Kindle or physical book?

I have always loved reading ever since I was a very
small child...I think the eBooks are a wonderful invention. They are great for people with poor eyesight as you can enlarge the text to suit your personal vision. I now have cataracts forming and cannot read a book anymore, but thankfully can still read my Kindle....I also find when travelling that an eBook has more benefits, its easy to hold easy to pack in your handbag. Best of all if the book you start reading becomes a bore there are dozens of other books on the eBook to keep choosing Fromm without trying to cram two or three other books into your luggage. And best of all thousands of free books to download.

There is nothing quite like a real book & a book case full of favourites, but kindle is great for travelling, hols etc

I will read anything, anywhere on or in anything

Never thought I would say this but I prefer my Kindle/iPad every time. I can increase the font size if my eyes are tired and never have to find my place. The only area where "physical" books have the edge is for footnotes and PICTURES - I read a lot of biographies, mostly historical and enjoy the photographs.

I have never warmed to reading books on a screen, printed page every time for me.

I prefer paper books, mostly because I love browsing in bookshops. I love the feel of books and turning the pages! I also like being able to pass on books that I have enjoyed to others.
I have some books signed by the authors, not possible with e books. I take a large handbag on flights, usually stuffed with books, which once read are left in the hotel for others to enjoy. I liked leaving The Ice House in a hotel where the temp. was 35 degrees!
DH is committed to his kindle ( which I bought him) because he sees reading as information.

Books, books, books all the way. I love the feel of a book and am quite excited when a new one arrives in the post ( sad I know ) don't like magazines on e- readers either. I can see the the value of kindles etc when travelling and they are good for getting the news. I help run a voluntary library and we have seen a real decrease in borrowing of books over the last few years. I know we have to move on with technology but feel sad that books are falling out of favour.

I have my second Kindle (Paperwhite) now, and it is the best thing ever. As an English graduate, and teacher, books are my life's blood, but it really doesn't matter what format.

I read very quickly, and used to have to carry my body weight in books on our frequent long haul flights, then buy more wherever we ended up. If we could get books, that is! Kindle has changed all that.

If I were studying, I can see that a physical book, to annotate and research, might be better. But that's all. And behind me now is a shelf full of every dictionary / language reference book I ever had. All untouched for ages thanks to the apps on my iPhone and iPad. Glorious!

I could just about have written Ariadne's post - apart from the long haul flights. I also have a Paperwhite. I like the facility for changing fonts and the background shade. Nowadays I find print books quite cumbersome. Our new book group book is a case in point - very long and very heavy! I also have a Kindle Fire which backs up the Paperwhite - when one is charging I read the other.

You cant beat the feel and smell of a real book. I also just adore the anticipation of opening the front cover and letting the journey begin.

I never wanted a Kindle until my son bought me one, a few years ago. I love it now, but also have a big bookcase full of my favourite books.

My eyesight is not great, I wear varifocals. I love to read when laying down in bed, so with ordinary books I sometimes find the font too small. With my Kindle I just increase the size. Also I have the old Kindle (not touch screen) with light above, easy to hold in bed and turn pages with either hand. I struggle holding a big book in bed.

The kindle is great when on hols, no more lugging 6 books with me! Also when waiting in queue at airport etc, just easy access to my kindle, no stress.

I subscribe to ereader iq, so get notified when one of my favourite authors is reduced, to snap up a bargain.

Annoying not to be able to lend books to others when I've "bought" them. Also, you can get some bargain books in charity shops. I still love proper books for reference and cooking etc.There is room for both in my life.

Perhaps I am being unjust to kindles, I have only tried the Kindle App on Mrs P's ipad

I use my kindle when out of the house, I've always got plenty of books at home but dont't want to carry them around

Since starting this thread (didn't realise I had been here so long), I have been trying to reduce my books as we will have to downsize sometime. However, selling them has proved slow and more keep appearing - can't work out how . I do have sessions of giving some away - charity shop and friends - but not making a noticeable difference. At least my kindle doesn't get heavier!

When we moved, four years ago (!) I contacted the local library and took two boxes full of everyday paperbacks to them. My academic books went to the local university shop.
But I can't get rid of all the good stuff....

I recently donated a boxful of hardback books to our local library - mostly biographies and histories - and they were grateful for them, as was I to offload them as they were clogging up my bookcases. We went out this morning and I found two books on a second hand stall that I've been searching for for ages, plus one by an author that DH likes, all for three pounds fifty. What's not to like? I'm as pleased as punch!

Depends where I am. Kindle every time for travel. But a book for long dark evenings at home is lovely.

As most readers a real book can't be beaten but for the practicalities of travel or bedtime reading, without having to wake up to turn out the light an ebook is the one. Even better when it's loaded with free books, saves the trip to the library!

As many others, I enjoy both 'real' books and Kindle reads, according to circumstances and relative costs. Real book readers might like this offer from the Book People - all 5 of Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet books for a total of £6 plus a relatively small amount of postage. They arrived very quickly, albeit in a really HUGE box, and were much cheaper than the Kindle versions. Been prompted to (re)read these after listening to EJ Howard's biography which was on Book of the Week recently.

Definitely both. Kindle is great if you only have one hand free or to read a VERY LARGE BOOK like The Goldfinch. Basically I'll read anything in any format available! Reading Poldark on the kindle while 2nd series is on. It was free, or very cheap anyway and convenient as there are several books in the whole series.

Can you re-cycle ebooks ? I get the vast majority of my books from charity shops and return them after I have read them, some books may have been read dozens of times.

WB I think you can link several accounts to your kindle which means family can read your downloads, not sure about other systems. This is one of the reasons I will not pay full price for an ebook.

Kindles are the best thing ever. I am such a bookworm and have a couple of thousand hard copies which were collected over the years or inherited. I can't get rid of a book but when we moved to France I just had to have a big 'weed' - very hard! Then getting hold of books was a chore - thank goodness for the local book group and friends coming to stay and leaving a pile. Then Kindle arrived, so I had an endless supply at the touch of a button. My first one let's me read outside and is lighter than my new Kindle Fire, it sits in my hand bag as I have a low boredom threshold so any time I have to wait more than two minutes out it comes. I also use this when floating round the pool in my water hammock with a (plastic) glass of wine on a hot day - living the dream. My new one gets even better,as I can get on to WiFi and not having a mobile signal I phones are useless here. So wake up read Gransnet,the Guardian and emails. It's wonderful for travelling too. Best thing is that it is back lit so no need for bed side light, I always fall asleep reading so it turns itself off, and now with the blue shade it helps falling asleep. If I wake up I can turn it back on and I am back to sleep within two paragraphs instead of tossing at turning for ages. - revolution!

Now couldn't live without one. I do however by hardcopy cookery, art, children's, and gardening books. Still need lots more bookcases, still lots of book boxes not yet unpacked from the move 11 years ago!

I had a mini iPad for my birthday and really appreciate the lighter weight. I am like you and can't sit and do nothing. So it is always with me.

I get the impression that people who read a lot have a Kindle, and others love books for what they are, but now to me they are an encumberance and I have books and have new books, but if I know they will never be read again I throw them out.

Mountains of books are being shunted around from one Fleamarket to another. People are afraid to throw a book away as if it were the only copy of that author's work. Now that everything is digitally stored, we can throw books away just like we throw newspapers away.
Since having my first Kindle I have read much more. I have one next to my favourite armchair and one full of dictionaries and non fiction.