I’ve made the full transition to ebooks maybe 10 years ago and have barely bought physical books ever since. I’m a prolific reader, I read maybe at least 1 book a week, and I guess one of the advantages of ebooks is that I can quickly jump to the next book once I’ve finished the one I’m reading.

Recently my wife and I were at Pavillion Bukit Jalil and were thinking of checking out that famous bookshop there, and I realised I no longer have the excitement to visit a bookstore. I recall I’d visit Borders so often back when I younger and we always on the lookout for my next book, or for newly released books by my favourite authors, and was so excited when the next book I. The series’s was available. Nowadays, though, most of them are already in my preorder list on Google Play Books, so the thrill of the hunt is no longer there.

A few months ago I dug out some of my old physical books to read downstairs so that my toddler can see me reading an actual book instead of staring at my iPad or phone (reading, but it looks like I’m just staring at a screen) because I want to encourage her to get into reading too. I’ve found, though, somehow it was a lot harder to continue. I’d keep wanting to switch to the ebook version so that I can read in bed when the lights are dimmer.

How about you guys? What are your thoughts or experiences about the switch to ebooks? Do you still read physical books? Do you miss it?

  • Penang Kia
    link
    31 year ago

    I used to sit in a bookstore and just watch the vibe around me. And discovering new books was a fun hobby. I do miss bookstores - so many of them have closed and the nicest one is Kinokuniya which is like so far away. I also miss being in libraries - when I lived in Oz that was what I did to just relax. Go to libraries and browse. Man our libraries here are so useless and far away. But my library is now Scribd - listen to audio books from it, and I read most of my nonfic ik book format and buy second hand books or borrow them from shops. My favourite one is this one cos I love my pulpy romance novels, and she sells second hand books of various genres too. (She has a physical store) https://www.leabooks.com.my/