mildly interesting, then to the e-reader it goes. 

If anyone would ask my opinion about getting an e-reader, I’d say go for it. Despite their limitations, e-book readers are great to have. Get a Kindle or a Nook or a Kobo. Get one that has an E ink display so your eyes don't get too strained while reading or get a color one that also functions as a tablet. Get a touchscreen model or one that has a physical keypad. There's plenty of options, and I'm sure there's an e-reader for everyone out there.