E-readers are better than books. There, I said it.

Put your pitchforks away. I’m not suggesting we burn down the libraries and upload the Bible to the Metaverse. I know what you’re thinking, and I agree — books have a soul.

There is genuinely nothing quite like reading from an actual book. The sound of a brand new novel, the smell of an old - nothing ages quite like paper. I prefer buying used books- it’s like owning a piece of someone else’s conscience, someone you never met. Coffee stains, cracked spines, and dog-eared chapters are glimpses into the character of the reader before you.

I admit, there is a bit of romanticism in trying to envisage your predecessor, based off the evidence and your own subconscious desires. Those yellowing pages tell a story independent of what’s printed on the inside. Used books: From a purely practical standpoint, you’re getting twice what you paid for!

So, I’ve tooted the horn of nostalgia long enough, what possessed me to utter blasphemy on a stage where I suffer no consequences for what I say? Apart from my obvious courage, the bulk of my opinion stems from my aforementioned practical outlook. Fear not, you haven’t stumbled into a Kindle ad, although the primary challenge of writing this piece was making it not sound like one.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Space-saving, no wait times, and some smart features. Might not seem like much, but these genuinely are significant considerations for a regular reader. Additionally, you can keep your progress intact on multiple books, annotate and save notes, and look up words without reaching for a dictionary.

A truly amazing asset, then. It does so much more than you ask of it. This juncture is usually where modernity loses to tradition — functionally superior, but almost always not as endearing. Yeah, no. I love my kindle. It might not have the charm of a paperback, but it’s always the first item in my bag when I pack. I McGyvered a little lamp to it to assist in reading in the dark. At no point did I consider just upgrading to one with a back-light. It’s simple really. You go the extra mile for the things you love. Travelling by my side, it still transported me to alternate realities in space and time. In the end, it is the stories that stick with you. Well, this thing can store about ten thousand.

It doesn’t have a soul? The battery always runs out two minutes into a period of renewed love for reading. For a seven ounce hunk of plastic, that is the most characterful thing I can think of. Little rascal.