When I read, I use all forms of reading mediums, including e-books, audiobooks, physical books, & a Kindle. I feel like all of them have pros & cons, & depending on the situation, some might be better than others. Below, I list some of the pros & cons that I’ve seen & what situations I use each medium.
E-books
If I’m being completely honest, this is my least favorite reading medium. I really only use this as a last resort or when I’m reading a short story online.
Pros:
- Extremely portable.
- Small size for easy handling.
- Inconspicuous (for those who get a little embarrassed about reading their book in public/have a book cover they would rather not have shown).
- Easy access to library resources through your library app, Hoopla, Libby, etc.
Cons:
- Small text is kind of annoying.
- If your phone reloads, there is a high chance you could lose your place depending on what platform you read on.
- Drains your phone battery (you better have a charger with you).
- If you like to be emotionally attached to books you own, this probably is not for you since you often do not own the book & are unable to physically feel it.
Audiobooks
This can be considered one of my personal favorites. I would consider this one of my most commonly used mediums as I use it while doing chores, exercising, working on hobbies, etc.
Pros:
- You can read while doing other things where your eyes and hands are occupied.
- Can speed up or slow down listening speed (I speed it up which means I can finish books quickly while still enjoying them).
- Many audiobooks tell you how long it will take to read a chapter/the whole book which helps you to better estimate whether you have enough time to read it.
- On a sentimental level, having someone read to you may bring back happy memories of your childhood.
Cons:
- If you don’t pay attention (or fall asleep), it may be hard to find the beginning of what you missed.
- There are debates over whether listening to an audiobook actually counts as reading (I think it does).
- Not all books have audiobook equivalents, so there is a chance that you might not be able to find one for the book you want.
- They can be kind of boring if you don’t have anything to do while listening to them.
Kindle/E-readers
I will be honest with you, I was on the fence about using a Kindle for a long time. I’ve owned one since 4th grade & often used it when I was little, but eventually, I fell out of that habit while favoring physical books. Recently I have gotten back into it after getting a new Kindle & I actually like it quite a bit. I often use my Kindle as my “public book”. It’s the book I take to read before class or when traveling.
Pros:
- It is a lightweight collection of books that is easy to travel & carry around.
- Like audiobooks, it gives you a sort of confidentiality in what you are reading when you are in public.
- Unlike e-books, the font is often a decent size matching the normal book font size.
- There is often some sort of progress report at the bottom (how much time is left in a chapter based on your average reading speed, what percentage of the book you have completed, page number, etc.).
Cons:
- You are still exposed to blue light like when you use a normal device.
- While it can often look like reading a physical book, it does not feel like reading a physical book.
- Limited access to books (with Kindle, you can only access books on Amazon or the occasional book from a reading app like Libby).
- You can only access books that have already been downloaded when you’re not on Wifi.
Physical Books
We’re going back to the classic medium, a physical book. I love physical books, often collecting them. My physical TBR seems to grow faster than I can read them. I mostly read them at home or on planned reading outings (such as heading to the diag to just read).
Pros:
- The feel & smell of books are pretty addicting (at least to me).
- You can easily see your progress & check the number of pages left in a chapter.
- You spend time away from electronics which can help lower dependency & blue light exposure.
- People may try to talk to you about what you are reading if they are curious or have read it before (conversation starter, possibly new friends). *
Cons:
- They are heavy, you can only bring so many with you at any given time (limits the amount you can travel with).
- Easily damaged (such as tearing the dust jacket/pages, spilling water or coffee on them, or dropping it & denting the corners).
- People know what you are reading (unless you have a cover sleeve, this might be a little embarrassing for romance readers with less discrete cover pictures/titles).
- People may try to talk to you about what you are reading if they are curious or have read it before (people interrupting your reading sesh). *
*This can be considered a pro or con depending on your personality & the situation