In the hammock I lay, lost touch of time, flipping through the pages of the current world I’m in as the cool breeze gently passes as I sway. One blink and its noontime. I didn’t even notice till my mother had to shout to call my name for lunchtime. This vivid memory is from decades ago. Years have passed yet I can still so easily slip into the book I am reading heedless of time. That said, I prefer paper books to ebooks.
Reading for me transcends space. Like I am in a whole new setting every time. I am that reader who takes multiple pauses in between pages to ponder. If it is fiction, I try to imagine as if I am in the book. For non-fiction, I tend to relate it to my current circumstance and knowledge. Every time I read, I grow, be it my imagination or my mindset.
Diving into minimalism years on, I considered feeding my curiosity with electronic books. Yet, I failed. Physical books just hits different. The scent of paper, the feels, the moment. I have this habit of closely examining the book that I was to read from front cover to back. Reading every fine line, slowly touching its binding, and getting a whiff of it while I excitedly flip the pages. This surely I can’t do with ebooks. Undeniably, another beauty are secondhand books. How it resonates a different feeling. It resembles art itself with a rich history behind. Even just looking at it from my room’s corner gives me a warm feeling of coziness. *suggested read: Life Reset
YOU ABSORB MORE OF WHAT YOU READ
Using too much tech is a distraction by itself. It’ll take much energy to ignore clickable links waving at you. I believe most people read out of curiosity. If that curiosity is fed constantly and randomly you’d be lost in the thread.
EASIER ON THE EYES
Harsh lighting from the electronics as you read is not for long term use at all. Of course, you may adjust settings and you can take breaks but when you do everything with tech (phone calls, social media, work), I think I’d do away with it when I finally get to rest and read.
THE NOSTALGIA
Reading is an experience by itself and actually feeling how deep you are in the book as you flip the pages gives you a different emotion than just looking at the screen knowing that you are at page 200 of 289. The texture, the weight, and the physical interaction with the book as you flip the pages. It’s like flipping the time-turner.
THE EXPERIENCE SHARED
Books are best read and shared. I rarely hold onto them after reading and I’d pass it on to someone who’s interested. It fuels meaningful conversations and it amazes me every time people have varied thoughts after reading the same book. Besides, receiving an actual book is tangible and for me feels more real than just receiving a pdf file.
People who read may be split into ebook readers and physical book readers. Or maybe they do both. I’d encourage you to at least try reading with physical books though for that raw experience that I was trying to convey.
Lastly, I have no specific book genre. As long as the topic resonates with me the moment I pick it up, I’d give it a read. More often than not, I usually take a peek at a random page and read a sentence or two to get a glimpse of the author’s way of writing for me to decide. It doesn’t even matter when it was published. Though I do check before I peruse to set the perspective.
What about you? Are you into physical books or does electronic books work better for you? Any book recommendations? If you’re curious, I am currently reading “Barking Up The Wrong Tree” by Eric Barker. *suggested read: Practicing Oubaitori in our Life
