The E-Book: Revolutionizing the Way We Read

One form of media that has always been near to my heart is the humble book. This art medium has lasted over the centuries, and now it is transforming into an exciting, new form: the e-book. E-book readers have boomed in the past few years, and they are quickly changing how we purchase, read and search for books. In this article by Steven Johnson of the Wall Street Journal, this new technology is explored.

In the article, Johnson mentions several drawbacks, such as the lack of attention required by the new e-books, and the potential for authors to start writing for hits on search engines. While these issues are possible, I believe the e-book has many more pros than cons. Now when you hear of an interesting book, you don't have to wait until you go to a bookstore to buy it. Downloading books from an e-book reader is very easy, and much cheaper than buying a physical book. Also, the advent of e-books brings a wonderful addition: free out-of-copyright books. Classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Robin Hood, and Grimm's Fairy Tales are now free to download and peruse.

I believe that the coming of e-books will mark a rise in readers. People who previously didn't have the time to sit down and read a book cover-to-cover will be able to bring a lightweight e-book with them on the subway. Those who can't afford bound books will have many free and inexpensive works available to them. I also feel that with the ease and affordability that e-books bring, people will be more likely to purchase books that they previously might have not bothered to read because of expense and hassle.

Sure, e-books make it easier to multi-task while reading, so people may read in small chunks of time rather than in one long session. However, I don't see how either way of reading is superior to the other, and it seems like many have romanticized the idea of sitting in a sunny chair, sipping camomille tea and wiling the day away with a nice musty book. Certainly this can be attained (sans must) with an e-book. This new format simply offers the option to read on the go as well as at home.

E-books will open up a vast sea of information previously unknown or unavailable to the general public. We are on an the cusp of a new territory, where passages, quotes, authors and subjects will be easily searched for, and the we will be able to reach our potential to learn that much more easily.