There seems to be a surprisingly strong divide among readers when it comes to Kindle vs. physical books. Some people love the convenience of an e-reader and never want to go back. Others want absolutely nothing to do with reading on a screen. They want to hold the book, turn the pages, and see it sitting on their bookshelf when they’re finished.
I’m somewhere happily in the middle.
I love my Kindle. I also love physical books. And if you asked me to choose only one for the rest of my life, I’d have a really hard time doing it.
Why I Love My Kindle
The biggest advantage of my Kindle is pretty obvious: convenience. I use a Kindle Paperwhite, and it’s easily become one of my favorite ways to read.
I read a lot, and having an entire collection of books available on one little device is incredibly convenient. I don’t have to find room for another book, remember to bring one with me, or wait until I can get to a bookstore when I’m ready for something new.
And there are few things more dangerous for someone who loves to read than finishing a really good book and realizing the next one in the series can be on your Kindle approximately 30 seconds later.
Kindle also makes it ridiculously easy for me to try something new. If I hear about a book that sounds good, I can look it up immediately. I especially love finding books through Kindle Unlimited because I can take a chance on authors or books I might not have purchased otherwise.
It’s also hard to beat a Kindle for reading in bed. I don’t need a lamp on, I can adjust the font size, and I don’t have to wrestle with a giant book while trying to get comfortable.
But I Still Love Physical Books
For all the convenience of my Kindle, there’s still something different about an actual book.
I love walking through bookstores. I love looking at covers, picking books up, reading the back, and finding something I wasn’t specifically looking for. Browsing through a Kindle library just isn’t quite the same experience.
There are also certain books I simply want to own.
Sometimes it’s a favorite author. Sometimes it’s a book I absolutely loved and want to keep. Sometimes the cover is beautiful. And sometimes I just want the physical book sitting on my shelf.
There’s something satisfying about seeing books you’ve read lined up together. A digital library might contain just as many books, but it doesn’t have quite the same feeling.
So Which One Do I Read More?
Probably my Kindle.
Not because I think it’s better, but because it fits the way I read. I can take it anywhere, start a new book instantly, and have plenty of choices without carrying multiple books around.
But that hasn’t made me stop buying physical books.
If anything, I’ve realized that I use them differently. My Kindle is my everyday reading tool. Physical books are often the ones I specifically want to own, keep, display, or experience as an actual book.
And then there are times when I simply feel like reading a real book instead of picking up a screen.
Kindle vs. Physical Books Doesn’t Need a Winner
I think that’s where I land in the whole Kindle vs. physical books debate.
There doesn’t have to be a winner.
If you love the smell of a new book, the feeling of turning pages, and seeing everything you’ve read lined up on a bookshelf, keep buying physical books. If you love carrying hundreds of books around on one lightweight device and downloading your next read without leaving the couch, Kindle is pretty fantastic.
And if you’re like me, you can happily do both.
My Kindle makes it easier for me to read more, which is probably the best argument I can make for it. But physical books give me something an e-reader can’t completely replace.
And considering how many book reviews I’ve been adding around here lately, I’m definitely putting it to good use.
So I’m keeping both.
Even if my bookshelves might eventually disagree with that decision.