“You want weapons? We’re in a library. Books are the greatest weapon in the world. This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!” –The Doctor (Doctor Who, Tooth and Claw)
One of the greatest powers we have is the ability to read. Yet so many of us choose not to read, rather choosing to spend our free time glued to our laptops and smartphones. Some of us still read, but choose to opt for an electronic version of a book rather than a paper version. I will admit, electronic books are great. They cut down on unused books which get dumped into landfills, easier to share globally, require less care, and in reality can be more environmentally friendly than an old paperback book. But what about the connection and personality of a paperback book?
Personally, I will always choose a paperback book over an electronic copy. There is something about having to physically turn a page that keeps me glued to even the dullest stories as one hopes turning the page will bring a change. And you know what, usually it does. With the turning of each page, it brings the story close to an end, but also teaching you lessons each page as you go.
Another advantage of paperback books over electronic books is the smell. Books have a distinct smell that is hard to describe and different to whomever you ask. It is comforting, warm, and draws you into it, much like a grandmother’s cookies. The smell draws you in, maybe to a bookstore you normally would have passed or an old coffee shop. Among those shelves of books, you never know what treasure is hidden, waiting to be discovered by the right individual. When in a bookstore or library, I can spend hours just wandering and browsing the shelves looking for the perfect book, for the perfect adventure to be my next.
Books in general, electronic or paperback, take you on an adventure you might not experience otherwise. Reading a book pulls you in, until you become a part of the story. Paper books pull you into the story even further. Having to physically turn the page, makes you a part of the story. Tears you cry for the characters become a part of the page. Nail marks from gripping the book tightly in anticipation worrying whether the hero or your favorite character will survive. Even just sitting the book down on its spine and having it fall open to the parts of the book that held your attention for a long period of time or marking the parts where you fell asleep as you were exhausted, but determined to find out what was going to happen. Numerous times, I find myself saying one more chapter, and then wake up in the morning with the book on either my nightstand or beside me from where I fell asleep. And I don’t know about you, but I would rather have a book hit me in the face than a tablet or a smartphone.
And finally, the paperback book gives you unlimited knowledge of anything and everything we can imagine. Through books, we open up the possibilities of our imagination, and it is endless. When you pick up a book, you experience everything the character is going through if you allow you imagination to run wild. We were at Hogwarts with Harry, surviving in the arena with Katniss, sailing on the Dawn Treader with Edmund and Lucy to visualizing the historical battles of great countries, the fall of great empires, and to experiencing the adventures though the travels of others, near and far. The best thing about books is the experience is unique to every individual. Adventure is out there; you just have to know where to look. And a good first step, is a paperback book.
