Electronic Books vs. Traditional Books - Which is Better?

As a former university professor and now full-time author, I have spent my life surrounded by books. They are infinitely more for me than just instruments of knowledge or sources of information. They are friends who have enriched my life more than I could ever measure quantitatively. I can't imagine living without them. My special relationship with books has been borne out this past year. When my first novel appeared in print, there were launches at various bookstores within the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Perhaps the most memorable was the celebration that coincided with my 71st birthday. It was at probably the most beautiful bookstore I have ever been privileged to enter: The McNally Robinson Book Dealers flagship store in Toronto. The management gave me service beyond the call of duty by ordering a sumptuous birthday cake in my honor and providing a reception following the book signing. This two-story enterprise was extremely spacious, yet gave an impression of intimacy. Readers could browse at leisure, settle into a decadently comfortable armchair to examine a given book, and consult one of the well-informed and gracious staff-members if they needed advice or information. The personnel was always available, yet went about their business with utmost discretion. If you needed them, they would come to your rescue at once; otherwise, they would leave you alone. If a potential buyer needed a snack, lunch, dinner or just liquid refreshment, there was a lovely restaurant attached to the store where he/she could revive himself/herself. You can imagine, then, how heartbroken I was when I learned that this store had filed for bankruptcy protection seven months after my launch. Whenever a place like McNally Robinson folds, it is as though a close friend has past away and one feels a sense of irreparable loss. Why did it happen? According to the management, more and more readers are ordering their books on line or downloading them electronically. Even though McNally Robinson did everything right, the competition from these electronic book dealers was just too much. Now I realize that people who are holding down responsible positions simply don't have the time to frequent bookstores; ordering them on line makes more sense. Also, downloading a book within 60 seconds electronically is an ideal solution for very busy people. More importantly, the price is right. Amazon Kindle editions of novels often sell for half the price or less than that of a paperback or hardcover edition. Still, for a genuine book lover, the joy of leafing through one volume after another in the congenial atmosphere of a bookstore is irreplaceable. And although downloading a text on an electronic reading device like Kindle makes sense economically speaking, for me it is not the same thing. A beautifully produced book is a companion, almost a person you can relate to. When you cherish a work of literature, you want to have it in a tangible form so that you can relate to it again and again. I can only hope that a majority of readers agrees with me. I would like to believe that books in the traditional sense will always be around, but I am, unfortunately, more and more convinced that there will be fewer of them in the future.