I Can Carry.....

One of the arguments that many of my e-book lover friends have made in support of the e-book is that they can carry all of their books with them at all times.  While this sounds quite impressive, is it really a benefit?

"I can carry two thousand books on here.  Which makes traveling so much easier."

I'm pretty sure that none of them even own two thousand books (physical books or e-books) and if they did, when would they need to carry all of them at once?  I mean, just think about it for a minute.  When would anyone on this Earth need to carry two thousand books with them at one time?  What kind of vacation are you going on?  No one needs two thousand books to go to the beach for a week.

Still, they'll say that traveling is so much easier because of their capacity to carry everything with them in a slim (but still rather oddly shaped) electronic device.  I really don't understand that statement.  I mean, I always take books with me when I travel, and I've never found it to be annoying or take up a lot of space.  When I fly, I'll take maybe 2 paperbacks with me.  They fit nice and snug in my carry on and certainly help the time pass more quickly while sitting in the airports and the planes.  I honestly don't read once I reach my destination.  The days are filled with lots of sightseeing and eating, and the evenings are filled with more eating and sightseeing.  There honestly isn't time to read.

The only vacations for me where lots of books are required are beach trips.  I absolutely love doing nothing but sitting in my beach chair near the water with a good book and a cold drink.  The relaxing atmosphere just allows me to plow through my books, and I can usually read a book a day (though I expect that will change on our next beach trip since we now have a son and four dogs).  For the sake of optimism, however, let's say I'll be able to continue that rate of reading.  I would still only need to take 5 or 6 books for the week.  Put 5 paperbacks in a small tote and stick them on the corner of the trunk.  It really isn't going to take up much room.  Yes, it takes up more room than a Kindle or iPad, but your car isn't going to collapse from the extra 2 pounds.  Honestly the dog toys, treats, blankets, towels, brushes etc. are far more annoying to me than slipping 5 paperbacks in the bottom of a suitcase.

Don't get me wrong, keeping two thousand books on one device takes up a LOT less space than two thousand actual books, but does it really make traveling that much easier?  I mean, it's not like music where we switch between albums and songs rather frequently and we'd have a reason to take two thousand with us.  Most of us read only one book at a time.  We don't read a chapter in one book and then switch to another.

The capacity to carry that many on one device seems like more of a 'just because I can' than anything.  Think about it the next time you pack for vacation and go to put your Nook or Kindle in your suitcase.  Ask yourself if you really need all of those books or if putting a paperback in its place would suit your needs just as well.

I can carry exactly what I need.  What can you carry?

My book doesn't need a battery.

                                                                                                                                 Does yours?