Heather Rose Artushin LISW-CP

The Case for Paper: Books vs. E-Readers

Why a good old-fashioned book is better for your mental health..

Posted February 2, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

  • Research suggests that comprehension is six to eight times better with physical books than e-readers.
  • Physical books help readers absorb and recall content more effectively.
  • Turning pages as we read creates an “index” in the brain, mapping what we read visually to a particular page.
  • Research shows that, despite the prevalence of technology, most people still prefer print books to e-readers.

Screens are replacing paper when it comes to nearly every aspect of communication, but is it good for our mental health? Research proves the countless mental health benefits of reading , but still most people are choosing screen-time over picking up a book when it comes to entertainment.

Even in schools, gone are the days of buying those stretchy book covers for your heavy textbooks; digital modalities of learning are taking precedence, lightening backpacks but burdening young minds with the challenge of staying on-task in a sea of digital distractions. Reading short blurbs on social media as we scroll inhibits not only our attention span, making lengthy books more arduous for our dopamine -addicted brains to digest, but often waters down the language, using more informal, conversational-style writing that offers much less exposure to rich, brain-boosting vocabulary and concepts.

Research suggests that comprehension is six to eight times better with physical books than e-readers (Altamura, L., Vargas, C., & Salmerón, L., 2023). Though many people find they can read faster on a device, the distractions, like social media scrolling, advertisements, and email notifications, often hinder memory retention. Physical books provide an immersive experience, resulting in readers who absorb and recall the content more effectively.

Holding the weight of a book in your hand, turning the pages, and even highlighting your favorite passages are all experienced in the body. In fact, according to researchers, turning pages as we read creates an “index” in the brain, mapping what we read visually to a particular page, (Rothkopf, Ernst Z.,1971). This is part of what allows the brain to retain the information better when read from a physical book.

From the way you position your body when holding a book, to the way your head and eyes adjust to scan the pages as they turn, there are distinct differences in the way our bodies experience reading a good old-fashioned book. “Print books and the substrate of paper lend an obvious physicality to individual texts, while e-books are not tangible volumes and are differently touched, held, carried and navigated,” wrote Mangen, A., and van der Weel, A. in “The evolution of reading in the age of digitisation: an integrative framework for reading research,” (2016, p. 116–124). “The haptic feedback of a touch screen is different from a paper book, and the implications of such interactions warrant empirical investigations. Studies in experimental psychology and neuroscience show that object manipulation provides spatial information which is crucial for building coherent mental representations of the manipulated object.”

In addition to improving comprehension and providing an immersive, embodied experience, reading physical books offers a uniquely social experience that e-readers miss out on. Whether you’re perusing the shelves at the bookstore, coffee in hand, asking your local librarian for recommendations from their collection, or passing along your copy of a favorite book to a friend, interacting with fellow book lovers is one of the aspects of reading that people most enjoy. Downloading books onto your e-reader bypasses these opportunities for connection.

Perhaps what is most salient is the undeniably strong preference most people have for reading printed books. In one study, 92 percent of students reportedly preferred print books over e-books (Baron, N. S., 2015). There’s something special about holding a book in your hand, admiring the cover art, even appreciating the way your bookmark visually advances with time spent turning the pages.

Altamura, L., Vargas, C., & Salmerón, L. (2023). Do New Forms of Reading Pay Off? A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Leisure Digital Reading Habits and Text Comprehension. Review of Educational Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543231216463

Baron, N. S. (2015). Words onscreen: The fate of reading in a digital world. Oxford University Press.

Mangen, A., and van der Weel, A. (2016) The evolution of reading in the age of digitisation: an integrative framework for reading research. Literacy, 50: 116–124. doi: 10.1111/lit.12086 .

Rothkopf, Ernst Z. (1971) Incidental memory for location of information in text. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior. Volume 10, Issue 6: Pages 608-613. ISSN 0022-5371, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(71)80066-X .

Heather Rose Artushin LISW-CP

Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP, is a child and family therapist passionate about the power of reading.

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Why Are Paper Books Always 100x Better Than E-books?

Paper books are tangible objects that feed into the satisfaction and gratification that you get after finishing a good book.

With the rise of the digital age, digitalizing books for the masses was bound to happen sooner or later.

But the fact is, paper books will always remain as the superior format for enjoying a good read. The feel of a book in your hands can never be beaten by an e-book reader or your cellphone.

Are paper books better than e-books?

Paper books are generally better than e-books. They don’t strain your eyes that much and give a sense of accomplishment. The only disadvantage of paper books is they aren’t as cost-effective as e-books.

What's Included in This Post

Why are paper books better than e-books?

  • Focus . Books are designed to encourage focus and concentration for extended periods of time, while e-books can have distracting features that deter you from reading.
  • Progress . With physical books, you are able to feel a sense of satisfaction from being able to see and feel the progress you are making with your latest read.
  • Annotating . Some people love annotating and making their own notes in the margins of their books, which gives them a deeper and more personal understanding of the book . Being able to highlight and draw connections is great for visual learners. With e-books, writing is usually pretty limited.

Pssst! No time for reading? Click here to reveal how to read a whole book in 15 minutes!

  • Used books. Some independent bookstores might purchase your used books, which is a great way to make a little bit of money and recycle your old books so that they can find a new home. Purchasing used books is also economical because you can get your books for cheap.
  • Experience . The reading experience you get from being able to hold a book and make your way through its plot cannot be replicated when you are scrolling through an e-book.
  • Better for kids. Being able to learn from physical books creates a more engaging experience for kids to learn from. E-books are less interactive, especially if parents want to get involved in helping their kids.
  • Health . Studies have shown that reading from a screen, whether it is your cellphone, or your e-book reader can negatively impact your sleep . The light that is emitted from your screen can have a huge impact on your health in the long run.
  • Memory . Studies have been conducted to show that r eading a physical book yields a higher likelihood of being able to recall the information compared to reading the digital version . For students, this is an important tip when trying to decide between the e-book version of your textbook or the physical print copy.
  • Cost . Devices to read your e-books can run you a hefty amount, depending on the type of device you get. Whether it’s a tablet, an e-reader, or a cellphone, this will certainly cost you a pretty penny. Books are generally more cost-efficient in this way because they will usually run you around $20.
  • Escape . For many people, going offline is key to staying sane. Being able to avoid another screen yet still stay productive and absorb new information is one of the biggest pros to physical books.
  • Design . Plenty of effort goes into the design and style of a novel that continues to appeal to readers. For many readers, the appearance of the cover is what draws them in to choose the book in the first place. Having a physical copy of this means that you can appreciate the quality of design even further.

What’s wrong with e-books?

One of the main problems with e-books is the fact that you are required to stare at a screen for extended periods of time.

This tends to hurt your eyes and cause your eyes to strain themselves with the bright screens. While e-book readers in recent years have been designed to help this problem, the case still stands that books are readable no matter the condition.

When it comes to e-books, in order to even begin enjoying them, a device is needed.

This means that cables, batteries, and a connection is required in order to access your book, which can be a nuisance when you just want to relax and dive into your next read.

Paper books are accessible no matter what the case is and require no preparation whatsoever.

E-books need some sort of device to function, whether it is your cellphone or your e-book reader, which means that internet connection and a full charge of battery life are required read without interruptions.

What are the advantages of e-books?

With one device, you are able to have access to millions of books all in the palm of your hand, which is one of the biggest advantages of e-books.

This portable option makes for a lightweight and convenient format that is a no-brainer when you need to take entertainment with you. With all of your books on your cellphone, you’ll never forget about bringing anything along and you won’t have to compromise when it comes to trying to decide which of your favourite books to bring along.

You are also able to read e-books in the dark with e-book readers or your cellphone, which makes it even more convenient no matter where you are.

Being able to download your books and store them makes for great entertainment, especially if you don’t have access to the internet.

Accessing your books offline means that you can use it whenever you need to without a hitch. Downloading e-books takes no time at all and will be delivered to you moments after you have purchased the book . This certainly beats having to leave your house to visit the bookstore or the library.

E-books are a huge improvement on the environment compared to their paper counterparts.

E-books totally eliminate the need to harvest trees to create the paper for our books. The process of creating paper books takes a huge toll on our environment when you factor in the transportation and machinery needed to complete the entire process.

Another great thing about e-books are the features that are included in your download.

E-books now have extra content that go along with the books itself. This creates an interactive experience for the reader that is more exciting and engaging.

E-books tend to feature links to video content that adds to the entire experience. There is also the option of listening to the audiobook version, which creates a completely new experience for the reader.

Accessing your e-book through an e-reader also usually means that there is a built-in dictionary. This is an extremely useful feature that you can utilize with the tap of a finger. This certainly beats having to look up a word from the physical copy of your book and makes absorbing new vocabulary that much quicker and easier.

Should I invest in an e-book reader or keep spending my money on physical books?

While investing in some fancy new technology might seem like an expensive and daunting feat, e-book readers end up being much more cost-friendly in the long run, especially if you are a big reader who loves constantly purchasing the new and latest releases.

Purchasing e-books ends up saving you a lot of money because they are cheaper to produce without the need for paper and packaging.

E-books also tend to give you better access to self-published and independent authors that you may not find in a traditional bookstore. With an e-book reader, having access to these titles can expose you to a whole world of titles that you never may have even considered before.

Ultimately, it depends on your own personal preferences. Many people are vehemently against e-book readers for the very reasons that they simply cannot replace the experience of a physical paper book.

And for many others who have made the switch, they have found it easier on the wallet and enjoy the convenience of having so many books at their disposal without the environmental impact.

Are e-books more popular now than paper books?

E-books account for 20% to 30% of book sales in 2018 . So, it is safe to say that e-books are not any more popular than paper books are today.

Paper books are still beloved by the masses because of the reading experience it offers, among myriad of benefits that simply cannot be replicated through e-readers.

However, that is not to say that e-books do not have their own set of benefits either. But even so, old school print on paper seems to continue to be the superior format of reading books, despite audiobooks being on the rise as well.

Despite the advantages that digitalization brings, e-book sales are still on a downward trend for a number of reasons.

  • Paper books are easily shared between friends and family, thus creating a sense of community.
  • Paper books make for special and personal gifts compared to that of an e-book.
  • Being able to model good reading habits to kids is an important skill parents are prioritizing. Staying glued to a screen to demonstrate this seems counterproductive.
  • Books tend to be kept forever, attaching a nostalgia factor to it.

Related posts:

  • Are Books Better Than Movies? Should You Stop Watching Them?
  • Reading REALLY Makes You a Better Writer (Here’s Why)
  • 9 Amazing Reasons to Listen to Audiobooks (Better Than Books?)

10 Reasons Not to Read Books and Nobody’s Talking About It

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Watch CBS News

Books vs. e-books: The science behind the best way to read

By Amy Kraft

December 14, 2015 / 6:00 AM EST / CBS News

While browsing the bookstore to buy a gift for that special someone (or yourself), you may be faced with a tough decision: e-books or the old-fashioned kind? Each one has its pros and cons, and choosing the best option depends on a number of factors.

Some of the practical advantages of going digital are obvious: A portable little e-reader can carry an entire library wherever you go, which is great for travelers or those who always want a choice of reading material.

On the other hand, research has been stacking up to show that reading on paper has a number of benefits, too. Plus, there's the nostalgia factor .

"First and foremost, consider the person and their lifelong preferences," Dr. Matthew H. Schneps, director of the Laboratory for Visual Learning, a collaboration between the University of Massachusetts Boston and MIT, told CBS News in an email. "Some people absolutely love the look, smell, and feel of the classical book held in the hand, and such people may not want to give up the sensory experience of reading from a paper book. If the recipient of your gift is someone who is adventurous when it comes to gadgets, but otherwise doesn't read much using traditional books, giving the gift of an e-reader can be a life-changing experience for them."

Here's a look at some of the science to consider before you spring for a Kindle, a Nook or a stack of new hardcovers.

Young, reluctant readers prefer e-readers

A 2014 study published in the journal Library & Information Science Research found that out of 143 10th grade students, most preferred e-readers . Boys and those who did not care much for reading also shared a strong preference for e-readers.

"An e-reader has more in common with the electronic devices that young people use all the time, like smartphones or iPads, than a paper book, when it comes to turning of pages, the possibilities of adjusting font size, etc.," lead author of the study, Åse Kristine Tveit, told CBS News in an email.

