When readers go digital!

American novelist Ernest Hemingway had once said, ‘There is no friend as loyal as a book’. That sadly holds true only for a very few readers today. Gone are the days when people would be sitting endlessly in the libraries to finish a good book, or walk into a cool and musty smelling bookstore, past the racks full of titles. 

Nowadays, it is so much easier to browse through the net and download books on smartphones or Kindles. As UNESCO celebrates the World Book Day on April 23, we find out what readers think.

Sravanthi Talluri, founder of Write Club Hyderabad, feels nothing can be more engaging than a physical book. “In this fast-paced world of technology, books help us get away from the chaos of daily life. While one can certainly read on a tablet or kindle or listen to an audio book, they don’t give you the same experience of a story as a physical book would,” she says. 

“Another thing to consider here is that it would be pretty difficult for a reader to go past 100 pages of a book on kindle or their phone. That is because you are constantly engaged on the screen and your eyes would get tired. This is not true while reading a book printed on paper. That’s why people chose to read a paper book before going to bed it relaxes them,” Sravanthi adds.

Dr J. Pratyusha, a practising homoeopath and an avid reader, believes that despite the advent of technology, books haven’t lost their charm. “Books can never lose their charm. It’s just the easy accessibility of e-books that makes them more sought-after. For example, if I want to read a book, I can either order it online and wait for it to arrive in the post, or go looking for it in various bookshops. However, as most of us don’t really have the patience or time, the best option is to browse through a couple of websites and download a soft copy within minutes,” she shares.

However, if you all thought that reading an e-book is a new-age thing, which is used only by youngsters, think again! K. Indira Devi, who is a 73-years-old avid reader, prefers the soft copy over paperback or hardcover any day. “I like the convenience that comes with the light weight of the device. I read a lot and there are large varieties of books available online.”

The interactive nature of peripherals available with e-books is another lure. Siddharth Naidu, founder and CEO of VoxSpace, says, “If an enthusiast were to pick up a comic book from say, Comixology, he would find not just the comic but also trivia, games, quests and much more in this digital version. Another reason for the switch is that while parents want their children to inculcate a reading habit, they don’t have the time to spend with them. So, they simply buy digital alternatives to keep the children engaged.”

Author Sriram Karri agrees, saying India doesn’t have many readers. While the author prefers printed books, he believes that any form of reading should be encouraged. 

“Although India has a young demography, we don’t have many readers. I see many who are averse to the idea of reading after they graduate, and I think that needs to change. So, I would say be it a physical book or e-books or audio books, we should encourage the youth to start reading.”