There are some mixed messages about the decline or otherwise of the sale of e-books, with some publishers claiming that physical books are making a come-back. In January the Guardian reported on this, claiming a steady decline of printed books since 2009. On the other hand The Publishers Weekly noted a slight decline in e-books over the last quarter of 2014.
I like my Kindle and I like being able read whatever I fancy while I’m on holiday, rather than having to think about the weight of my suitcase or being lumbered with a heavy bag full of books when I go somewhere by train. However, I love my bookcase full of books and I suspect that reading from a screen before going to sleep is not actually conducive to falling asleep. I’ve done some tests recently as I’ve gone through a spell of sleeping badly and I’ve realised that when I read a physical book my eyes begin to glaze over after a while and all I need to do is turn over and fall asleep, whereas I tend to remain alert and wide awake when I hold up the (lit) screen in front of me… Proof? I don’t know. I just think that I’ll be reading more physical books again, also because I like the feel and look of them! To begin with I’ve just reread Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, and although I read Bring up the Bodies on my Kindle (because I had a copy) and read that as well that was part of the test. I love both books and wasn’t the BBC series splendid, with Mark Rylance as Cromwell?
As well as filling up further bookshelves, I’ve also started to take out books from the library again. I’ve ordered and just received Kasuo Ishiguro’s last novel, The Buried Giant as Amazon have a rather nice offer, with the hardback only a few pence more than the kindle version. I love Ishiguro’s books and this one has had raving reviews of course. So, once I’ve finished reading the hard copy of Sarah Waters’ The Paying Guest I’ll curl up with Ishiguro’s take on memory and remembering in his tale of an elderly couple in search of a son in an ancient England full of trolls. Cannot wait.
51stories 
I love Ishiguro’s books too, and am looking forward to reading this one when my TBR pile is a little more manageable. I find myself buying lots of ebooks and then not reading them, so it would be interesting to see stats on how many books are unfinished vs bought.
By: Kathryn Barrett on March 3, 2015
at 5:51 pm
Kathryn, yes, I’ve done the same: it’s just so easy to download books thinking you’d like to read them… Having a physical pile of books on my desk and table stops me from buying more, at least for a while 🙂
By: Corri van de Stege on March 3, 2015
at 7:40 pm
Yes it’s the passion of possession. Just look at my fine library , it’s all mine to read or browse or just gloat over. How do you like this set of hardback Dickens all twenty one novels and just look at this fine set of Shakespeare plays how they sit on the oak polished bookcase.
Anyone entering the room might think my how well read not noticing the computer and armchair luxury where screen time beats all other time.
By: kertsen on September 17, 2016
at 11:36 am