Reading on paper may boost retention

Several small studies suggest that reading on paper instead of an electronic screen is better for memory retention and focus. The Guardian reported on an experiment from Norway where people were given a short story to read either on a Kindle or in a paperback book; when they were quizzed later, those who read the paperback were more likely to remember plot points in the right order.

"When you read on paper you can sense with your fingers a pile of pages on the left growing, and shrinking on the right," the lead researcher, Anne Mangen, of Norway's Stavanger University, told the Guardian. "You have the tactile sense of progress ... Perhaps this somehow aids the reader, providing more fixity and solidity to the reader's sense of unfolding and progress of the text, and hence the story."

Paper suits readers with sleep problems and eye strain

High levels of screen luminance from an electronic device can contribute to visual fatigue, a condition marked by tired, itching, burning eyes.

There are also potential considerations for those reading e-books on light-emitting e-readers at night (although a number of e-readers do not use light-emitting screens), Dr. Margaret K. Merga, a reading and education specialist in Australia, told CBS News in an email. "Artificial light exposure from light-emitting e-readers may interfere with users' ability to sleep , ultimately leading to adverse impacts on health."

A 2014 study published in the journal PNAS found that reading an e-book before bedtime decreased the production of melatonin, a hormone that preps the body for sleep. E-books also impaired alertness the following day.

E-books help the visually impaired

Individuals with poor eyesight or reading disorders like dyslexia can benefit more from e-books because they provide a range of options for changing the text size and spacing of lines. A 2013 study in the journal PLOS One observed reading comprehension and speed in 103 high school students with dyslexia. The study found that people with dyslexia read more effectively, and with greater ease, when using the e-reader compared with reading on paper.

Schneps, who was the lead author on the paper, said, "What made the difference was the ability of the device to display lines of text that were extremely short (about two or three words per line), as well as its ability to space out the text. When these people read using the modified formatting, their reading instantly improved."

His team has a website where people can preview the effects of some of these features before making a purchase. Try out the interactive tips at readeasy.labvislearn.org .

A fondness for books

Many book-lovers still prefer the traditional option and value the tactile sensation of a bound paper book. "Paper books are, as a rule, very well designed, they look and smell good, and they carry with them a more human touch," Tveit said.

In Merga's experience with students in Australia, avid readers also tend to prefer reading on paper. While conducting the West Australian Study in Adolescent Book Reading (WASABR), Merga and colleagues found that students preferred reading paper books. "One student described this attitude as a preference to 'own something (rather) than just use it,'" Merga said.

More from CBS News

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The Great Reading Debate: E-Readers Vs. Paper Books

Home » Blog » The Great Reading Debate: E-Readers Vs. Paper Books

paper books better

THE GREAT READING DEBATE: E-READERS VS. PAPER BOOKS

I love the smell of a new book. The sound the fresh, crisp paper makes when you turn the page. The feeling of the book’s weight in my hands. The knowledge that those 500 pages filled with raw emotions and heart-stopping suspense are all mine to unfold.

To me, there is nothing better than a full bookshelf (or, better yet, a library or book store full of books).

There are some people, though, who disagree. People who believe that books just take up too much space (gasp!), and that the better way to store and read your favorite books is on an e-reader.

So, which really is better? Are paper books becoming a thing of the past? 

In an effort to solve this debate once and for all, I have compiled a list of the Pros and Cons of both e-readers and paper books.

  • Size! They are small and easily portable (which is a plus if you travel a lot!). They also take up less space in your home
  • They may appeal more to the younger crowd since they have more in common with other popular electronic devices
  • E-readers such as Kindle frequently offer cheap or free book downloads
  • You never have to wait to get the book you want. Just click “download” and within minutes you can start reading
  • E-readers can be helpful for the visually impaired. You can easily adjust the font and print size to your liking
  • E-readers with built-in dictionaries allow you to look up words on the spot
  • You can easily keep all of your books in one place
  • Initial cost: A quality e-reader can be a bit pricey
  • E-readers can be hard on your eyes
  • Light-emitting e-readers can cause sleep problems when used at night
  • You miss out on all of the great sensory experiences that a paper book provides
  • They have to be charged
  • If you drop your e-reader, your screen may crack
  • E-readers can be hard to read in direct sunlight

paper books better

Paper Books

  • You can enjoy a paper book with all of your senses
  • Reading retention is better with paper books. When you read text on a screen, your mind tends to scan the information. When reading text in print, your mind is forced to slow down and focus more on what you are reading
  • Paper books are easier on your eyes
  • You can read paper books anytime and anywhere—no charging or batteries necessary
  • You won’t crack your book if you drop it
  • A paper book is easier to share. While some e-readers will allow you to send a book to a friend, it is usually for only a couple of weeks at a time (and some e-readers do not offer this feature at all)
  • Paper books take up more space on your shelves
  • They can be harder to travel with since they are bigger and heavier than e-readers
  • No instant gratification—You must either go to a store (or library) to get your book, or order your book online and wait for it to arrive
  • Paper books tend to be more expensive than e-books (someone has to pay for publishing and printing!)
  • Paper books are easier to misplace (or be borrowed, and never returned)

paper books better

And the verdict is…

Really, there is no verdict.

The question of which is better, e-readers or paper books, really comes down to personal preference. And even though I will probably never fully convert to using an e-reader, I must admit that I do own one and use it when I travel. After all, with the excess baggage fees now charged by airlines, who can afford to tote a suitcase full of books on vacation?

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One thought on “ The Great Reading Debate: E-Readers Vs. Paper Books ”

I’ll always prefer a paper or hardback over an e-reader any day. I like to be able to look at my bookshelf to browse what I want to read next or read again over flicking through a virtual library. If something goes wrong with your e-reader, there’s a chance that you’ll lose your favourite saved books.

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The New York Times

The learning network | are paper books better than e-books.

The Learning Network - Teaching and Learning With The New York Times

Are Paper Books Better Than E-Books?

Penguin Random House last year doubled the size of its distribution center in Crawfordsville, Ind., to speed up book distribution. <a href="//www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/business/media/the-plot-twist-e-book-sales-slip-and-print-is-far-from-dead.html">Related Article</a>

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

  • See all Student Opinion »

Analysts once predicted that e-books would overtake print by 2015. After all, they’re lighter to pack on a trip; they don’t clutter shelves; they don’t weigh down backpacks. Yet, e-book sales have slipped lately, and there are signs that even e-book adopters are returning to print.

Are paper books just better than e-books?

In “ The Plot Twist: E-Book Sales Slip, and Print Is Far From Dead ,” Alexandra Alter writes:

Five years ago, the book world was seized by collective panic over the uncertain future of print. As readers migrated to new digital devices, e-book sales soared, up 1,260 percent between 2008 and 2010, alarming booksellers that watched consumers use their stores to find titles they would later buy online. Print sales dwindled, bookstores struggled to stay open, and publishers and authors feared that cheaper e-books would cannibalize their business. Then in 2011, the industry’s fears were realized when Borders declared bankruptcy. “E-books were this rocket ship going straight up,” said Len Vlahos, a former executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, a nonprofit research group that tracks the publishing industry. “Just about everybody you talked to thought we were going the way of digital music.” But the digital apocalypse never arrived, or at least not on schedule. While analysts once predicted that e-books would overtake print by 2015, digital sales have instead slowed sharply. Now, there are signs that some e-book adopters are returning to print, or becoming hybrid readers, who juggle devices and paper. E-book sales fell by 10 percent in the first five months of this year, according to the Association of American Publishers, which collects data from nearly 1,200 publishers. Digital books accounted last year for around 20 percent of the market, roughly the same as they did a few years ago. E-books’ declining popularity may signal that publishing, while not immune to technological upheaval, will weather the tidal wave of digital technology better than other forms of media, like music and television.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— Are paper books better than e-books?

— Do they offer a richer, more satisfying reading experience because you can physically hold them and turn the pages?

— Are they better because they are free from technical problems, like low battery power and glitches?

— Do print books carry more emotional or sentimental value because you can touch them and see them on the shelf?

— Or is the story not over yet — and e-books will still take the place of paper books in the long run?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. All comments are moderated by Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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Publishing Xpress

8 Reasons Readers Prefer Paper Books to Digital Books

prefer paper books

Ann O'Brien

August 18, 2022

Walk into any thrift store, and you’ll see that sales of used hardbacks and paperbacks are brisk. Similarly, online booksellers like Abe’s Books do a steady trade in antique books and used mass-market paperbacks. It turns out that people still prefer paper books to digital ones by a wide margin.

American Readers Prefer Paper Books

In a 2022 report, the Association of American Publishers found that sales of digital books had barely made a dent in the popularity of paper books. Digital books make up about 20% to 30% of all book sales.

The survey found that:

  • 72% of Americans read at least one book last year
  • 37% say they only read paper books
  • 25% read both digital and paper books
  • Only 7% read e-books exclusively
  • 66% said paper books offer a more fulfilling experience

Here are some more facts about paper books vs digital when it comes to book sales:

  • Paper books outsell digital books at a rate of 4:1
  • Sales of paper books have increased by 21%
  • Sales of e-books have decreased by 8%
  • Fewer people own e-book readers now than the number who did in 2014

British Readers Also Prefer Paper Books

The United Kingdom, like the United States, is a country full of readers. In a 2021 study by Oxfam , the leading thrift store charity, more than two-thirds of readers said they will always choose a paper book over a digital one if they have the choice.

The study also found:

  • Almost 50% said they preferred physically turning the pages of paper books
  • Another 42% said they liked the way books feel in their hands
  • 25% said they liked the way paper books smell
  • Only 16% said they prefer digital books

Besides those physical sensations, 32% of readers said it was easier to become immersed in the story when reading a paper book.

Why People Still Choose Paper Books vs Digital Books

Why do people still prefer paper books? If you talk to avid readers, you’ll discover that there are many reasons for this. They range from the practical to the emotional.

Books feel good

The top reason people give for preferring paper books is the way these books feel. The tactile sensations of holding a book, smelling the ink, turning the pages, and progressing from one page to the next all create an enjoyable experience that no digital book can match. Many survey respondents talked about the way books smell. To them, there is something comforting and nostalgic about that smell.

Books look good

Many book lovers find books physically beautiful. If you pick up a so-called coffee table book, it’s easy to see why. No digital experience can match the enjoyment of turning those heavy pages and seeing one gorgeous photograph or illustration after another.

Children’s books are known for their wonderful illustrations, but books for adults often have lovely covers, fonts, and internal layouts. All these elements go into creating books that look good on a table or a shelf.

They’re better for kids

Parents know one of the best things they can do for their kids is read to them. They help kids learn while bonding over the turned pages of a picture book. You can’t do that with a digital book.

Babies and children learn better when learning from paper books vs digital books. Paper books improve interactions between parents or teachers and children. These interactions have strong effects on children’s ability to learn and develop good social skills. Reading together is more enjoyable when you touch the same pages.

Paper books are better for your health

Many of us are aware of the dangers of excessive use of electronics. Your phone and computer have “nighttime screens” that turn dark at night for a reason. They are trying to protect you from excessive amounts of blue light, which is the light emitted by phones, TV, and computer screens.

Too much blue light can interfere with your ability to sleep, and it can lead to fatigue, depression, and loss of alertness. Paper books, however, are safe to read at bedtime or any time. A study by Harvard Medical School found that reading paper books can help you fall asleep safely. Paper books also improve learning and language skills.

They’re better for the environment

Paper books are produced using sustainable resources. They are recyclable and usually end up in yard sales or thrift stores rather than landfills. Discarded e-readers, on the other hand, produce toxic waste. They also take more carbon to produce than paper books.

Bookmarking is easier

Many people find digital bookmarks difficult to use. They are never quite where you left off. It’s also difficult to go back and re-read a particular line or passage just by flipping back a page or two. A simple bookmark in a paper book, however, is a simple, low-tech solution that always works.

They’re convenient

A physical book is easy to take with you on the road or in the air. It doesn’t have to be charged, and you can read it anywhere, even if the power goes out. It’s easy to slip a paperback into your pocket, purse, or tote bag when you’re getting on an airplane or heading to the pool, and you don’t have to worry about damaging any sensitive equipment. You just grab it and go.

Books increase retention

Studies have found that people retain information better when they read it in a paper book. They retain it even better if they take longhand notes about it. In fact, 85% of college educators say old-fashioned note taking by hand is the best way to learn, and 81% of college students supplement their classwork with flashcards, printouts, and other printed materials.

