Kindles will never replace the magic of a physical book

Thought about buying a kindle for reading, there's no need

Going back last year when I was still a student I managed to get enough money together to buy an Amazon Kindle Fire. My intention was to actually re-buy a Nintendo 3DS, which looking back now I wish I had bought instead, anyway I wanted to get something which would keep me entertained between my travels from Middlesbrough to London, and vice versa. Instead of getting a 3DS I ended up getting a Kindle, I love reading and try to do so as much as I possibly can, and I can pretty much read anything from early 18th century literature to Dan Brown or Stephen King. I also purchased one because of the library of old literature which I could download for free on Amazon.

Well about two months ago my Kindle was stolen when the house I live in was burgled, although by that stage I had not used it in months I would still rather have liked to have kept it. But I hope they enjoy my copy of Nick Clegg's biography because I know I wasn't.

The Kindle Fire is a smart device, it's clever and it looks very sexy in your hands, and it's far more convenient way to buy and read books, as well as other multi platform media like films. And for many it provides them with an alternate opportunity to publish their work on. With that said it's is unfortunate that we are inevitably heading in the direction where eventually digital downloads will overtake the sales of physical books. But I'll give a list of reasons why I think reading a real book is far more rewarding than reading from a kindle.

1) Physical books are easier to read from
Contrary to popular belief Kindles aren't more comfortable in your hands compared with a physical book, but neither are they really less so either. However, swiping your finger to turn each page does get annoying.

2) You can't pass it on
The great thing about owning physical copies of books is that you can give them to other people once you've read them, you can hand them over to charity shops, you can sell it on to others.

3) They can be used to decorate your surroundings
Books can be used to decorate your life, they provide a personal touch in your living space, whether that's on your work desk, shelf space, or even coffee table. Having a library of books gives someone a sense of fulfilment, and to have these visibly around you provides warmth.

4) The smell of paper
There is something special about the smell of new paper, and the feel of it on the tips of your fingers as you flick through a book

5) It's more active and more rewarding to buy books
One of the joys of going out and buying a book is that it means you're actually making contact with other people, you're going out of your way to make the effort to buy something. It's also nice to make contact with people, for example about a year ago I went into Waterstones in search of buying a new book but I had no idea of what I wanted to read. So with the help of a member of staff I left with Lionel Shriver's brilliant 'We need to talk about Kevin'. I highly recommend it.

6) It's more expensive and restrictive
You can get books which are over a hundred years old for free on a Kindle because of copyright reasons, which is very good. But there is no need to when you can get these books for cheap prices on Amazon already, or even in charity shops if you dig around. Because a Kindle is a digital device you'll be paying top price for almost all contemporary books, by not buying a Kindle you will just save yourself a lot of money in the long run.

7) It's not just the words that are a work of art
You should never judge a book by its cover, but it certainly helps when the front cover is eye catching. A part of discovering new books is looking at the diversity of the artwork that covers it. Think of the iconic insignias of 'The Hunger Games' novels or even the holy cross on the Bible.   

8) You don't legitimately own what you buy
Like most digital media, even if you buy it and download it, you don't technically own it, you're really just borrowing it. Because of Digital rights management you can't hand it over to other people (unless you actually give them the kindle physically, which if it was the case, would just prove my point entirely). And like most pieces of technology a Kindle will eventually burn out, taking your library of products with it.

9) Kindles are distractive
In an age where pretty much everything is seen through a digital screen, books provide your mind and eyes with a bit of solitude away from it all. There's nothing much nicer than having a cuppa tea, sitting back and reading a book in a comfortable environment. It's a good way to break away from a screen. I've also always found that I take a lot more information in when I read something that I can physically hold, my mind is much sharper and my imagination far more focussed.