Books vs. E-Readers

So we have two main ways to enjoy literature: the book, and the e-book. I am unbiased when it comes to this topic: a book has a charm that an e-book cannot replicate, and an e-book has a practicality that a book cannot replicate.

Scenario: THE BEACH
You're in a sundress, sitting on a towel, toes in the sand. What do you want? A book. How do you want your book? A real book. Why? Unless the wind ruffling through the pages of a novel bothers you too much, the romance of reading a book on the beach is irreplaceable. Pros: romance, no chance of sand damage, easy to share. Cons: book can get wet, your pages ruffle, people can see what you're reading.

Scenario: COLLEGE
You're in a lecture hall, told to turn to page 458 of your psychology textbook. One hour later, you're on a city bus to go get some more toothpaste and towels, and you need to finish chapter 14 of the latest John Greene novel. Two hours later, you need new hairstyles for a night out with your best friends. What do you want? An e-reader loaded with your textbooks, novels, and magazines. Why? Instead of taking up precious space in your dorm room, you can tote around a small tablet. Pros: you can turn to certain pages in your textbooks quicker, you don't need to dog-ear your books, and you can search the magazines for keywords. Cons: a target for delinquent thieves, especially while out and about.

Two different cases, two different answers. I believe that hard copies and an e-reader would be beneficial. Here is a video guide to purchasing an e-reader.