Does paper have some magical quality? No, but researchers think that making a connection between what you read and what you touch helps reinforce learning. Reading a paper book improves your ability to memorize key facts.

Writers Prefer Paper Books

It’s easy to get rapturous about books, and many writers do. They’re the ones who produce them, so it’s natural they would have a lot to say about the joys of reading. Here are some famous writers expressing what they love about paper books.

“A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it, or offer your own version in return.” – Salman Rushdie

“I love the smell of book ink in the morning.” – Umberto Eco

“Books are good company in sad times and happy times, for books are people—people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” – E.B. White

“I love books. I adore everything about them. I love the feel of the pages on my fingertips. They are light enough to carry, yet so heavy with words and ideas. I love the sound of the pages flicking against my fingers. Print against fingerprints. Books make people quiet, and yet they are so loud.” –Nnedi Okarfor

“A book is a dream you hold in your hands.” – Neil Gaiman

“I have always imagined paradise will be a kind of library.” – Jorge Luis Borges

Print Books Are Here to Stay

Book publishing is a thriving business, and print books make up most of those sales. Printed books are going strong, and most readers still prefer them to digital or audio books. If you’re interested in getting your book into print, contact Publishing Xpress .

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5 Ways That Paper Books Are Better Than eBooks

5 Ways That Paper Books Are Better Than eBooks

Yesterday we gave you 5 reasons why you should read your next book on an eReader device . Needless to say, many paper book fans protested in the comments. And with good reason. Paper books have many things going for them and it’s still early in the evolution of eBooks .

paper books better

This is a technology blog. However, in order to highlight how far eBooks have to go until they seriously challenge for the hearts and minds of book lovers, we present here a list of reasons why paper books are still better than eBooks. We’ll also speculate about how eBooks might match each feature that paper books currently have over them.

Note: this isn’t an ‘either/or’ argument, my main point in these posts is that each format (paper / electronic) has its strengths and weaknesses. Having said that, it may not be too far into the future when we begin to think of this as an either/or proposition. Remember that the future of paper newspapers is now seriously in question, so it may not be long before the same happens to paper books.

Paper books just feel good in your hands – even the best designed eReader is a cold, lifeless steely contraption by comparison. Paper books are also seen as “more personal,” which was a comment that a number of people made on the previous post. You can become attached to a copy of your favorite novel, or a well thumbed book of poetry. I own a worn copy of the novel ‘Catch-22,’ which I have read a number of times since my University days – and no eBook could ever replace the memories it evokes whenever I pick that book up.

How can eBooks match this in the future? They may never do, but perhaps we will find that the features I listed in my previous post assume greater nostalgic significance instead: highlighted text, notes that you made back in your University days, and the ability to search and find all of this very easily.

paper books better

2. Packaging

I bought a poetry book for Kindle on iPad last week, but it turned out that the eBook was missing half of the image of an obscure painting that adorned the front and back covers of the paper edition. The eBook just had the front cover art, not the back cover art. This is one small example of how paper books can have a more beautiful package than eBooks.

We could similarly point to book binding and typeface, both often carefully selected by publishing companies for their paper editions. It can make a big difference to one’s reading experience.

paper books better

If eBooks are to challenge this feature, it will need to be with something unique and native to the electronic format. For inspiration, we can look to what Arcade Fire did with the electronic release of its latest album. As a way to try and match the album art and booklet available on CD, Arcade Fire came up with an artistic package it called “synchronised artwork.” This enabled listeners to access imagery, lyrics and links on their iPod or iPhone while listening to the album. Some might say that it still isn’t as good as a CD package, but this is the challenge for electronic mediums – to come up with alternatives that offer something equally compelling, perhaps even more so.

Skip Knox summed it up well in a comment: “We need a new generation of authors and publishers who will create new art forms around the technology. We’re still at the point analogous to the early years of movies, when all they could think to do was essentially film a stage play.”

I noted in the last post that receiving marked up books from a friend is something that can’t be duplicated by eBooks – yet. Also, you can’t lend a copy of an eBook to someone else. DRM (Digital Rights Management) or incompatible eBook formats prevent that.

However, I have to think that both of those features – personal notes and sharing eBooks – will get figured out by eReader manufacturers sooner or later. There is no technological reason it can’t be done, it’s more a matter of navigating the always murky DRM waters and people getting used to new kinds of ‘reading’ functionality. Just as we DM people on Twitter or send email, sending messages or notes to another person via an eBook is a feature that would be useful and eventually well used.

paper books better

On the topics of DRM and eBook formats, not only is this an issue for sharing – but for your own future accessibility of books. As Adrian Lafond eloquently noted, “If I “buy” an e-book, read it, put it in storage, and try to re-read it in 10 years (since I “own” it) it’s anybody’s guess whether there will exist a platform or device on which that will be possible for that particular e-book format and DRM scheme.”

Gwyn Headley added, a little cynically, that eBooks are great for books “you know you will never want to read again.”

To be frank, I think the same risks apply to paper books too. I have misplaced favorite books over the years or lent them to people and not had them returned. However, eBook and eReader manufacturers certainly need to address this issue before consumers are truly comfortable buying them over paper books.

5. Second-hand books

A few people noted that eBooks are still too expensive and that you can’t get cheap second-hand copies. Or for that matter, expensive first edition copies.

paper books better

Similar to previous points, eBooks won’t necessarily be able to match this ‘feature’ of paper books. However, the price of eBooks will likely drop over time and become more flexible. Indeed, I picked up a copy of the full works of Emerson and Thoreau this week for a few dollars – cheaper (and much lighter) than I could’ve gotten anywhere else for a paper copy. We’ll see more of this type of pricing as the eBook market ramps up.

In summary, there are pros and cons for both paper books and eBooks. The eBook market is ripe for innovation and breakthroughs in how we read, so eBooks will only improve over the coming years.

In the final analysis though, the real value of any book – whether read via paper or electronically – is in the words.

Image credits: cindiann , Ben+Sam , practicalowl , jbonnain , ulle.b

paper books better

Richard macmanus

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November 1, 2013

12 min read

The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: Why Paper Still Beats Screens

By Ferris Jabr

One of the most provocative viral YouTube videos in the past two years begins mundanely enough: a one-year-old girl plays with an iPad, sweeping her fingers across its touch screen and shuffling groups of icons. In following scenes, she appears to pinch, swipe and prod the pages of paper magazines as though they, too, are screens. Melodramatically, the video replays these gestures in close-up.

For the girl's father, the video— A Magazine Is an iPad That Does Not Work —is evidence of a generational transition. In an accompanying description, he writes, “Magazines are now useless and impossible to understand, for digital natives”—that is, for people who have been interacting with digital technologies from a very early age, surrounded not only by paper books and magazines but also by smartphones, Kindles and iPads.

Whether or not his daughter truly expected the magazines to behave like an iPad, the video brings into focus a question that is relevant to far more than the youngest among us: How exactly does the technology we use to read change the way we read?

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Since at least the 1980s researchers in psychology, computer engineering, and library and information science have published more than 100 studies exploring differences in how people read on paper and on screens. Before 1992 most experiments concluded that people read stories and articles on screens more slowly and remember less about them. As the resolution of screens on all kinds of devices sharpened, however, a more mixed set of findings began to emerge. Recent surveys suggest that although most people still prefer paper—especially when they need to concentrate for a long time—attitudes are changing as tablets and e-reading technology improve and as reading digital texts for facts and fun becomes more common. In the U.S., e-books currently make up more than 20 percent of all books sold to the general public.

Despite all the increasingly user-friendly and popular technology, most studies published since the early 1990s confirm earlier conclusions: paper still has advantages over screens as a reading medium. Together laboratory experiments, polls and consumer reports indicate that digital devices prevent people from efficiently navigating long texts, which may subtly inhibit reading comprehension. Compared with paper, screens may also drain more of our mental resources while we are reading and make it a little harder to remember what we read when we are done. Whether they realize it or not, people often approach computers and tablets with a state of mind less conducive to learning than the one they bring to paper. And e-readers fail to re-create certain tactile experiences of reading on paper, the absence of which some find unsettling.

“There is physicality in reading,” says cognitive scientist Maryanne Wolf of Tufts University, “maybe even more than we want to think about as we lurch into digital reading—as we move forward perhaps with too little reflection. I would like to preserve the absolute best of older forms but know when to use the new.”

Textual Landscapes Understanding how reading on paper differs from reading on screens requires some explanation of how the human brain interprets written language. Although letters and words are symbols representing sounds and ideas, the brain also regards them as physical objects. As Wolf explains in her 2007 book Proust and the Squid , we are not born with brain circuits dedicated to reading, because we did not invent writing until relatively recently in our evolutionary history, around the fourth millennium b.c. So in childhood, the brain improvises a brand-new circuit for reading by weaving together various ribbons of neural tissue devoted to other abilities, such as speaking, motor coordination and vision.

Some of these repurposed brain regions specialize in object recognition: they help us instantly distinguish an apple from an orange, for example, based on their distinct features, yet classify both as fruit. Similarly, when we learn to read and write, we begin to recognize letters by their particular arrangements of lines, curves and hollow spaces—a tactile learning process that requires both our eyes and hands. In recent research by Karin James of Indiana University Bloomington, the reading circuits of five-year-old children crackled with activity when they practiced writing letters by hand but not when they typed letters on a keyboard. And when people read cursive writing or intricate characters such as Japanese kanji , the brain literally goes through the motions of writing, even if the hands are empty.

In most cases, paper books have more obvious topography than on-screen text. An open paper book presents a reader with two clearly defined domains—the left- and right-hand pages—and a total of eight corners with which to orient oneself. You can focus on a single page of a paper book without losing awareness of the whole text. You can even feel the thickness of the pages you have read in one hand and the pages you have yet to read in the other. Turning the pages of a paper book is like leaving one footprint after another on a trail—there is a rhythm to it and a visible record of how far one has traveled. All these features not only make the text in a paper book easily navigable, they also make it easier to form a coherent mental map of that text.

In contrast, most digital devices interfere with intuitive navigation of a text and inhibit people from mapping the journey in their mind. A reader of digital text might scroll through a seamless stream of words, tap forward one page at a time or use the search function to immediately locate a particular phrase—but it is difficult to see any one passage in the context of the entire text. As an analogy, imagine if Google Maps allowed people to navigate street by individual street, as well as to teleport to any specific address, but prevented them from zooming out to see a neighborhood, state or country. Likewise, glancing at a progress bar gives a far more vague sense of place than feeling the weight of read and unread pages. And although e-readers and tablets replicate pagination, the displayed pages are ephemeral. Once read, those pages vanish. Instead of hiking the trail yourself, you watch the trees, rocks and moss pass by in flashes, with no tangible trace of what came before and no easy way to see what lies ahead.

“The implicit feel of where you are in a physical book turns out to be more important than we realized,” says Abigail J. Sellen of Microsoft Research Cambridge in England, who co-authored the 2001 book The Myth of the Paperless Office . “Only when you get an e-book do you start to miss it. I don't think e-book manufacturers have thought enough about how you might visualize where you are in a book.”

Exhaustive Reading At least a few studies suggest that screens sometimes impair comprehension precisely because they distort people's sense of place in a text. In a January 2013 study by Anne Mangen of the University of Stavanger in Norway and her colleagues, 72 10th grade students studied one narrative and one expository text. Half the students read on paper, and half read PDF files on computers. Afterward, students completed reading comprehension tests, during which they had access to the texts. Students who read the texts on computers performed a little worse, most likely because they had to scroll or click through the PDFs one section at a time, whereas students reading on paper held the entire texts in their hands and quickly switched between different pages. “The ease with which you can find out the beginning, end, and everything in between and the constant connection to your path, your progress in the text, might be some way of making it less taxing cognitively,” Mangen says. “You have more free capacity for comprehension.”

Other researchers agree that screen-based reading can dull comprehension because it is more mentally taxing and even physically tiring than reading on paper. E-ink reflects ambient light just like the ink on a paper book, but computer screens, smartphones and tablets shine light directly on people's faces. Today's LCDs are certainly gentler on eyes than their predecessor, cathode-ray tube (CRT) screens, but prolonged reading on glossy, self-illuminated screens can cause eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision. In an experiment by Erik Wästlund, then at Karlstad University in Sweden, people who took a reading comprehension test on a computer scored lower and reported higher levels of stress and tiredness than people who completed it on paper.

