Ebook sales slip and physical books are rebounding, as this NYT article reports.
How many times have we come across this statement “print is dead”.
Then not too long later another article would surface, citing evidence that physical books get to live another day (on borrowed time). Based on the trend, it’s only a matter of time before bookstores close down. I dread the day that happens. So, reports that brick-n-mortar bookstores are making larger slice of profit is heartening.
As much as I love the convenience of ebooks, nothing beats the experience of stepping into the bookstore, be surrounded by booklovers and soft music playing in the background. I love running my hand over the cover, read the abstract, notice the type setting, feel the spine of the book and the paper bag that holds them. Ebooks are great complement but it’s merely a container for words to live on. The holistic experience of a bookstore encompasses of more than just reading.
I’m happy to read on the kindle as I’m with a paperback. I guess that makes me a hybrid reader. Space constraint is why I’m prudent on buying physical books but for titles I really like, I’d definitely get a hardcopy even if I already own the ebook version.