Print print always and every day PRINT. How will my books know I love and treasure them if I can't hold them? Caress their pages, run my hands over the reliefs in the cover, carefully preserve the health of their spine over years and rereads? How can I show them how proud of them I am, if I can't point to them in physical space or hand them to a friend or mail them across the sea? PRINT FOREVER.
For me, it’s print. Firstly, I am one of those people who loves the feel and texture of books, rather like Rupert Giles in the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where he waxes lyrical about his love for the physical books. Books should have texture.
But on a more practical note, I can’t get the hang of audiobooks. I can’t just sit still and listen to an audiobook, but if I try to occupy myself with knitting or crochet, I either lose track of the book or the craft project. I’ve tried listening while cooking or doing the washing up, but there’s the distraction problem again, or the kitchen is too noisy for me to hear the book properly. Given the distraction issues, I don’t want to risk driving and listening at the same time.
Another issue is that I have never got the hang of listening to something on my phone while out and about - I was always getting the headphone wires tangled up, and I’m reluctant to buy earbuds as I’m sure I’d lose them easily. Massive headphones are also not comfortable for me. So while in theory I could listen to audiobooks (or music, or podcasts) while walking or on public transport, it doesn’t really work for me. Plus I’m usually with my ten-year-old, and don’t want to ignore her.
All in all, the more old-fashioned method of a physical book is better for me.
Print print always and every day PRINT. How will my books know I love and treasure them if I can't hold them? Caress their pages, run my hands over the reliefs in the cover, carefully preserve the health of their spine over years and rereads? How can I show them how proud of them I am, if I can't point to them in physical space or hand them to a friend or mail them across the sea? PRINT FOREVER.
For me, it’s print. Firstly, I am one of those people who loves the feel and texture of books, rather like Rupert Giles in the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where he waxes lyrical about his love for the physical books. Books should have texture.
But on a more practical note, I can’t get the hang of audiobooks. I can’t just sit still and listen to an audiobook, but if I try to occupy myself with knitting or crochet, I either lose track of the book or the craft project. I’ve tried listening while cooking or doing the washing up, but there’s the distraction problem again, or the kitchen is too noisy for me to hear the book properly. Given the distraction issues, I don’t want to risk driving and listening at the same time.
Another issue is that I have never got the hang of listening to something on my phone while out and about - I was always getting the headphone wires tangled up, and I’m reluctant to buy earbuds as I’m sure I’d lose them easily. Massive headphones are also not comfortable for me. So while in theory I could listen to audiobooks (or music, or podcasts) while walking or on public transport, it doesn’t really work for me. Plus I’m usually with my ten-year-old, and don’t want to ignore her.
All in all, the more old-fashioned method of a physical book is better for me.