The evolution of the written book is an important piece of the history of mankind and one that should be considered by all fans of the new wave of electronic mediums. Through many centuries the written book has developed into a integral part of our society but, the electronic revolution is threatening that. The downward spiral of the printed book is a bit disconcerting to me.
Centuries ago oral interpretations of stories where translated to paper to preserve the tales for future generations. This can be contributed to the lost art of storytelling, however, it extended accessability to such stories. A book written on paper is easily toted and allows the reader to enjoy its content wherever he or she might be; lying in bed, on an airplane, on the beach.
The recent advances in electronic mediums, such as Kindle, Nook and IPad have certainly increased “totability” and accessability to some extent but cannot compare to a “real” book; how it feels in your hands, how it sounds, how it smells. Bringhurst writes that he is affected by “the sight of librarians students, teachers, and academic administrators leaping onto the bandwagon, assuming that all knowledge is going to fit, and even to flourish, in a single kind of container and the newest sort of container must be the best.”(2008) Why is it better just because its new? That is a question we should all ask ourselves. The point made in Bringhurst’s article about how books have “made forrests disappear and landfills grow” can be considered valid but, where will all of the outdated electronic “containers” end up? They are not biodegradebale like books and the highest probability is they will end up in our landfills too.
Advances continue in the electronic mediums and don’t seem to be slowing down; hopefully, our beloved books will withstand the new generation of technology and remain an accessible part of our history.
(Hyatt, 2007)
Works Cited
Bringhurst, Robert. “Why There Are Pages and Why They Must Turn”. 1 September 2008. World Literature Today. 26 February 2011. http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=6&sid=7e53180d-e44a-4596-97ba-c545b7a56eaa%40sessionmgr11&vid=2
Hyatt, Michael. “Whey Traditional Books Will Eventually Die”. 20 November 2007. Michael Hyatt International Leadership. 26 February 2011. < http://michaelhyatt.com/why-traditional-books-will-eventually-die.htm>
I have always loved how a book smelled and felt in my hands. It was familiar, it reminded me of my youth. I would ride my bike to the library and stay for hours; I loved spending time there. The texture, the smell, the sights, reminded me of this time as a child, reminded me of all the great stories I read. Would this be different had I never known a paper book? I don’t think it would. Books stink, they smell musty, I simply grew accustom to the smell. They are heavy, they have torn pages, they get lost, and they get stolen. An e-book may not be familiar to you or I, but what about the next generation who is first experiencing the book? Which will they prefer?
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