In a related set of Wästlund's experiments, 82 volunteers completed the same reading comprehension test on computers, either as a paginated document or as a continuous piece of text. Afterward, researchers assessed the students' attention and working memory—a collection of mental talents allowing people to temporarily store and manipulate information in their mind. Volunteers had to quickly close a series of pop-up windows, for example, or remember digits that flashed on a screen. Like many cognitive abilities, working memory is a finite resource that diminishes with exertion.

Although people in both groups performed equally well, those who had to scroll through the unbroken text did worse on the attention and working memory tests. Wästlund thinks that scrolling—which requires readers to consciously focus on both the text and how they are moving it—drains more mental resources than turning or clicking a page, which are simpler and more automatic gestures. The more attention is diverted to moving through a text, the less is available for understanding it. A 2004 study conducted at the University of Central Florida reached similar conclusions.

An emerging collection of studies emphasizes that in addition to screens possibly leeching more attention than paper, people do not always bring as much mental effort to screens in the first place. Based on a detailed 2005 survey of 113 people in northern California, Ziming Liu of San Jose State University concluded that those reading on screens take a lot of shortcuts—they spend more time browsing, scanning and hunting for keywords compared with people reading on paper and are more likely to read a document once and only once.

When reading on screens, individuals seem less inclined to engage in what psychologists call metacognitive learning regulation—setting specific goals, rereading difficult sections and checking how much one has understood along the way. In a 2011 experiment at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, college students took multiple-choice exams about expository texts either on computers or on paper. Researchers limited half the volunteers to a meager seven minutes of study time; the other half could review the text for as long as they liked. When under pressure to read quickly, students using computers and paper performed equally well. When managing their own study time, however, volunteers using paper scored about 10 percentage points higher. Presumably, students using paper approached the exam with a more studious attitude than their screen-reading peers and more effectively directed their attention and working memory.

Even when studies find few differences in reading comprehension between screens and paper, screen readers may not remember a text as thoroughly in the long run. In a 2003 study Kate Garland, then at the University of Leicester in England, and her team asked 50 British college students to read documents from an introductory economics course either on a computer monitor or in a spiral-bound booklet. After 20 minutes of reading, Garland and her colleagues quizzed the students. Participants scored equally well regardless of the medium but differed in how they remembered the information.

Psychologists distinguish between remembering something—a relatively weak form of memory in which someone recalls a piece of information, along with contextual details, such as where and when one learned it—and knowing something: a stronger form of memory defined as certainty that something is true. While taking the quiz, Garland's volunteers marked both their answer and whether they “remembered” or “knew” the answer. Students who had read study material on a screen relied much more on remembering than on knowing, whereas students who read on paper depended equally on the two forms of memory. Garland and her colleagues think that students who read on paper learned the study material more thoroughly more quickly; they did not have to spend a lot of time searching their mind for information from the text—they often just knew the answers.

Perhaps any discrepancies in reading comprehension between paper and screens will shrink as people's attitudes continue to change. Maybe the star of A Magazine Is an iPad That Does Not Work will grow up without the subtle bias against screens that seems to lurk among older generations. The latest research suggests, however, that substituting screens for paper at an early age has disadvantages that we should not write off so easily. A 2012 study at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center in New York City recruited 32 pairs of parents and three- to six-year-old children. Kids remembered more details from stories they read on paper than ones they read in e-books enhanced with interactive animations, videos and games. These bells and whistles deflected attention away from the narrative toward the device itself. In a follow-up survey of 1,226 parents, the majority reported that they and their children prefer print books over e-books when reading together.

Nearly identical results followed two studies, described this past September in Mind, Brain, and Education , by Julia Parrish-Morris, now at the University of Pennsylvania, and her colleagues. When reading paper books to their three- and five-year-old children, parents helpfully related the story to their child's life. But when reading a then popular electric console book with sound effects, parents frequently had to interrupt their usual “dialogic reading” to stop the child from fiddling with buttons and losing track of the narrative. Such distractions ultimately prevented the three-year-olds from understanding even the gist of the stories, but all the children followed the stories in paper books just fine.

Such preliminary research on early readers underscores a quality of paper that may be its greatest strength as a reading medium: its modesty. Admittedly, digital texts offer clear advantages in many different situations. When one is researching under deadline, the convenience of quickly accessing hundreds of keyword-searchable online documents vastly outweighs the benefits in comprehension and retention that come with dutifully locating and rifling through paper books one at a time in a library. And for people with poor vision, adjustable font size and the sharp contrast of an LCD screen are godsends. Yet paper, unlike screens, rarely calls attention to itself or shifts focus away from the text. Because of its simplicity, paper is “a still point, an anchor for the consciousness,” as William Powers writes in his 2006 essay “Hamlet's Blackberry: Why Paper Is Eternal.” People consistently report that when they really want to focus on a text, they read it on paper. In a 2011 survey of graduate students at National Taiwan University, the majority reported browsing a few paragraphs of an item online before printing out the whole text for more in-depth reading. And in a 2003 survey at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, nearly 80 percent of 687 students preferred to read text on paper rather than on a screen to “understand it with clarity.”

Beyond pragmatic considerations, the way we feel about a paper book or an e-reader—and the way it feels in our hands—also determines whether we buy a best-selling book in hardcover at a local bookstore or download it from Amazon. Surveys and consumer reports suggest that the sensory aspects of reading on paper matter to people more than one might assume: the feel of paper and ink; the option to smooth or fold a page with one's fingers; the distinctive sound a page makes when turned. So far digital texts have not satisfyingly replicated such sensations. Paper books also have an immediately discernible size, shape and weight. We might refer to a hardcover edition of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace as a “hefty tome” or to a paperback of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness as a “slim volume.” In contrast, although a digital text has a length that may be represented with a scroll or progress bar, it has no obvious shape or thickness. An e-reader always weighs the same, regardless of whether you are reading Marcel Proust's magnum opus or one of Ernest Hemingway's short stories. Some researchers have found that these discrepancies create enough so-called haptic dissonance to dissuade some people from using e-readers.

To amend this sensory incongruity, many designers have worked hard to make the e-reader or tablet experience as close to reading on paper as possible. E-ink resembles typical chemical ink, and the simple layout of the Kindle's screen looks remarkably like a page in a paper book. Likewise, Apple's iBooks app attempts to simulate somewhat realistic page turning. So far such gestures have been more aesthetic than pragmatic. E-books still prevent people from quickly scanning ahead on a whim or easily flipping to a previous chapter when a sentence surfaces a memory of something they read earlier.

Some digital innovators are not confining themselves to imitations of paper books. Instead they are evolving screen-based reading into something else entirely. Scrolling may not be the ideal way to navigate a text as long and dense as Herman Melville's Moby Dick , but the New York Times , the Washington Post , ESPN and other media outlets have created beautiful, highly visual articles that could not appear in print because they blend text with movies and embedded sound clips and depend entirely on scrolling to create a cinematic experience. Robin Sloan has pioneered the tap essay, which relies on physical interaction to set the pace and tone, unveiling new words, sentences and images only when someone taps a phone or a tablet's touch screen. And some writers are pairing up with computer programmers to produce ever more sophisticated interactive fiction and nonfiction in which one's choices determine what one reads, hears and sees next.

When it comes to intensively reading long pieces of unembellished text, paper and ink may still have the advantage. But plain text is not the only way to read.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 309 Issue 5

The Hechinger Report

Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education

PROOF POINTS: Paper books linked to stronger readers in an international study

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paper books better

There’s a lot to like about digital books. They’re lighter in the backpack and often cheaper than paper books. But a new international report suggests that physical books may be important to raising children who become strong readers.

An Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study across approximately 30 countries found that teens who said they most often read paper books scored considerably higher on a 2018 reading test taken by 15-year-olds compared to teens who said they rarely or never read books. Even among students of similar socioeconomic backgrounds, those who read books in a paper format scored a whopping 49 points higher on the Program for International Student Assessment, known as PISA. That’s equal to almost 2.5 years of learning. By comparison, students who tended to read books more often on digital devices scored only 15 points higher than students who rarely read  – a difference of less than a year’s worth of learning. 

Website for Mind/Shift

In other words, all reading is good, but reading on paper is linked to vastly superior achievement outcomes. 

It’s impossible to say from this study whether paper books are the main reason why students become better readers. It could be that stronger readers prefer paper and they would be reading just as well if they were forced to read on screens. Dozens of previous studies have found a comprehension advantage for reading on paper versus screens . But these studies are usually conducted in a laboratory setting where people take comprehension tests immediately after reading a passage in different formats.  This report is suggesting the possibility that there are longer term cumulative benefits for students who regularly read books in a paper format. 

It’s noteworthy that the 2018 PISA reading test was a computer-based assessment in the vast majority of countries. Paper book readers are correctly answering more questions about what they have read on screens than digital readers!

Strong readers who had higher scores on the PISA reading test also read on screens at home, but they tended to use their devices to gather information, such as reading the news or browsing the internet for school work. When these strong readers wanted to read a book, they opted to read in paper format or balance their reading time between paper and digital devices.  

Every three years, when 600,000 students around the world take the PISA test, they fill out surveys about their families and their reading habits. Researchers at the OECD compared these survey responses with test scores and noticed intriguing relationships between books in the home, a preference for reading on paper and reading achievement. The report, “ Does the digital world open up an increasing divide in access to print books? ” was published on July 12, 2022. 

In the United States, 31 percent of 15-year-olds said they never or rarely read books, compared with 35 percent worldwide. Meanwhile, 35 percent of American students said they primarily read paper books, almost matching the international average of 36 percent. Another 16 percent of Americans said they read books more often on screens and 18 percent responded that they read books equally on both paper and screens. 

Digital books have become extremely popular among students in some regions of Asia, but students who read books on paper still outperformed even in cultures where digital reading is commonplace. More than 40 percent of students in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand reported reading books more often on digital devices. Yet in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan, students who read books mostly on paper or read in both formats scored higher than those who primarily read digital books. Both Thailand and Indonesia were exceptions; digital readers did better. Hong Kong and Taiwan are two of the highest performing education systems in the world and even after adjusting for students’ socioeconomic status, the advantage for paper reading remained pronounced. 

Teens around the world are rapidly turning away from reading, according to OECD surveys. Fifteen-year-olds are reading less for leisure and fewer fiction books. The number of students who consider reading a “waste of time” jumped by more than 5 percentage points. Simultaneously, reading performance around the world, which had been slowly improving up until 2012, declined between 2012 and 2018.  Across OECD countries that participated in both assessments, reading performance fell back to what it had been in 2006.

OECD researchers wonder if the presence of physical books at home still matters in the digital age. In the student surveys, students were told that each meter of shelving typically holds 40 books and were asked to estimate the number of books in their homes. Both rich and poor students alike reported fewer books in the home over the past 18 years, but the book gap between the two remained persistently large with wealthier students living amid twice as many books as poorer students.

paper books better

The influence of books at home is a bit of a chicken-egg riddle. The OECD found that students who had more books at home reported that they enjoyed reading more. Logically, students who are surrounded by physical books may feel more encouraged by their families and inspired to read. But it could be that students who enjoy reading receive lots of books as presents or bring more books home from the library. It’s also possible that both are true simultaneously in a virtuous two-way spiral: more books at home inspire kids to read and voracious readers buy more books. 

OECD researchers are most worried about poorer students. Low-income students made huge strides in access to digital technology well before the pandemic. Ninety-four percent of students from low-income families across 26 developed nations had access to the internet at home in 2018, up from 75 percent in 2009. “While disadvantaged students are catching up in terms of access to digital resources, their access to cultural capital like paper books at home has diminished,” the OECD report noted. 

As one gap closes, another one opens. 

This story about   digital readers was written by Jill Barshay and produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the  Hechinger newsletter.

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paper books better

Paper books or digital books: Which do you prefer?

  • Published 15 December 2023
  • comments Comments

Paper books or digital books: What do you prefer?

A new scientific study has suggested reading paper books is better than reading from electronic devices when it comes to children's learning skills.

The researchers say reading from printed paper is up to six times better at boosting comprehension skills.

The study involved 470,000 students and it concluded that reading from screens had a negative impact on primary and middle school pupils' understanding of the text.

