Youngjun

Mr. O’Connell

Writing E03

December 6, 2019

Pros and Cons of E-Books and Printed Books

Every year, hundreds of thousands of books are printed. Are these books worth

printing in these large numbers? Also, even if everyone wanted to change to digital e-readers,

should they? To draw a valid conclusion, factors from both sides need to be looked at. Paper

books are a healthier version of kindle books but are much more expensive. E-books take no

space but always need to be upgraded. Both printed books and e-books have their strengths

and weaknesses but, overall, they both provide a great way to access books.

Between the paper book and the kindle book, the paper book was invented first. Paper

books provided all the essential to even minor information. However, nowadays, technology

is becoming a superior option. Even though this may be true in most cases, paper books still

have some assets that e-books cannot provide. One advantage is that printed books do not

damage one’s eyes while reading, while e-books emit blue light that is harmful. However,

since paper books are written on paper, there is no harm in reading them for long amounts of

time. Another advantage that is obvious but not as frequently talked about is that paper books

are printed. Everyone knows the joy of holding a newly printed book and turning through the

new crisp pages while taking a whiff. The fresh smell of a new book usually creates such joy.

Another crucial reason that printed books are advantageous is that, according to Huff Post, a

study was conducted by USA Today in 2013 which found out that people who read printed

books grasp the knowledge much better than people who read the e-book. It was also found

that the printed book helped the readers retain the information on a higher scale than the e-

book. These are the reasons that printed books are superior to e-books.
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Even though owning and buying paper books instead of e-readers create advantages,

there are few drawbacks. For one, paper books take up considerable space. If one is not living

in a decently sized house or apartment, storing paper books may potentially become a

struggle. Another reason that buying paper books may be a drawback is that purchasing paper

books excessively expensive. It may seem like this may not be the case, but paper books can

range from below five dollars to over 60 dollars for each book. This may not seem incredibly

costly at first glance but money piles up rapidly. Students are required to buy books for their

classes in most schools, which can add up to a few hundred dollars. An important reason that

printed books may also be a drawback is that paper books in some countries are hard to find

in one’s language. For example, someone living in Kazakhstan would have a taxing time

finding a book in Korean. Printed books show many limitations as advantages.

Just like printed books, e-books also provide countless benefits. One of these benefits

is that e-books are light and simple to store. If one buys an e-books, he or she can have

hundreds of books on it and it will barely take up any space. One can easily take their kindle

on a flight to read. Another benefit is that e-books often give suggestions or

recommendations for books to read based on the reader's interests. This can help find new

and intriguing books to read when one does not have any. E-books are also useful because

finding books in one’s language, or any books that one would want to read, is simple. All that

needs to be done is to search the title of a book and purchase or download it.

Conversely, e-books present weaknesses as well as strengths. One weakness is that e-

books harm one’s eyes. This is important since one cannot read the book for a long time

without damaging their eyes. Therefore, one would need to take breaks in between each

reading. This can be uncomfortable for people who like to lie on their beds and read books

for hours on end. Another weakness is that, like all electronics, kindles must be repaired or

upgraded once every few years. This costs a substantial amount of money, which might be a
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concern for buyers. E-books also create a distraction for the readers. The internet is at the

fingertips of the reader and it may be difficult for readers to remain focused on the books for

long amounts of time. This may cause the readers to not retain the information that they read

and not comprehend the information given as well as they should have. These reasons show

the disadvantages of e-books.

Ultimately, printed books and e-books each have their benefits and weaknesses.

Printed books are a safer alternative while also helping one retain all the knowledge that they

read. E-books are much more efficient and make it simpler to buy and find books that readers

may enjoy. It can be concluded that both e-books and printed books provide certain

advantages and disadvantages, but they are both great ways to read and enjoy a book.
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Work Cited

Crum, Maddie. “Sorry, Ebooks. These 9 Studies Show Why Print Is Better.” HuffPost,

HuffPost, 27 Feb. 2015, shorturl.at/wATW6. Accessed on December 2, 2019.