In Defense of Smelly Books

While there are many other options available, many houses still have traditional stucco siding.

While metal patio furniture can be more durable and last longer with less maintenance, many people eat picnics on wooden furniture in their back yards.

While acrylic paint became widely available in the 1950s, many artists still use other mediums such as watercolor and oil.

Sculptors are constantly finding new materials to transform into works of art. Not one of these newfound mediums has been able to render time-tested mediums such as stone and bronze obsolete.

Movies and television have revolutionized the way we are entertained, but the stage is far from dying.

Plastic was invented in the late 1800s. Since then, it has been used in the production of almost everything we purchase and use. However, many children also still play with wooden toys.

When MTV debuted on August 1, 1981, it was widely speculated that it would replace radio. Hence the song “Video killed the Radio Star.” Not only is public radio alive and well, there’s satellite radio for those who want to pay a premium. There is also free radio available on the internet.

Where am I going with this? Here’s a video hint. [EDIT: Since originally posting this blog post, Youtube took down the video that I linked to because of copyright infringement. It was a scene from the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in which the librarian/watcher Rupert Giles has a conversation with Ms. Calendar regarding why he prefers books to computers. She asks him why computers bother him. He replies that it is the smell. She replies that computers don't smell. Giles says that is exactly the problem.

Giles ruminates on why books are better than computers: "Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell... musty and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer is... it has no texture, no context. It's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then the getting of knowledge should be tangible. It should be, um... smelly."

Preceding paragraph taken from: http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes/irobot.shtml#ixzz1NzXXVeP4

END OF EDIT]

Recently I engaged in an online discussion in which someone was insisting that print media, specifically books, was dead. Obsolete. Useless. Vastly inferior to electronic media (e-books) and should be done away with altogether. I took umbrage at this position.

I maintain that there is a place and a market for print books. E-books (and their accompanying devices) do not replace print books as much as compliment them. I see no reason why I must choose “Team Kindle” or “Team Gutenberg.” Both serve purposes and functions, and both have their drawbacks. While it is cool that a device can hold an insane number of titles, I would hardly feel comfortable reading it in the bathtub or while floating on a raft in the pool while on vacation. Paperbacks seem much more convenient in those instances, particularly because they could much more easily be salvaged if I should drop them. I would not want to toss the device in my pack and go hiking for fear of falling backwards against a boulder. Nor would I casually toss the device on a camp chair and take an impromptu stroll around a campground as the opportunity might lead a fellow camper to petty theft. The fragility and value of devices necessitates much more care than your average mass production print book. While reading could help pass the time when one is hospitalized, certain wards and facilities often ban the use of electronic devices as they tend to interfere with sensitive equipment. Even though a device is most practical to take on vacation than a bag of books, I can read my paper or hardback book during take off and landing. While I can pass along a book to a library, friend or online swap once I’m done with it, these options are limited with e-books. And also, how can I have an e-book autographed? Think of all the free time authors would have if they didn’t have to deal with those book signing tours.

On the other hand, space is an issue, as is the environmental impact of the production of the equivalent number of print books that a device can deliver for a fraction of the trouble. There is also the definite thrill of instant gratification. I can download an e-book immediately, whereas I have to either wait for delivery or drive somewhere to get a print book. Also, over time it is cheaper to go electronic, even when you factor in the cost of the device. And let’s face it, gadgets are cool. Technology that seemed like a faraway dream when my dad and I watched “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in 1987 are now readily available to the masses. Indeed, today’s technology makes that in the original “Star Trek” series strangely comical. Imagine if Kirk, Spock and Bones only needed to carry a single device instead of a separate communicator and tri-corder. Wow, that would have been something!

Hey, Steve Jobs! Over here! Yeah, any ETA on a transportation device? You can call it the iBeam.

As much as I love gadgets and technology, my life is strangely void of the newest advances. Economics have gotten in the way of my fun, which is not very uncommon these days. So I’m not in possession of an e-reader. But I know people who are. They love them. But they also still read print books. I don’t know anyone who has completely gone paperless, actually. Most people I know still reach for a pen and paper every now and then, even though the smart phone or tablet is just as handy. Also, there are many people in this world who do not have access to the technology that we tend to take for granted. There are kids in small villages in Africa who would treat a print book like gold . . . if they were to come across one.

Obviously, print is far from dead, and there is little chance it is going anywhere. SD cards and the like, on the other hand, will probably be obsolete in a couple years when some other wondrous thing is invented. Aside from relics in museums, there are no longer any readily available devices that can read punch cards. When was the last time you saw a PC with a floppy drive? Technology is forever changing and evolving. Digital media, formats and devices are continuously being replaced by upgraded versions and new inventions. As long as there are engineers and inventors, this will always be the case. Chances are my grandkids won’t have a device that will read the memory card currently in my cell phone, but if they have sight they can access the information in any print book.

I’m itching to buy a smart phone. On this subject, by the way, I am squarely on “Team Android.” When I do, you can bet I’m going to download an e-reader app. I am also going to continue to peruse used bookstores and visit the local library. When I’m done with a book, I’m going to pass it along. That is, unless I really want to hold onto it. My home will still have that wall of books. In fact those bookcases were the first real furniture purchase my husband and I made together. Technology will not be replacing print books any time soon. Hopefully it will always be around in some capacity. Reading on devices is fine most of the time, but every once in a while you should engage more than the sense of sight when you read. Reading can be tactile, engaging touch and smell as well as sight. Sometimes it’s not just about the words or even the information, but about the experience itself. I remember one time my husband and I were camping in Malibu. We had a modest fire going, beers in hand and the stars to gaze at. At a campsite further down, they had a roaring bonfire blazing behind them as they watched a DVD playing in the back of an SUV. Sometimes you just have to turn your devices off and live. Experience something that doesn’t require a battery. Just for a while. Then plug yourself back in. Just please, do me a favor. Don’t download “Walden” onto your Kindle. I couldn’t stand the irony.