Anonymous wrote:I use both. I love my kindle for travel and bringing books to work and for long, heavy books. I read multiple books at a time so I almost always have one kindle book and one "real" book going. There are some really interesting publishers out there these days and I love to buy books in beautiful editions. I also buy favorites that I know I'll reread in specialty press editions, like Folio Society or Easton Press, usually on ebay.

I find that a real book experience is usually a bit more meaningful. I think I remember books I read in print a bit better. On kindle, I lose the spatial memories of where a sentence occurs on a page.

I just some read research that confirms this. Retention is better from reading real books vs. ebooks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, for reading in bed while spouse is asleep the paperwhites are a godsend

What is paperwhites?

Paper whites are later generation kindles which have a built in backlight so you can read either in bright sunlight or in the dark (with no spillover light to bother others)

LOVE my kindle paperwhite for many of the reasons already mentioned: reading in bed in the dark without reading glasses, reading at the beach and in the tub, downloading free books without a trip to the library, instant gratification of plucking a new read from my wishlist...it's really a godsend. I do prefer hard copy cookbooks and instructional nonfiction; if not hard copy then at least on the ipad where the page formatting is closer to the real thing.

That having been said, it was emotional to let go of my old collection of hard copies and commit to not accumulating any more. There is definitely something sentimental and satisfying about seeing your collection lined up in neat rows on the shelves. I don't miss the dusting, though.

I love real books, too, but we don't have space in our house for all the books. Also, the Kindle is better for travel and reading fat biographies and history books. And better for bathtub reading (just stick it in a Ziploc bag). I love my books, but for an apartment-dweller who lives in fear of being stuck somewhere without a book to read, the Kindle is a lifesaver.

I love love love my books, too. I just bought some more. I do read library and public domain books on my e-reader, and find it's great for travel or reading in bed because I can enlarge the font to HUGE and not have to fall asleep with reading glasses on.

I love my kindle for traveling and download tons of free books. However, I have stopped buying books on my kindle and have gone back to buying paper books.

I still haven't taken the Kindle plunge. I LOVE books. I love holding them, smelling them (yes) and turning the book to the side to how far I am in the book based on where my bookmark is.

Plus, I read really fast and tend to forget details, which means I flip back a lot. I know roughly where the parts are that I'm turning to. I couldn't do that with an e reader.

Anonymous wrote:Also, for reading in bed while spouse is asleep the paperwhites are a godsend

What is paperwhites?

Also, for reading in bed while spouse is asleep the paperwhites are a godsend

I also prefer real books but I still love the kindle for travel (and in some cases for the metro).

OP here. I am typing from my home office, where we have built in book shelves from ceiling to floor. (The one home addition I insisted upon.) It warms my soul to see books I have read from childhood to middle age. I am an avid reader, and can't get the same satisfaction after reading a novel, textbook, biography, etc. if I can't see the spine of the book.

I am weird.

Not me

I use both. I love my kindle for travel and bringing books to work and for long, heavy books. I read multiple books at a time so I almost always have one kindle book and one "real" book going. There are some really interesting publishers out there these days and I love to buy books in beautiful editions. I also buy favorites that I know I'll reread in specialty press editions, like Folio Society or Easton Press, usually on ebay.

I find that a real book experience is usually a bit more meaningful. I think I remember books I read in print a bit better. On kindle, I lose the spatial memories of where a sentence occurs on a page.

I'm the same way. My happy medium is:

Cookbooks, which I love to pore over on a lazy morning with a cup of coffee, I only buy hard copies. I bought a few on my iPad and it's just not nearly as fun for me.

Most novels, which will quickly accumulate space in the house, and I am unlikely to read more than once, I go to the library, borrow from a friend, or buy the e version

I also read a lot of non fiction, so if it's not a textbook that the mode isn't available in, I get the e version because it's searchable

Some books, I buy in hard copy so I can lend out - this means my friends and I only have to buy 1 copy between us, but everyone gets to read it.

I'm with you though.. I really prefer the book in general, but I don't miss so much clutter in the house (I read a lot)

Anyone else who really misses holding an actual book instead of an e-reader? I just ordered a bunch of books online. I miss them.