READING JANE EYRE ON A KINDLE: REASONS TO LIKE EBOOKS

by guest blogger Angelita Williams

A scene from Jane Eyre 2011

Die-hard fans of hardcopy books will tell you they can't fathom a world in which ebooks rule the roost and paper books are viewed as relics of the past. Only time will tell whether ebooks replace paper books in the way that tapes replaced records and CDs replaced tapes and MP3s replaced CDs. Judging by the way things are going, however, it seems as though ebooks are definitely here to stay.

If you haven't invested in an ebook reader yet, you may be wondering what all the hype is about. After all, you can go to the used bookstore down the street and buy a hardcopy book for half the price you'd pay Amazon to get your hands on the digital version of the same book. There are undeniably some reasons to stick to hardcopy books and skip out on the ebook frenzy. However, there are also plenty of reasons to like ebooks. Here's what digital books have going for them:

There are tons of free ebooks

Sites like Project Gutenberg and OpenCulture offer thousands of ebooks for free, and downloading them to your ebook reader is 100% legal. Project Gutenberg offers the complete works of William Shakespeare, almost all of Jane Austen's novels, and most of the Brontë sister's literary contributions. Open Culture boasts a plethora of contemporary and classic literature and a bunch of free electronic text books for college and grad students.

In addition to downloading free ebooks from sites like Project Gutenberg and Open Culture, you can also download free digital literature from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and Sony (depending on who the maker of your ebook reader is). You may not be able to get around paying Amazon $12 for a current bestseller, but there are a bazillion different ways you can find free and affordable ebooks to satisfy your book loving soul.

Ebooks are more practical and convenient, in many ways

Paper books, carefully organized on elegant bookshelves, are an attractive addition to any home. You can only collect so many hardcopy books, however, before your house becomes cluttered with them. On the other hand, you can expand your ebook library as much as you want without having to worry about the amount of available space in your home.

Additionally, it's a lot easier to carry around twenty ebooks than it is to carry around twenty hardcopy books. If you're taking a long vacation, your ebook reader will take up a lot less space in your suitcase than those five inspiring books you've been meaning to read. And if you're a college student, carrying around your ebook reader in your bag is a lot better for your back than carrying around all of your course textbooks.

Owning an ebook reader saves you time

Having to trek over to your local bookstore whenever you need a new book costs you time. You can download ebooks instantly. And there's no chance that an ebook store will be sold out of what you're trying to buy. So, reading digital books eliminates the need to go from bookstore to bookstore to get a copy of that bestseller that's flown off all the shelves in your area. If not having enough time to go to the bookstore is the reason you don't read very often, an ebook reader may be just what you need to lose the excuses and start reading.

As you can tell, there are some very good reasons to like ebooks. Fortunately, you don't have to quit reading hardcopy books when you start reading ebooks. So, there's no need to feel guilty if you decide to treat yourself to an ebook reader. The medium you use to read doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that you're reading!

Angelita Williams is a blogger who loves to share her passion for education with her readers. You can see her write about the benefits of online learning, distance learning, and college education in general on many prominent education blogs. You can reach Angelita at angelita.williams7@gmail.com.