In Defence of the Physical Book

Illustrations by Grace McKenna

In an increasingly digital world, reading a physical book is becoming somewhat old-fashioned. Kindles and other portable digital reading tools offer the ability to carry hundreds of books around without your tote bag straps snapping – a desirable prospect for avid readers like me who find themselves devouring multiple books a week. With the click of a button, you can have a new book at your fingertips – no waiting for a delivery or travelling to the bookshop. And yet, the bookshop experience is undeniably irreplaceable.

Escaping from the world for a few minutes among the shelves, surrounded by towers of tomes is truly one of my favourite activities. A Kindle may offer ease, but it doesn’t offer the thrill of discovering a secluded bookshop tucked away up a cobbled street, complete with teetering towers of books, the ever-present background aroma of coffee and paper, and perhaps a resident cat too. 

Not only is the atmosphere of a bookshop irreplaceable, but bookshelves themselves can be works of art – the brief and decidedly impractical time that I rearranged my shelves into rainbow order was a testament to this. A world devoid of physical books would be a world devoid of the beauty found in them – not to mention the time and effort of all those involved in the design of a book.

Everything down to the space between paragraphs is meticulously crafted, and while things like font and cover design may still be able to be appreciated on a Kindle, the overall physical appearance and feel of a book cannot. How floppy will the cover be? What kind of paper will the pages be? And – call me crazy if you want – what will the book smell like? These are all questions that craft a book’s physical identity. 

While visual appeal is one argument, I’d go as far to say that reading a physical book is a better reading experience than reading digitally. It’s for this reason that I decide to buy my university course texts in physical form where I can. While this may be the more expensive option (even with the Blackwell’s back to uni student discount added!) it’s non-negotiable, in my opinion. Having a physical book offers a degree of connection to a text that reading through a screen prevents. 

I love my bookshelf, I love visiting the bookshop, and while my shoulder may hurt from the weight of it, I love carrying around my current read. I will firmly die on the hill of physical book superiority, and no fancy cases or arguments about practicality will ever lure me to the Kindle side.