The researchers from the University of Valencia say that digital reading may slow down understanding of a piece of writing because devices like tablets or smart phones are designed for other purposes and are more likely to distract readers.

They estimate that if a student spends 10 hours of free time reading from a book made of paper and card, they take in up to six to eight times more understanding than if they read the same text from a digital device.

Lidia Altamura, who is a PhD student at the university in Spain, said their research led them to believe that it really mattered what learners are using to read their books in their spare time.

"We do not go against digital reading", she said.

"When recommending reading activities, schools should emphasise print reading (from paper books) [compared] to digital reading, especially for young readers".

But what do you think?

Do you like reading from a real book or do you prefer using a tablet or phone?

Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to tell us why you think that.

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Paper Books vs E-Books: Which One Is Better for Reading?

Article 24 Mar 2023 5551 0

Paper Book Vs eBook

In today's digital age, the debate over paper books vs e-books has become a hot topic among readers. While traditional paper books have been around for centuries, the rise of e-books and e-readers has disrupted the publishing industry and changed the way we read. In this article, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of paper books and e-books, their impact on the environment, and how they have impacted reading habits and preferences. We will also help readers make an informed decision about which option is better for their personal reading preferences.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Paper Books and E-Books

Paper Books:

  • Advantages:
  • Physical books provide a tactile and sensory experience that e-books cannot replicate.
  • Many readers enjoy the smell and feel of a new or old book, the ability to turn physical pages, and the convenience of using bookmarks.
  • Paper books do not require a power source or device to read, making them accessible anywhere.
  • Some studies have shown that reading physical books can improve reading comprehension and retention.
  • Disadvantages:
  • Physical books take up space and can be heavy, making them difficult to carry around.
  • They can be expensive to produce, resulting in higher prices for consumers.
  • Printing and shipping physical books requires a significant amount of resources, which can impact the environment negatively.
  • E-books are lightweight and portable, allowing readers to carry thousands of books in a single device.
  • They are generally more affordable than physical books and are easily accessible online.
  • E-books are more environmentally friendly as they do not require physical production or transportation.
  • They offer features such as adjustable font size, built-in dictionaries, and the ability to highlight and take notes.
  • E-books require a power source or device to read, limiting accessibility in areas without electricity or internet access.
  • They can cause eye strain and disrupt sleep patterns due to the blue light emitted from devices.
  • Some readers prefer the tactile experience of physical books and find e-books less satisfying.

Environmental Impact of Paper Book Production vs E-Book Production

The production of paper books requires a significant amount of resources, including trees, water, and energy. According to The New York Times, it takes an estimated 12 trees to produce one ton of paper. In addition, the production of paper books requires large amounts of water and energy, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. On the other hand, e-books have a lower carbon footprint as they do not require physical production or transportation. However, the production and disposal of e-readers and other electronic devices also have environmental consequences. Overall, the environmental impact of paper books vs e-books is complex and requires further research and analysis.

Impact of E-Books on the Publishing Industry

The rise of e-books has disrupted the publishing industry, impacting bookstores, publishers, and authors. According to Forbes, e-book sales have declined since 2015, while paperback sales have seen a steady increase. This trend may be due to the convenience and affordability of e-books, which has resulted in a shift in consumer preferences. However, physical bookstores and independent bookshops have also seen a resurgence in recent years, as some readers prefer the tactile and sensory experience of physical books.

Reading Experience and Preferences

The reading experience and preferences of readers for paper books vs e-books are subjective and vary depending on personal preferences and reading habits. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 65% of American adults had read a print book in the past year, while only 28% had read an e-book. The same survey found that readers who prefer e-books cited convenience, price, and portability as their main reasons for choosing digital reading materials. Meanwhile, those who prefer paper books cited the tactile experience, the ability to physically display books, and the lack of eye strain or fatigue as their primary reasons for sticking with printed materials.

Another factor that can impact a reader's preference is the type of content they are consuming. For example, readers may prefer e-books for genres such as romance, mystery, and thriller, where they may consume a higher volume of books in a shorter period. On the other hand, readers may prefer physical books for genres such as poetry, art, or photography books, where the visual and tactile experience is a significant part of the reading experience.

Accessibility is another key consideration for many readers. E-books are more accessible for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties, as they offer customizable font sizes and text-to-speech options. E-books also offer the convenience of being able to purchase and download books instantly, without having to leave one's home or visit a physical bookstore. However, physical books have the advantage of being able to be borrowed from libraries or shared among friends, which may be more difficult with digital books due to copyright restrictions and digital rights management (DRM) technology.

Cost is another significant factor for many readers. E-books are generally cheaper than physical books, with some e-books being available for free. However, readers should keep in mind that the cost of an e-reader or tablet must be factored in as well. Physical books may be more expensive, but they can also be resold or passed on to others, which can offset their initial cost.

While the convenience and accessibility of e-books are undeniable, they have also disrupted the publishing industry in significant ways. E-books have enabled self-publishing, which has given many authors the ability to publish their work without the backing of a traditional publishing house. This has led to a proliferation of new and diverse voices in the literary world, but it has also created a crowded and competitive marketplace where it can be difficult for authors to get noticed.

Final Thought

In conclusion, both paper books and e-books have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preferences, reading habits, and the type of content being consumed. Paper books offer a tactile and visual experience that many readers prefer, while e-books offer convenience, affordability, and accessibility. The impact of e-books on the publishing industry and reading habits is significant and ongoing, and it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve in the coming years.

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Pros and Cons of Ebooks

Have you ever wondered if ebooks are better than physical books? Perhaps, you have a preference, or you might as well enjoy both.

No matter what you think about them, ebooks make for 30% of all book sales, and that’s just accounting for legally purchased ebooks (e.g. eReader or Amazon Kindle). Not to mention free downloads and PDF copies that can be found online!

The popularity of ebooks often makes people wonder if they could be a better alternative to paperbacks overall. Whenever a discussion about ebooks versus paperback comes up, users have different opinions, tastes, and preferences.

Have you ever wondered what the pros and cons of ebooks are?

Despite ebook-reading growing in popularity, there are still those who find conventional reading much more convenient.

Yet, despite that, ebooks are becoming more popular. Although the majority of readers still prefer traditional to digital books, most non-fiction, and a good portion of fiction, self-publishers think of ebooks first when making their publishing decisions.

Yet, many still think that an ebook can't replace a paperback. If you’re just now deciding whether to publish an ebook , paperback, or both first think about these couple of important considerations:

Ebook Pros and Cons | e reader vs book

eReader Versus Book Readers: What Reading Style is Better?

Reading is a part of our daily lives. Whether you prefer ebooks or paperback books reading, book searching is a major part of each book lover's life. For many avid readers, each book is a world and a life within itself.

Starting a new story means taking on a new adventure that will consume readers’ inner, emotional world throughout the time they read a book. It is a sweet escape from daily hurdles, a place where one can go and forget about work, chores, finance, and all other things that feel too much to handle.

The dilemma of what type of book to read can't really be solved within a single article. However, we can help you search for the right example book to read to improve your life.

Pros and Cons of Books: Are Physical Books Better Than Ebooks for Reading?

Get started creating ebooks today

Most readers still prefer traditional books. Reading remains an integral part of one’s daily life whether you’re a student, a teacher, a professional within your field, or a homemaker. Yet, the type of books that people read, genres, and the amount of reading that they do varies from person to person.

In that sense, you might easily read several books within a month without even knowing. For example, you might download a PDF "How-To" manual, which is essentially a book, to learn something new for self-improvement purposes, or learn how to use a new household appliance, gain a new skill, etc.

In doing so, you might prefer paper over electronic reading or vice versa depending on multiple factors, like the convenience of reading, time and place for reading, the type of content, and others.

For example, if you’re reading a book on how to make projects with your 3D printer, you’ll likely use a digital copy since it enables you to practice what you’ve learned in the software while reading.

But, if you’re reading a book on knitting, you might go for a paper copy since it makes it easier to follow patterns. Or you can still choose an ebook for its narration capabilities, having instructions read to you can help on beginner projects.

Pros and Cons of Paper Books

Pros and Cons of eReaders vs Books mostly revolve around the convenience of reading, storage, costs, and accessibility.

Biggest advantages of traditional books include:

Borrow a Printed Book to Friends

To borrow an ebook from someone, you’d technically have to give them access to your Amazon or eReader account. On the other hand, you can borrow a paperback simply and without much hustle.

Print Books Are Easier for Readers Who Are Not Tech Savvy

Not everyone wishes to cling on their electronic devices for daily reading, and that’s fine! Many find it hard to adjust to reading from devices, so they prefer traditional books.

Disconnect With Paper Books 

The importance of disconnecting is so big for physical and mental health that the right to disconnect is now entering employment contracts. Reading a paper book, for many, is a mindful ritual of shutting down electronic devices and escaping the internet.

Paper Book Lasts Longer

Such Books don’t go away with your device. You can’t lose access to your paper book if you lose your password, and you don’t need internet access or electricity to power your device.

Numbered Pages Make for Easier Reading

Most ebooks are read on Kindle, where there are no page numbers. It’s hard to tell how far you’ve come with the book, and for many who haven’t yet mastered eReading software, it’s challenging to go back to parts you wish to read again.

This can’t happen with a paperback where you can easily mark one or more pages, underline text, label favorite quotes, etc.

Paper Books Mean Less Putting Strain on Eyes

Both types of books pose unique challenges when it comes to straining your eyes. Paper books are thought of as less strain by many people who struggle with having to constantly zoom in and zoom out on devices.

Collect Books for Future Generations

You can’t really build a family library with ebooks, can you? Many people keep meaningful books as family fortunes in a way, and they wish to do so for their legacies as well.

Disadvantages of Using Books

There are still numerous disadvantages to common book reading that make digital reading a better alternative:

Real Books Last for Life? Not Always

Paper books require careful care and maintenance. No matter how valuable a book is, it can still get destroyed by fire, humidity, dust, debris, and pests. Not possible with a digital copy!

Traditional Books Are Bulkier Than ebooks

Traditional books require more storage space and the right environment. Books need enough space to “breathe,” a very balanced level of humidity and warmth so that they last long. With that, they need not only more storage space but can also present a bulky burden to store in an average home where there’s no room for a separate home library.

Traditional Books Have Typical Book Sized Font: Size Matters!

While some dislike having to zoom in and out to increase or decrease fonts, others depend on that possibility for reading. Paper books have fixed, printed font sizes that can’t be changed.

Too big reading fonts can be awkward to read, while overly small ones strain the eye of a reader.

Can't Share Paper Books With Friends Without Fear of Losing

While you do need workarounds to share a digital book, you’re still not at risk of losing your own copy. You can easily borrow a book, but as many of us know, the incidences of having someone lose, damage, or accidentally destroy your book are plenty. If it’s the only copy you have, and the title can’t be found easily, you’re at a major loss.

Can't Sell Unused Copies Easily

Book clutter is a hard burden to bear and even harder to let go of for any book lover. The notion of throwing away books is rarely an option, and finding places to donate is challenging since the amount of books being passed on is humongous.

No matter how much you like books, when the time comes to let go of the extra copies, you suddenly realize that you can neither sell nor donate as easily as you thought. In an effort to find loving homes for extra books, many people make dozens, if not hundreds of online ads that ask for no more than a couple of dollars for a book. 

Even then, selling is tough due to the low demand for used books.

Not as Reader-Friendly as ebooks depending on your needs

Paper books are bulky to take with you, especially when you need to carry them in your bag or purse. You need to make sure that they don’t get stained or wet on-the-go, which is something you needn’t worry about with books stored on your device.

Pros and Cons of Reading e Books

Pros and cons of books | Disadvantages of using books

Despite the growing popularity and benefits of digital book reading, ebooks aren’t without flaws. Let’s briefly reflect on some aspects of eBooks that are worth considering in self-publishing.

Mobi Format Versus Traditional Book Print Counterparts

Formatting is a bigger concern with eBooks than it is for print books. Traditional books are a bit easier when it comes to settling for file, text, and page formats.

Ebook requirements change for platform to platform, and wonky formatting doesn’t go well with e-reading folks who expect impeccable delivery on their devices. Printed books are significantly less demanding to design.

Pros for E Book Readers: World at Your Palm

Accessing as many books and topics as you want is made much easier with eBooks. In pursuit of a particular book, you need to find a store that sells it. Unless the book you wish to read is commonly sold, you’ll have to make an effort to find it.

