Books > E-readers

Getting the obvious out of the way, e-readers have the mystical quality of being 1000s of books in one. Good for them. So does your phone and computer. You know what it doesn't have? Over five thousand years of human history that's what.

Some of the reasons we prefer physical books are more superficial in nature — that incredible smell, bookstores themselves, the tactile feel of paper, beautiful cover art and the ability to visually display your hard earned collection.

More than that though is a certain amount of deliberateness. Books are incredibly difficult to produce — ask any writer in your life or on rec league. What are we saying about their work by turning it into the most disposable entity imaginable?

Reading on paper dramatically improves memory retention and the physical act of turning pages helps build a mental map of the information. The printed page also provides a DESPERATELY needed break from screen time, avoiding eye strain and potential disruptions to sleep.

Plus, who wants another thing to charge.