I like pages in books. I like flipping back and forth between pages and highlighting what I think is important but books can be bulky, heavy and take up space. Having more than one or two opened for reference along with some written notes, and your office can begin to look and feel messy and cluttered. That being said, I agree with Robert
Bringhurst when he wrote "Books are not confined to their material instantiations. They are present in oral as well as written cultures. Indeed, they appear to be, for human species, a cultural universal" (1). This being written 3 years ago, still rings true. Books are not obsolete, even though they may appear that way when taking an online class. All of my online classes have required me to buy a corresponding text book, and for that I am grateful because like I mentioned, I like turning pages in a book. When Bringhurst wrote this article he acknowledged that electronic books were brand new in 2008 " Electronic books are still in their infancy" (25). Bringhurst thought they were crude and didn't have much of a future. Unfortunately for him he was very wrong, electronic books are popular and cute. I predict that at sometime in the future I will receive on as a gift from a well-intentioned loved one. I can see the usefulness and benefits of carrying a Kindle, or something like it. Having hundreds of books stored electronically seems neat and efficient. I have gotten used to storing information on the computer, so I suppose the leap would feel the same when storing books.
I feel I am always playing catch up with technology, because it is constantly changing. I will enjoy using an electronic book when I get one, but will also enjoy the benefits of keeping my old books and turning pages instead of clicking. Until I am really comfortable with machines (which in my case may be never) I am prone to believe the old way is still the best way however cumbersome it may appear. Simplicity and common sense scream to me that having all knowledge and information in one place would be the smart way to go but I agree with Bringhurst when he predicts that nothing will replace books all together. Electronic books will turn out to be another medium from which we read, just like written books complimented oral storytelling instead of replacing it (25).
Works Cited
Bringhurst, Robert. “Why There Are Pages and Why They Must Turn.”
World Literature Today (2008): EBSCO. University of Oklahoma 24 Feb. 2011
Rene, you make so many valid points in your blog about the importance of physical books. I also place a lot of value on physical books. For me, nothing will ever completely replace flipping through the pages of a book. This is especially true when I read to learn. Being able to highlight text as I read a book helps me focus on the key concepts and ideas within the reading. Highlighting text and marking pages with Post-it notes also allows me to easily locate the key concepts and ideas later on. This comes in handy when I want to incorporate those concepts and ideas into my writing assignments. Like you, I am not opposed to electronic books. I think there is a place for them. I can definitely see myself enjoying an electronic book for reading novels. As you mentioned in your blog, physical books take up space. I like to read novels before bed and as a result I always have a stack of books taking up space on my night stand. I may in the future look to electronic books to solve that problem. For me, physical books are most important to my academic life but I’m not closing any doors to electronic books for pleasure reading.
ReplyDeleteRene, I agree with you and Christie about the importance of the actual physical book. I love old books, I just can't help it. Books do take up space, but I want to read to my son the same stories that were read to me. As for myself, I may be a little older than you and my eyesight is not what is once was. I fear the electronic reader may be harsh on my eyes and uncomfortable. I do like the idea of the E-Reader being more organized and neat. Maybe one day I will brave the electronic book. You and Christie made a very important point, without a highlighter and a textbook I would not know where to begin when it comes to studying.
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