E Book Readers Typically Found to Like Low Light Screens

Most things people dislike about ebooks revolve around the discomfort of using screens. Screen light is known to negatively affect physical and mental health, so many people opt for low light screens.

Health Disadvantages of Reading Digital Books

Eye strain and eyesight problems.

Eye strain is common for all types of reading books. With ebooks, the aches are mainly caused by small screen sizes with intense lights that strain the eye, often causing headaches and problems with sleep.

Trouble Reading Books and Having an Enjoyable Reading Experience

Many a reader just can't immerse themselves in a digital book the same way they can with paperback formats. This makes a reading experience a bit different than common reading that literature lovers prefer.

Pros of eBooks Shortlist: What Makes E Books Unlike Paper Books

Technology isn't always the ultimate solution. If you're weighing between the two most popular forms of reading, you'll use this short list that might shed more light on unique challenges of publishing eBooks:

E Books Let Your Read More Books and Discover the World

You Can Post Online About E Books You Read

Save Pages When Reading Books

Ebook Format Lets You Have Story Shaped to Your Needs When Reading Books

Less Space to Store eBooks, Resource Saving

New Book Readers Search and Find Books More Easily

Environmental Impact With Less Printed Books

Disadvantages of Ebook Formats Shortlist

Most people enjoy reading books, yet struggle with e books

Reading books is keeping its traditional form for most people for convenience

Single book session lasts long with e Books

LCD Screen From One Device for e Book Readers strains eyes

Power Source Needed for e Book

Electronics With Artificial Light With eBooks makes reading more difficult with vision problems and disabilities

eReader Devices Needed to Read e books

Can't Sell Unused eBooks

Health Problems as a result of screen overuse

Final Shortlist: Pros and Cons of Reading Books Digitally

Electronic books versus printed books give a different outlook on a story you read:

Search eBooks

Read ebooks from anywhere

Multi-Media Elements

Learn New Words

Promote eBooks in an Article

Books Better Fit Your Life For Less Money

But, eBooks also:

Burn Money Fast

Can't find relevant search results when reading books, reading books can be more difficult, need ebooks written let the urban writers do it.

Ebooks may not beat traditional books for daily reading, but they're still a core marketing tool for every publisher. Your reader may not read an Ebook exclusively, but you will be behind the competition with traditional publishing alone.

Plus, publishing your own ebook gives you the advantage of self-publishing. Traditional book publishing entails pitching to publishers, where the competition is high while the selection is scarce.

Order your ebook bundle now, and The Urban Writers will craft most compelling stories and non-fiction narratives for your audience to enjoy! Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, we have you covered!

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Ebooks pros and cons - Electronic book vs paper book: which is better?

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Have e-readers changed the way you read? We discuss the pros and cons of ebooks. Vote and tell us whether you prefer electronic or traditional paper books.

eBooks vs Paper books

On netivist we love books and we like to discuss them, for instance we are debating the best British crime novelist ,  American writer , and literary fantasy world . Now we turn our attention to the format we prefer to read.

Electronic books (e-books or ebooks) have revolutionized the publishing industry. The success of e-readers such as the Sony Reader, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Amazon Kindle contributed to stimulating the popularity of ebooks. Later, tablets and smart phones have also contributed to this growing trend. eBooks have many advantages over paper books but many people still prefer to read traditional paper books.

However, the origin of the ebook can be traced back to 1930, when Bob Brown, an American writer and businessman, wrote The Redies , a manifesto in which he described:

 "a simple machine which I can carry or move around, attach to any old electric light plug and read hundred-thousand-word novel in 10 minutes if I want to..."

The machine included miniaturized text on a ribbon and a magnifying glass. Its speed was supposed to be controlled by the reader.

In a Spanish teacher, Angela Ruiz Robles, patented the first electronic book reader, called Enciclopedia Mecanica , the idea being to reduce the number of books children had to carry to school. Later, the Italian Jesuit Roberto Busa compiled from 1949 to 1970 an annotated electronic index of Thomas Aquinas' works, which was first stored in a computer and then in a CD-ROM. From the early 1960s Doug Engelbart (Stanford Research Institute) and Andries van Dam (Brown University) develop electronic reading systems which included hyperlinks, indexes and graphics. However, it is Michael S. Hart, who is widely considered as the inventor of the modern ebook His Project Gutenberg launched in 1971, aimed at making ebooks available via the Internet.

Today, the ebook has grown so much that although print books generate more revenues than ebooks, some estimates indicate that in terms of units sold, the ebook may already be ahead of the paper book in the USA. But which of the two formats is superior? Is this just a fad or the ebook will end up completely replacing the paper book?

eBooks pros and cons

eBooks pros:

  • Cost effective. Ebooks are cheaper and faster to produce than printed books.
  • eBooks are cheaper for users because the cost of producing and distributing additional copies is negligible.
  • Thanks to the ebook many new authors can see their works reach the market. Publishing companies were a great barrier many authors never managed to overcome.
  • eBooks are environmentally friendly : there is no need to cut down trees.
  • Technological advances are making e-readers increasingly cheaper and more comfortable to use. Electronic books allow searches and may help you find parts of the text you are looking for.
  • They can be shared with people far away instantly and the owner does doesn't have the risk of losing her copy of the book.
  • In a single device you can carry hundreds of books. You can have an entire library with you at all times.
  • You save lot of space home.

Cons of eBooks:

  • A disadvantage of ebooks it that it is very easy and cheap to copy them illegally. Therefore copyright problems have greatly increased since the advent of the electronic book.
  • There are problems with formats due to Digital Rights Management (DRM) issues. When you buy a book for the Amazon Kindle, the book may not be read on your Nook or Sony reader. You may end up tied to a company once you start building your electronic library.
  • Computers, tablets and e-readers do not provide the same sensorial experience as with a traditional book. The text on a screen has a different feeling to your eye. The touch of the paper, and even the smell of the book is lost in the case of the electronic book.
  • A more traditional engagement with books can very positive for the education of children. Writing on a book and passing the pages back and forth is good for their development.
  • Printed books are beautiful and a book shelf is a very nice complement for any room in a house.
  • As ebooks are easy and cheap to produce, many authors do not use now the services of professional editors, which would have otherwise, contributed very positively to the overall quality of the work.
  • The introduction of the ebook and the problems of "piracy" have created problems from the publishing industry and caused the loss of many jobs.

Watch these videos on the virtues and limitations of ebooks

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Paper Books Vs. eBooks: Which Is Better?

Ever since the invention of the e-reader, book-lovers everywhere have been debating which is better—the eBook or the traditional paper book. Can the prices of paper books compete with the low prices of eBooks? Does the convenience of eBooks compare with the feeling of a real book in your hands?

As an avid reader, I personally love both. There are lots of good reasons to prefer either one, but in the end, they both have their pros and cons.

1. eBooks are more convenient.

If you're like me, the hardest part about packing , for any occasion, is choosing what books to bring. Your suitcase can only hold so many, and what if you finish those before your vacation is over? Or what if you get bored with them and wish you'd brought something else?

The best part about eBooks, by far, is that you never have to worry about these kinds of problems. With an e-reader, you can carry around thousands of books with you everywhere you go, all on a device that weighs less than a pound.

2. But you can't put eBooks on a shelf.

As a reader, my bookshelf is my pride and joy. One of the most satisfying things about finishing a book is being able to close the cover, slide it back into its place on the shelf, and admire it from time to time. With eBooks, you just don't get that satisfaction.

3. eBooks are easier on those with poor eyesight or reading disabilities.

However, eBooks have the advantage when it comes to ease of reading. With all the different font settings and voice options, eBooks make it easier for people who might otherwise have a hard time reading. For example, the ability to choose how many words to display on a line or how much space there is between lines allows those with dyslexia to read more effectively .

Also, since a lifetime of reading can really take a toll on one's eyesight, eBooks can make a nice alternative to the dreaded reading glasses. With eBooks, you can read faster and more effectively, and you can finally stop squinting at the pages.

4. When you read a paper book, you comprehend more.

Though eBooks may be easier and faster to read, studies show paper books are better for comprehension. According to a study by James Madison University that uses eye-tracking software, readers are more likely to skim eBooks than paper books, which leads to less understanding of the content. Depending on the depth of understanding you want out of reading, paper books appear to have the advantage here.

Along the same lines, paper books have proven to be better for emotional connectedness, as well. One of the best parts of reading is feeling like you're a part of the story, like you know the characters and are actually in the made-up world you're reading about. Paper books let you do this while eBooks fall short.

5. You can read eBooks in the dark.

Most readers know the struggle of trying to read at night. Whether you chose the propped-up flashlight route or opted to risk falling asleep with the lights on, you've experienced the annoyances of reading after dark. With eBooks, however, you don't have to compromise your comfort to keep reading.

6. Paper books don’t mess up your sleep cycle.

However, this ease comes at a cost. Studies show the light emitted from some eBooks causes problems when trying to fall asleep . The lit screens of e-readers can cause people to take longer to fall asleep or, in some cases, insomnia.

Paper books don't cause these problems. So, if you're a person who struggles to fall asleep or suffers with insomnia, paper books have the advantage.

When it comes down to it, both eBooks and paper books have their advantages. Paper books will never come close to the convenience offered by eBooks, but eBooks fall short in terms of nostalgia factors and health benefits.

So, as for the original question, "Which is better— the eBook or the traditional paper book?" I don't think there's a right answer. Some readers might prefer the eBook because it lets them read whatever they want whenever they want. Others might prefer paper books because they can hold them in their hands and collect them on their shelves. Neither is wrong or less of a reader because of preference.

As for me, I say, why not both?

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7 new year clichés: break free, embrace change, those that everyone know.

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family . What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

1. "I will be serious about working out"

Are you? Odds are you will get that gym membership, go for a few weeks, and completely forget about it. You will realize that autopay is taking $80 out of your account and you either need to cancel or start going again. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be in better shape, but do it at a pace that is right for you. Don't let the change in year dictate it.

2. "New year new me!"

This cliche is the most over used and most underdone. Every year we hear "New Year New Me!!", and the most that comes out of it is someone dyes their hair or gets a tattoo . Yes, these are life changing attributes to a person, and everyone should be commended for trying new things, but don't try to change you just because its a new year. Stay true to yourself.

3. "I'm going to be more outgoing!"

Being adventurous is always a great thing! Stepping out of your comfort zone is always exhilarating, but don't force yourself to do things that make you feel uncomfortable. So are you really going to go out, or will you continue to watch Netflix and go to the same restaurants. The choice is yours!

4. "I'm going to get more organized "

Trying to get organized is a great feat few of us can manage. It's always good to do a big spring cleaning, but trying to completely organize everything is trying to change how you live. I know when I try to do something like get a new planner, I either stick to it or I forget about it.

5. "I'm leaving my bad relationships in the past!"

Bad influences won't go away in your life if you wish them to stay in another year. Work hard at this one if you are going to make it one of your New Years cliches. Toxic relationships should stay in the past, but it is up to you to keep them out of your life.

6. "I'm going to party less"

Party as much as you want. There is nothing wrong of going out and having fun as long as you are safe doing it. If partying is what you enjoy doing, then that is okay. Not everyone conforms to that lifestyle, but if that is your thing there is no shame in that! Don't leave it in another year because you think you have to.

7. "I'm going to get more serious about my career/schooling"

This is the cliche that you should stick to. It's never a bad thing to be more focused on your career and school, as long as you don't lose sight of the important things. If you get serious, make sure you make time for your family, friends, and most importantly, yourself.

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it..

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Having just celebrated my birthday this past Thursday, the most common question I received from people all day and night was, “Is your birthday actually today?” I realized that, for many, they have the misfortune of either having a birthday in the summer , or on a day that wasn’t ideal for them to celebrate on.

Your birthday celebration is a special day, and it is important to make the most out of it. I decided to take the initiative and make a definitive list that will show you the best day to have a birthday, in descending order according to their rank:

If your birthday falls on a Monday, it just might be an unlucky year for you. Monday is, hands down, the worst day to have a birthday. Everyone else is focused on how stressful the week ahead of them will be, and are still recovering from the weekend. If you celebrate the weekend before, that’s too far in advance, and celebrating the weekend after feels too far away. It’s a lose/lose, unfortunately.

