A new way to read

I’m not sure if I’m fascinated or horrified by this New York Times article -> Tiny Books Fit in One Hand. Will They Change the Way We Read? 

On one hand, I love that books are changing, adapting to new ways that readers are interacting with words. Innovation is exciting in that regard. I’m always interested in exploring literary worlds in new formats and I think this one is interesting. But. Yes, a but.

I’m torn. I want to embrace this new tiny book idea and I’ll probably buy one out of curiosity.  BUT the one part of the article I keep coming back to is this:

The tiny editions are the size of a cell phone and no thicker than your thumb, with paper as thin as onion skin. They can be read with one hand — the text flows horizontally, and you can flip the pages upward, like swiping a smartphone.

I read on my phone, I read on an e-reader too. I’m not opposed to that but I don’t want books to be nothing more than a cell phone.

Books are an experience. Books are to be savored. Books become memories. Books and the stories they carry shouldn’t be a simple swipe. But, again, a but. If using innovation as the inspiration, maybe I need to step back and give this new format a go and see how I feel then.

For now, old school. I’ll be reading a heavy 571-page hardcover book this weekend. If my arms get tired, my thoughts on this may change.

One thought on “A new way to read

  1. I just heard about these, too, and my reaction was the same. I find it really really sad that someone thought making a book feel more like a phone would encourage people to read. I’d rather stick to traditional books (I had to make my kindle feel more like a paperbound book, in order to enjoy reading on it!)

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