A book is an entirely different experience. An e-reader is a slab of plastic and glass. There is nothing especially pleasing about touching it. Of course, what you read on it is just as engrossing as a book, but you're still holding an inert object (which is still incredibly useful if you're on a trip - you just can't lug around a suitcase full of books, but an e-reader is the equivalent in your pocket).
A book is almost a living thing. Pages are tactile, and they keep trace of how you treat them. A well-read book is full of little scars, places where the page tip is folded because the reader was too fast in turning it. Looking at the state of a book is almost reading into its own history.
I read on a screen all day long. I'm a programmer so, if I'm not coding, I'm probably looking for a tip or a solution to a specific problem, or consulting the manual for a specific function, or on the lookout for news in my domain of expertise. I'm looking at screens from 7 in the morning to around midnight every day.
If I want to take a break from that, I want a book. A good old-fashion dead tree compendium that I can cherish and treat with respect, while letting my mind wander its universe.
But that's just my opinion.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
