A tale of two book formats

While browsing, I came across this:

We support the printed word in all its forms: newspapers, magazines, and of course books. We think reading on computers or phones or whatever is fine, but it cannot replace the experience of reading words printed on paper. We pledge to continue reading the printed word in the digital era  and beyond.

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Now, let me tell you my tale of two book formats.

Way back 2009, I was thinking of buying an ebook reader. It seemed like a heaven to be bringing an entire library in just one device. Plus, ebooks are way cheaper than real books (about 10 Php or $0.24 per copy uh-huh that's right, it's a c-o-p-y). I can even get them for free!

But since I can't afford to buy a kindle or a nook yet, I settled for a cheap china tablet with a 7" screen. I started downloading free ebooks, then bought some if I really can't find one that's free. My collection grew before I even know it.

Read, finish, then look for another one, repeat. That's how it goes. As I scour for new ebooks to read  it seemed like the previous reads do not exist anymore. It was there that I realized that awesome books (*cough* epic fantasies *cough*) deserve to be more than just an ebook.

It deserves a place in my bookshelf.

With every great ebook I read, my hand would itch to get a copy. I want something I can see and touch. Yes, I've seen the light. I know how cheap, practical, and convenient ebooks are. However, I always end up buying the real thing. Looking for a new ebook online at a click of the mouse doesn't cut the joy of spending hours on bookshops combing every shelf until I find a good book, or something that I've long been looking for.

ebook or real book? here's my e-reader with one of my favorite books

Don't get me wrong, I don't reject the idea of ebooks. I loved it. And I did not totally ditch my e-reader. I'm very thankful actually, for it saved my ass from buying a copy of those Twilight and Fifty Sh*ts of Gray kind of novels.

Nonetheless, real books for me are more personal.  The sound of the flipping pages, the feel of paper against my fingers, and the smell of the book that gives me the high is something I can never experience with an ebook. Plus, I dream of having my own mini-library. So what's the score?

BOOKS ARE FOREVER. Period.

P.S. By the way, I am living in a third world country where nobody cares when you  read a book while you commute. But bringing an ereader/tablet, is a different thing, a lot of eyes will be on you. And if you don't want to risk losing your hard-earned tablet, you don't want to bring it anywhere with you. Just saying.