E-Book Readers, Can they really replace the real thing? Options

[superstitious]

A friend of mine and I were talking this morning about Sony's E-Reader and Amazon's Kindle. I was surprised that he wanted one. His loft style apartment is full of bookshelves, most of them completely full of books. He LOVES books. How could he want a reader?

See, I love reading but for me, it goes beyond the text. I love the smell of books. I like the sound of pages turning. I find the dog-ear folds charming.

I don't know why I'm having such a weird time with this.

Any other paper sentimentalists out there?

[brooklyneast05]

Any other paper sentimentalists out there?

yeah all the way. i love books. i like to own them and i want them to be new when i read them. i don't like the library for that reason. returning and touching f*cking nasty old books. i'm a sentimentalist about all paper stuff though from books to newspapers to magazines. i want tangible stuff to read. i spend so much time looking at a screen the thought of having to look at one to read a book for enjoyment makes me feel sick nearly.

[superstitious]

i spend so much time looking at a screen the thought of having to look at one to read a book for enjoyment makes me feel sick nearly.

I get that same sickly feeling when thinking about giving up paper. To this day, I prefer news on print over reading news online.

In the long haul, staring at a screen for just about everything (computers, cell phones, e-readers, etc) can't be good for your eyes. It also seems so cold. Part of the allure of reading is the physical character of the book itself. At least for me it is.

edit: haha Teesa. I was typing about eyes as you were, I guess. :)

[batman]

In the long haul, staring at a screen for just about everything (computers, cell phones, e-readers, etc) can't be good for your eyes. It also seems so cold. Part of the allure of reading is the physical character of the book itself. At least for me it is.

we got my grandfather a kindle for his birthday and if you look at the screen, it's exactly like looking at paper and not like looking at a "screen" at all. it's pretty amazing, tbh.

anyways, unlike ... everyone else, i have absolutely no sentimental attachment to books. i mean, i like them, don't get me wrong, but if i had a kindle, i'd probably end up using it all the time. as it is, i've been torrenting books i want to read for free and don't mind reading them off my computer at all.

1) books are heavy.
2) books are more expensive.
3) books are bulky.