Are Books Dead?

Thinking back to my childhood, I don’t remember a time where I did not have a book in tow. Whether it was a quick trip to the grocery store or family vacations to Savannah, my eyes were glued to the pages of a book, absorbing as much as I could possibly handle. There were more than a few times when I was told by my mother that I should pay more attention to the people in the real world than the people in the fantasy world painted by each book I read.

Star pupil, 82 years old, reading her lesson in adult class, Gee's Bend, Alabama, May 1939. Wolcott, Marion Post -- Photographer. May 1939

So much of my reading was a cover-up for my shyness and insecurities. I was teased as a kid, like most, being called fat, ugly, nerdy. My escape from the heartache I suffered was always reading, which was often paired with writing. Through my own personal growth I have found more avenues for expression, though my love of books has not wavered. Becoming a bookseller was a career path I anticipated being able to do in retirement, which often is the case for most bookstore owners, but the right opportunities aligned at the right time to make it happen now.  

The first time I held the Kindle in my hands, I knew that the game had changed. One of the most exciting parts of reading, besides getting new information, was being able to go to the library or the bookstore, browse through the titles, pick up a book, flip through the pages, feel the covers, even show off what you were reading to others. There was satisfaction after finishing a book, turning that last page. With the ebook devices, may of those things have been eliminated. You often don’t have to move anything other than your finger to buy and read a book. It can be carried with you everywhere you go, saving space, and being able to read in peace, no one asking you about your opinion on the book you are reading. You can carry an entire catalog of books with you, choosing a book to fit your mood or surroundings. 

Photo courtesy of Albert Boti. 

While I am extremely impressed with these devices, they are something I wished for as a kid, my love of physical books conflicts with my desire to still have books with me wherever I go. If  you were to take a peek into my car right now, you would find a few books on the front seat and plenty on the back. Some of them I have read, some I am anticipating reading, other I am using as teaching tools. I know that having them on one device would give me the appearance of being far more organized and functional than I actually am at the moment.

I currently use the Kindle, Nook, and Google Books on my android phone, but I still visit my local bookstore when I want to see what is available and often still purchase the physical book. I use these programs to revisit the classics or to check out the samples offered before making a purchase. As a writer, I know that more people will be able to read my work through this new method, but will I still have the same satisfaction that I would have if my work was published and bound like a traditional book?

Do you think physical books will become obsolete? Have you used this new technology, and if so, what do you think about it?