While not as unlucky as a Monday, a Tuesday is in a similar situation. Most are still feeling down as so much of the week lies ahead, and often, big assignments are due on Wednesday. Of course, a Tequila and TacoTuesday could be an option (for those turning 21 or older, of course), but that’s about the most you can do.

Taking the fifth spot is Sunday. By the time Sunday comes around, everyone’s pretty exhausted. However, it still is a very relaxing day, that would make for a pretty good birthday. You have the entire day to spend how you want, no class, few commitments, if any. Plus, you can always celebrate the night before. Your birthday technically starts at midnight, right?

4. Wednesday

Honestly, the most I can say about this is Wine Wednesday. The week is still young, though. Hopefully you have an easy Thursday and Friday ahead of you, however, if not, the birthday could go south. Either way, it’s definitely right in the middle in terms of the best day of the week to have a birthday on.

3. Thursday

I can speak from personal experience, this is a pretty great day to have a birthday. My 11 a.m. French exam the next morning wasn’t ideal, however, there’s nothing better than a Thirsty Thursday (again, 21 and up only). It gives you the whole weekend ahead of you. However, it’s right at the beginning of the weekend, and not everyone has the ability to celebrate on Thursday, as it is still a weeknight.

2. Saturday

Saturdays are special because a Saturday birthday is an all day affair. You celebrate from first thing in the morning, all the way through the night. You can grab a dinner with friends, the whole day is yours for the taking. The only downside is that it doesn’t lay right in the middle of the weekend, it’s on the last day.

The final consensus is that Friday is, in fact, the best day for your birthday to fall on. Right in the center of the weekend, you can really make anything you want out of your birthday. You’ve claimed the right to an entire weekend, and all of your week’s responsibilities come to a close at the end of your Friday school day. You can even skip that class you hate so much. Those who have a Friday birthday this year: consider yourself blessed.

In the end, a birthday is a birthday. No matter what day yours falls on, you have every right to live it up, and have yourself a day!

Unleash Inspiration: 15 Relatable Disney Lyrics!

Leave it to disney to write lyrics that kids of all ages can relate to..

Disney songs are some of the most relatable and inspiring songs not only because of the lovable characters who sing them, but also because of their well-written song lyrics . While some lyrics make more sense with knowledge of the movie's story line that they were written for, other Disney lyrics are very relatable and inspiring for any listener.

1. "I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong."

Hercules: "I Can Go the Distance"

Anyone can relate to feeling like you don't belong. From being picked last in gym class to not being as popular as another classmate, you probably understand, to some degree, what it's like to feel out of place. You would do anything to find a group of people or an activity where you feel like you belong and have a purpose.

2. "Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within."

Mulan: "I'll Make a Man out of You."

If people consider you to be very mellow, odds are you are just waiting to let it all out, especially if you are short. Never underestimate the power of a shorty.

3. "If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew you never knew."

Pocahontas: "Colors of the Wind"

The best way to understand other people better is to look at things through their eyes.

4. "I know we're different but deep inside us, we're not that different at all."

Tarzan: "You'll be in my Heart "

I think we all need this line after this last election. No matter who you or your neighbor voted for, remember that we are all humans and we should treat each other with love and respect.

5. "These guys don't appreciate I'm broke."

Aladdin: "One Jump Ahead"

This lyric never resonated with me until I came to college. I need all of these textbooks? What is that $20 fee even for? I'm broke guys.

6. "When will my life begin?"

Tangled: "When will my Life Begin?"

When I was in middle school, I thought I would experience the best time of my life in high school . When I got to high school, I just wanted to get to college to experience life on my own. Now that I am in college, I am still dependent on my parents for almost everything, because I can't afford anything even with a part-time job. I would just like to know when my life, a life where I can support myself, really will begin.

7. "That perfect girl is gone."

Frozen: "Let it Go"

I spent my entire life trying to be the perfect daughter, the perfect student, the perfect Christian and the perfect person. I realize now that perfection does not exist. I can only aim to be the best version of me I can be. I became much more content with myself once I let the perfect version of myself go. That perfect girl is gone.

8. "Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly."

Beauty and the Beast: "Beauty and the Beast"

Many high school sweethearts know what it's like to have an acquaintance turn into a friend and then into a lover.

9. "I will ride, I will fly. Chase the wind and touch the sky."

Brave "Touch the sky"

A great song to get inspired, keep going, and work hard to achieve your dreams. Everything is possible if you are determined to make it happen.

10. "The men up there don't like a lot of blabber, they think a girl who gossips is a bore."

The Little Mermaid : "Poor Unfortunate Souls"

I had to make at least one of these lyrics sarcastic. Men, I know not all of you fall into this category, but a whole lot of you don't like long, deep conversations and you don't pay very much attention when it's not a subject you're interested in, like sports . Am I right, ladies?

11. "Forget about your worries and your strife."

The Jungle Book: "Bare Necessities"

This lyric is more inspiring than relatable. However, it does serve as a little reminder to stop worrying about things you cannot change.

12."If you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."

Cinderella: "A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes"

Never give up on your dreams. If a dream is easy to achieve, it is not a dream. It is a goal. If you give up on a dream, it was never a dream in the first place. It was a desire. If you work hard enough toward a dream, you can make it a reality.

13. "Anywhere I go, I'm home, if you are there beside me."

The Lion King 2: "Love Will Find a Way"

This song is probably not as well-known as the others on this list, however, The Lion King 2 is one of my favorite Disney movies. We all have someone in our lives that make even the worst places feel like home whenever he or she is around.

14. "Up on the shore they work all day, out in the sun they slave away."

The Little Mermaid: "Under the Sea"

You got that right, Sebastian.

15. "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you."

Pinocchio: "When You Wish upon a Star"

This is probably the most well-known Disney lyric of all time. It was so inspiring and the music was so beautiful that Disney decided to use it at the beginning of all Disney movies. Disney was built on following your dreams. If there is one message that Disney communicates in every single Disney movie from Pinocchio to The Little Mermaid, it is "Follow your dreams."

The Six Most Iconic Pitbull Lyrics Of All Time

Mr. worldwide just wants to see you succeed..

It is no secret that Pitbull is a gifted artist, but many fail to remember that he can be a source of great inspiration as well. The following is a list of iconic Pitbull lyrics that we know and love. Read on to feel empowered — if you think you can handle it.

1. Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane / No, it's just me, ain't a damn thing changed. (From "Timber") Not a day goes by that I don't see Pitbull flying over my rooftop, dressed in white linen from head-to-toe and drinking a Capri Sun. If that image doesn't motivate you to be better, then nothing will.

2. Been around the world like the sun / I've seen more breast than your newborn son. (From "Shake Senora") Need to boost your resume? Trying to impress a colleague? Use this line. Watch them be amazed, first by your worldly experience and then by your rhyming ability. Thank Pitbull later.

3. And it's not our fault that we have all the ladies / But it's hard to see these ladies when your middle name's Equator / All around the globe, matter fact, see you later. (From "Celebrate") Take a lesson from the school of Mr. 305 — it doesn't have to make any sense, it just has to rhyme . Also, it is possible to have all the ladies, even with a middle name like "Equator."

4. In L.A. they get krazy / Miami they get krazy / In New York they get krazy / Atlanta they get krazy / In London they get krazy / In Paris they get krazy / In Rome they get krazy. (From "Krazy")

Pitbull wants you to never stop studying your map of the world. Learn the names of every city. Say them one after another, all the time. However, Pitbull also wants you to know that you can put that dictionary down. Spelling doesn't matter. Kraziness is universal.

5. Modern day Hugh Hef (uh yes) / Playboy to the death (uh yes) / Is he really worldwide? (uh yes). (From "Dance Again") Does Pitbull wait for someone to answer his questions? No, because he's a grown-ass man who knows the answers. Are you going to wait around for someone else to answer your questions, or are you going to be like Pitbull? Be like Pitbull. Be a grown-ass man who parenthetically answers his own questions.

6. This for anybody going through tough times / Believe me, been there, done that / But every day above ground is a great day, remember that. (From "Time of Our Lives") If Pitbull tells you to be thankful, then be thankful, dammit. After all, we live in an amazing time when a man who wears sunglasses indoors can make millions by listing the names of cities and rhyming Kodak with Kodak. Feel #blessed.

11 Essential Expectations for Becoming the Ultimate Cheermeister

Mastering festive expectations: tips to shine as your holiday cheermeister.

So you’ve elected yourself as this year's Holiday Cheermeister, there’s no shame in that. The holidays are your pride and joy, and you've taken on the responsibility to get everyone in the spirit. With only one week until Christmas , here are some things we expect from you, Cheermeister.

1. Counting down every second until the big day

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2. Being the first to put up their Christmas decorations

3. planning all the holiday festivities for your crew, 4. forcing your holiday enthusiasm on others, 5. winning first place in every holiday sweater contest.

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6. Giving the best secret Santa gifts (Puppies for everyone?)

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7. Being the life of all the holiday parties

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8. Getting defensive when someone says Christmas isn't the best holiday. Cheering on your friends through the last week before school vacation

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10. Never missing the opportunity to rock out to Christmas's greatest hits

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11. Lastly, not letting anything break your Christmas spirit!

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paper books better

StarsInsider

StarsInsider

Are physical books better than e-books?

Posted: 7 March 2023 | Last updated: 20 June 2023

<p>Long are the days when we could only read in paper format. E-books have been around for quite some time now, but it wasn't until Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader in 2007 that it really exploded in popularity. Many of us spend our days in front of a screen, so reading e-books kind of makes sense, right? Well, not so fast. There are indeed many benefits to reading e-books, but maybe it's not time to say goodbye to our old friend, the physical <a href="https://www.starsinsider.com/lifestyle/241132/book-recommendations-from-your-favorite-celebrities" rel="noopener">book</a>, just yet.</p><p>Browse through the following gallery and discover how books and e-books differ, and the impact they have on us. Then, draw your own conclusions.</p>

Long are the days when we could only read in paper format. E-books have been around for quite some time now, but it wasn't until Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader in 2007 that it really exploded in popularity. Many of us spend our days in front of a screen, so reading e-books kind of makes sense, right? Well, not so fast. There are indeed many benefits to reading e-books, but maybe it's not time to say goodbye to our old friend, the physical book , just yet.

Browse through the following gallery and discover how books and e-books differ, and the impact they have on us. Then, draw your own conclusions.

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<p><a href="https://www.starsinsider.com/lifestyle/389448/30-books-that-influenced-the-world" rel="noopener">Books</a> are real, tangible objects. As opposed to e-books, which are essentially a digital file.</p>

Books are real, tangible objects. As opposed to e-books, which are essentially a digital file.

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<p>There is a physical sensation when holding a book in our hands–how it feels, the weight, turning a page, etc. This can never be recreated through an e-reader, for instance.</p>

Tactile experience

There is a physical sensation when holding a book in our hands–how it feels, the weight, turning a page, etc. This can never be recreated through an e-reader, for instance.

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<p>Who doesn’t love the smell of a new book? You won't get that with an e-book.</p>

Who doesn’t love the smell of a new book? You won't get that with an e-book.

<p>E-books don’t rely on paper and consequently all the industry of manufacturing paper and printing. It’s safe to say that e-books are more eco-friendly.</p>

E-books are greener

E-books don’t rely on paper and consequently all the industry of manufacturing paper and printing. It’s safe to say that e-books are more eco-friendly.

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<p>If you’ve ever used a tablet, smartphone, or a computer to read a book, you know how it can strain your eyes. E-readers are far superior, but this is not applicable to physical books.</p>

If you’ve ever used a tablet, smartphone, or a computer to read a book, you know how it can strain your eyes. E-readers are far superior, but this is not applicable to physical books.

<p>Many people like to read in bed. But staring at a screen before calling it a night can <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-30574260" rel="noopener">interfere</a> with your sleep.</p>

E-books are not good for your sleep

Many people like to read in bed. But staring at a screen before calling it a night can interfere with your sleep.

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<p>E-books are, in most cases, cheaper than printed books. You do need a more expensive device to read them, but you probably have it already (e.g. phone).</p>

E-books are, in most cases, cheaper than printed books. You do need a more expensive device to read them, but you probably have it already (e.g. phone).

<p>To cut costs, some authors are no longer publishing books in paper format. Some publications are only available on digital format.</p>

To cut costs, some authors are no longer publishing books in paper format. Some publications are only available on digital format.

