8

By Joanna

I have long maintained that for most readers, e-books and print books don’t have to exist an ‘either/or’ scenario. There are times I like to have a paper copy: reading with children, for example, or giving a gift, or with a cookbook or other reference work where seeing the whole page at a time is critical. But there are times when having an e-book reader is a definite advantage, and I wish more authors and publishers could open up to this and make things easier for those of us who have seen the e-light! Here are ten situations where having an e-book reader was a godsend, and a real advantage over being chained to print. Can you think of any more such scenarios?

On the plane: Facing a fifteen-hour plane ride from Auckland to Los Angeles, where the only in-flight entertainment options were a Hilary Duff movie and a Spanish film about soccer, I was grateful for my Sony Clie and the e-books contained therein! I had not yet discovered Fictionwise, so it was all Project Gutenberg freebies, but even so, it did open up my options considerably during a time like this!

When options are limited: I spent most of 2005 in a foreign country where my home was a small city which only boasted one bookstore to its credit. That bookstore was smaller than my bathroom and filled mostly with stationary products, Harry Potter novels and two prolific authors of local interest, one of whom wrote a series of picture books about a spotted dog. Gutenberg to the rescue!

On the subway: E-books have one major advantage over paper books, and that’s the ability to read them one-handed. I have so enjoyed reading on the subway! Both my eBookwise and iPod Touch can easily be held and operated with one hand, and it’s nice being able to open up a new book without needing to open up my big bag amidst a crowded sea of fellow commuters.

When traveling: I didn’t want to pack a bulky (and expensive!) laptop when I went to California for my sister’s wedding. But I didn’t want to cart around several paper books either, and I knew I would need stuff for both plane rides, plus perhaps bedtime reading over the course of five nights. eBookwise to the rescue! I did pack the charger in my carry-on, but didn’t wind up needing it. The eBookwise stayed charged the whole time, and I had plenty to read when I wanted it. Were I doing this again with my new iPod Touch, I would even be able to buy new books on the go as long as there was wi-fi!

In bad weather: This is my favourite ‘e-books to the rescue’ scenario, and being Canadian, it’s one I see a lot. It’s Sunday, it’s freezing, it’s snowing and it’s just plain disgusting outside. And there you are with nothing to read. E-books make it easy to entertain yourself on a day like this. With an iPod Touch and wireless internet, you can get your shiny new book without even leaving your bed!

When minding the kids: I babysit for a family that doesn’t like to leave their little one to cry. My instructions have been to read him his bedtime story, sing to him a little, then stay with him as he drifts off, until he is fully sleeping. This means up to half an hour of down-time—in the dark—when I am no longer actively engaging with him, but he’s not asleep enough for me to leave. Both my preferred e-book reading devices are backlit, and can be read in the dark. How nice for me to have something to do while I’m sitting with him! I can enjoy my book without needing to turn on the light and disturb him.

When on the move: I have had to move four times in the last four years: out of my apartment when I went overseas, to my mother’s place when I came back, out of my mother’s place when I started working again, and into my current domicile after my landlady sold the other one. Having to pack up and then unpack all those books really puts one’s buying habits into perspective! My typical MO was to buy whatever I wanted at the used bookstore, then sell it back because who wants to store (or move!) all those big, heavy books? Now that I am more comfortable buying and using e-books, I don’t have to worry about it. I can buy the books as I did before, and then just keep them because e-books don’t need shelf space or packing boxes or anything like that. If you are not yet in the stage of life where your home is permanent, e-books can be a real boon.

When enjoying a series: I recently re-read a mystery series I enjoy, and was dismayed to find, partway through, that some of the books were missing. Either I had lost them in a move, or I had purged them before one. Either way, I had finished book 5 and the next one on my shelf was book 7. It was too late at night to hit the stores, but not so late that I was ready to stop reading. E-books to the rescue! Thankfully for me, the internet does not have hours of operation, and I was able to go on-line and find the missing book.

When form factor is an issue: I recently learned of a book I might enjoy, but I was turned off by its massive size. I have no problems, from a literary enjoyment standpoint, with long, rolling sagas when they are done right. But I do have a problem with manipulating a 900-page behemoth and squinting at the tiny printing as they try to jam it all in. But on my iPod, all e-books look the same. I can read them in the same lightweight little device as smaller books, and with the same comfortable font and adjustable screen contrast. Much better than lugging around a tottering paperback which weighs more than my laptop computer!

When economizing: E-books can make reading such an affordable hobby. There are on-line freebies galore, and plenty of ways to save on buying too. My favourite on-line bookstore has a frequent buyer’s discount club and routinely offers rebates which can be applied to future purchases. List prices are often lower than a book’s print counterpart. Plus, you don’t have to pay for customs fees and shipping charges. These savings can really add up!

 
8