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<p>You can physically visualize your progress while reading a book. You will get closer to the end at each turn of the page. E-books won’t give you the same experience.</p>

Physical progress

You can physically visualize your progress while reading a book. You will get closer to the end at each turn of the page. E-books won’t give you the same experience.

<p>Books might be superior with regards to visual-spatial memory. We tend to remember certain parts of text and be able to find it physically in the book.</p>

Spatial memory

Books might be superior with regards to visual-spatial memory. We tend to remember certain parts of text and be able to find it physically in the book.

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<p>This is particularly true for e-books with interactive elements. A <a href="http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jgcc_ebooks_quickreport.pdf" rel="noopener">study</a> found that these were more distracting for children, compromising the learning process.</p>

Distractions

This is particularly true for e-books with interactive elements. A study found that these were more distracting for children, compromising the learning process.

<p>This is where the e-book excels. If you like to read during your commute to work, or at other places where it wouldn’t be convenient to carry a physical book, a digital alternative is the way to go.</p>

Portability

This is where the e-book excels. If you like to read during your commute to work, or at other places where it wouldn’t be convenient to carry a physical book, a digital alternative is the way to go.

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<p>You find books in museums and old libraries. Some are indeed historical artifacts with an historical weight that e-books don’t have.</p>

You find books in museums and old libraries. Some are indeed historical artifacts with an historical weight that e-books don’t have.

<p>E-book readers like the possibility of being able to switch to another task at any giving time. E.g. Googling a word, checking social media, etc.</p>

Multitasking

E-book readers like the possibility of being able to switch to another task at any giving time. E.g. Googling a word, checking social media, etc.

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<p>This is more accentuated when <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/25/skim-reading-new-normal-maryanne-wolf" rel="noopener">reading</a> e-books, which can be useful, but it’s different from reading something at a deeper level, connecting emotionally, and using critical analysis.</p>

Skim reading

This is more accentuated when reading e-books, which can be useful, but it’s different from reading something at a deeper level, connecting emotionally, and using critical analysis.

<p>Another <a href="https://domino.fov.uni-mb.si/proceedings.nsf/0/245b68041b843574c1257cee003df66a/%24FILE/04_Hooper_Herath.pdf" rel="noopener">study</a> did find, however, that digital reading improved students’ capacity to read faster.</p>

Advantages of reading e-books

Another study did find, however, that digital reading improved students’ capacity to read faster.

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<p>A book is still a great present and, of course, you can write a personal note on it.</p>

Books make great gifts

A book is still a great present and, of course, you can write a personal note on it.

<p>Plus, you can get it signed by the author! You won’t show up to a book signing and ask for the author to type their name on your e-reader, right?</p>

Book signing

Plus, you can get it signed by the author! You won’t show up to a book signing and ask for the author to type their name on your e-reader, right?

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<p>The beauty of e-books is that you don’t have to worry about other people knowing what you’re reading.</p>

The beauty of e-books is that you don’t have to worry about other people knowing what you’re reading.

<p>Most burglars and thieves probably won’t see the benefit of stealing your books. An e-book reader or other gadget, on the other hand, is more vulnerable to theft.</p>

Theft-proof

Most burglars and thieves probably won’t see the benefit of stealing your books. An e-book reader or other gadget, on the other hand, is more vulnerable to theft.

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<p>This is particularly true if you’re reading on your smartphone or laptop, where you can get easily distracted with notifications.</p>

Physical books are a great way to switch off

This is particularly true if you’re reading on your smartphone or laptop, where you can get easily distracted with notifications.

<p>You will literally need power in your device to be able read an e-book. You will never run out of battery with a physical book.</p>

A question of power

You will literally need power in your device to be able read an e-book. You will never run out of battery with a physical book.

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<p>You know, the page that doesn't turn, the device that crashes, the formatting problem, software updates, among many others. In a physical book, these things won't occur.</p>

Tech annoyances with e-books

You know, the page that doesn't turn, the device that crashes, the formatting problem, software updates, among many others. In a physical book, these things won't occur.

<p>A bookshelf is a timeless piece of decor. Plus, you can place books on shelves, stack them on the floor, etc. Needless to say, you can’t decorate your living room with e-books.</p>

A bookshelf is a timeless piece of decor. Plus, you can place books on shelves, stack them on the floor, etc. Needless to say, you can’t decorate your living room with e-books.

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<p>Books are old, very old, so there is some information that you can only find in them.</p>

Exclusive information

Books are old, very old, so there is some information that you can only find in them.

<p>You can buy, sell, and donate books. There are second-hand bookshops, for instance. Or just swap them with friends and family.</p>

You can buy, sell, and donate books. There are second-hand bookshops, for instance. Or just swap them with friends and family.

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<p>Though you can easily share a copy of an e-book with a friend and keep reading yours. No paper wasted.</p>

Though you can easily share a copy of an e-book with a friend and keep reading yours. No paper wasted.

<p>Do you usually like to underline parts of a book, for future reference, or even make notes on the margins? This can be done in both digital copies and paper books. </p>

Do you usually like to underline parts of a book, for future reference, or even make notes on the margins? This can be done in both digital copies and paper books. 

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<p>E-books are definitely easier to carry, but try reading one while sunbathing on the beach with the sun glaring on the screen. Paper will probably work best.</p><p>See also: <a href="https://www.starsinsider.com/lifestyle/307219/read-up-on-the-worlds-rarest-and-most-valuable-books">Read up on the world's rarest and most valuable books</a></p>

Vacation reading

E-books are definitely easier to carry, but try reading one while sunbathing on the beach with the sun glaring on the screen. Paper will probably work best.

See also: Read up on the world's rarest and most valuable books

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Today's Paper | February 21, 2024

Klf reposes hope in word power to change world for the better.

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KARACHI: The three-day 15th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) organised by Oxford University Press (OUP) at the Beach Luxury Hotel concluded on Sunday on the thought that words have the beauty and power to change the world.

Keynote speaker scholar Najeeba Arif, who specialises in archival research, said that words can be used as weapons or tools to change mindsets. “Then words have power and power can be used both positively as well as negatively,” she said.

“Words can give you sustainability and change, too,” she said. “But the word ‘change’ is now associated with political slogans so let’s concentrate more on alteration here. But sustainability means preservation. Ecological, social and economic sustainability and steadfastness are interlinked. Ecology, society and economics also depend on each other. To improve our present, we need to care about our future too. For short-term gains one cannot ignore lasting benefits,” she added.

Joseph Massad, professor of Modern Arab Politics and Intellectual History in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University, the second keynote speaker at the closing ceremony, spoke about liberalism and democracy.

Final day of festival sees largest number of visitors attending various sessions, debates, book launches

“They are not separate entities but complementary ideals, together forming the bedrock of modern governance, ensuring justice, freedom, and opportunity for all,” he said.

“Liberal forms of democracy have never left economic democracy. In the hands of the elite, political democracy will also ensure elite hegemony over most people,” he pointed out, adding that this means instead of providing subsidies on food and fuel and supporting health and educational services for the population, the state supports expenditures on the military and the police to repress the opposition from the poor.

Earlier, acknowledging the continuous support of four literary luminaries, who have been with KLF since its inception in 2010, the organisers honoured Zehra Nigah, Itikhar Arif, Kishwar Naheed and Muneeza Shamsie.

While expressing his gratitude for their sponsors, volunteers and participants, OUP managing director Arshad Saeed Hussain, said that their commitment to intellectual discourse embodied the values that OUP Pakistan held dear. “Thank you, team, friends and guests for your unwavering support in promoting the power of education, knowledge and storytelling. Together, we continue to shape a sustainable future through the magic encoded in literature.”

Being a weekend holiday, the third and final day of the festival saw the largest number of visitors attending the various sessions, including panel discussions, debates, literary dialogues, book launches, talks, theatrical presentations, film screenings, poetry readings, etc.

With the recent elections still on people’s minds, the session titled ‘Election 2024: Aik Naya Zawiya [A New Viewpoint]’ based on the idea that democracy in Pakistan did not depend on voters but on those counting the votes.

Moderator and senior journalist Mujahid Barelvi said that the elections might have been over, but there were new developments, concepts and ideas still flowing regarding the polls.

Panellist retired Justice Shaiq Usmani was of the view that new concepts had brought turmoil in the country’s politics.

Another panellist Justice Anwar Mansoor Khan, the former Attorney General of Pakistan, said that if fairness was removed from the elections, then the mandate of the people was not transferred to the true representatives of the people. “Thus Pakistan’s people are not represented in the parliament,” he pointed out.

Senior journalist Shaheen Salahuddin said that it had been decided already how to pull the strings of the puppets. “But for the first time the ones pulling puppets’ strings have their own strings being pulled by others. When you think about the country and the nation you cannot also underestimate your country’s youth,” she said.

There were some 10 books launches held on the last days, which included Qaum, Mulk, Sultanat: Citizenship and National Belonging in Pakistan by Ali Usman Qasmi; Pakistan: Search for Stability edited by Maleeha Lodhi; A World of Her Own: Ada Jafarey by Amir Jafarey with Asra Jafarey; The Whispering Chinar by Ali Rohila; and Among My Own: The Untold Stories of My People by Dr Naseem Salahuddin.

Finally, the audience was treated to a captivating Sufi qawwali performance by Qawwal Najmuddin Saifuddin and Brothers.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024

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IMAGES

  1. Are Paper Books Better Than E-Books

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  2. 10 Reasons to Choose Paper Books Over eBooks [Infographic]

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  3. Paper Books Vs. eBooks: Which Is Better?

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  4. Paper Books Are Better Than E-Books

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  5. 5 Reasons Paper Books Are Still More Popular Than E-Books

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  6. I made a really neat homemade paper book set! : r/bookbinding

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  6. Are Paper Books Better Than E-Books?

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  8. 5 Ways That Paper Books Are Better Than eBooks

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  12. Paper books or digital books: Which do you prefer?

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  14. Pros and Cons of Paper Books

    Have you ever wondered if ebooks are better than physical books? Perhaps, you have a preference, or you might as well enjoy both. No matter what you think about them, ebooks make for 30% of all book sales, and that's just accounting for legally purchased ebooks (e.g. eReader or Amazon Kindle). Not to mention free downloads and PDF copies that can be found online! The popularity of ebooks ...

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  18. 10 Reasons Why eBooks Are Better Than Paper Books

    It is much easier to manage a large digital library than bookshelves filled with hundreds or thousands of books that you will likely never reread. eBooks require much less space than traditional print books. PixaBay. 6. You Can Customize Font Size and Style in eBooks.

  19. Paper Books Vs. eBooks: Which Is Better?

    1. eBooks are more convenient. If you're like me, the hardest part about packing, for any occasion, is choosing what books to bring. Your suitcase can only hold so many, and what if you finish those before your vacation is over? Or what if you get bored with them and wish you'd brought something else?

  20. Are physical books better than e-books?

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  22. GRAND HOTEL ZHEMCHUZHINA

    Very good. 1,582 reviews. #317 of 374 hotels in Sochi. Location 4.6. Cleanliness 3.9. Service 3.7. Value 3.4. GRAND HOTEL ZHEMCHUZHINA Grand Hotel Zhemchuzhina is situated right by the seashore, downtown, taking up 70 000 m22. It is a modern 19-storey hotel providing magnificent view of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black sea.

  23. Krasnodar is 28% cheaper than Sochi. Feb 2024 Cost of Living.

    Entertainment in Krasnodar (Russia) is 30% cheaper than in Sochi (Russia) Update prices. Update prices. Krasnodar. Sochi. Diff. Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub. руб 1,542. руб 2,176.

  24. [PDF] The record of new for the Russian fauna stygobiotic amphipod

    The range of the family Typhlogammaridae is significantly expanded to the northwest along the south-western slope of the Great Caucasus, and the taxonomic status of stygobiotic amphipod genus Zenkevitchia is discussed, and it is suggested that the species discovered is a new for science and refers to the "admirabilis"-complex of cryptic species. The record of the representative of the new for ...

  25. Sochi, Russia

    The largest and brightest summer and winter resort of Russia, the Pearl of the Black Sea, Sochi offers its visitors all kinds of entertainment, including active sports and eco-tourism. Sochi attracts tourists with its mountainous coastline, endless sand beaches, warm sunny days, palm trees, modern infrastructure and vibrant nightlife.