Judging an E-Book by Its Cover

A book by any other name (for instance, an "e-book") might not smell as sweet, but it might be a joy to read.

What makes a book lovable? Some insist a book is defined by its sensory qualities: the texture of its pages; the smell of its binding; the colors of its cover. These people would argue that a book is like a good meal, that presentation is all-important. The red of bell pepper and the green of cilantro against an oversized white plate complement the entrée. For them, that makes the meal delicious!

But does it? What is on that plate anyway?

Beauty is as beauty does. At least that's what my mother told me. And I've been thinking a lot lately about what makes a book beautiful. Is it presentation, or content, or both? Given a badly written book presented on a beautiful reading instrument, or a book whose prose soared served on a clunky reading device, which would you choose? Of course, your answer depends on personal judgment. And I've offered a lot of room for judgment here. For some, the e-book format is more aesthetically pleasing than the paper version. (Yes, really!) And for others, the prose that might soar for me, plunges into heavy yawns for them.

So what really does matter? C.S. Lewis said, "We read to know we are not alone." When I read something I really love, I transcend the physicality of the device I happen to be reading and join the author's sensory world. I don't smell the binding of the book, I smell the coffee the author skillfully brings to aromatic life. I feel the heat of the fictional sun on my skin, not the texture of the page. I see that well-described green of the African veldt, not the cover of the book. And I know I'm not alone. I'm with the author.

I'd bet some of the original bards objected heartily, maybe even musically, to written books. And there had to be people who found typeset works distasteful compared to the carefully hand-inscribed manuscripts.

As for me, I'll read anything that tells a good story, even a stone tablet.

Jaki

Luddite Loves E-books!

I confess to being the resident Luddite on this blog. I even looked up the word "Luddite" in my (paper or "dead tree") dictionary and found it defined as relating to one Ned Ludd, a workman who destroyed machinery, more broadly applied to those who oppose technological change. And yet, I must also confess, I can't wait to return to reading Vanity Fair on my Sony Reader.

Yep, I said "my Sony Reader." Ah, the kinder, gentler era of Vanity Fair. Who can resist? I can't, especially when I can flip the pages of my electronic reader with one fingertip.

It all started when an online publishing company called E-Reads offered to print twelve of my out-of-print Kate Jasper murder mysteries as e-books. "E" as in electronic. I could smell electrons sparking dangerously. But I could smell virtual paper too. Books that hadn't been on the shelves for too long would become available again. And they wouldn't even need a shelf. I found out E-Reads offered titles in almost all fiction genres and these were available from a host of online retailers.

Even for a woman who doesn't own a cell phone or a television, the idea was irresistible. And, of course, we had to have a Sony Reader to test the process. Was it possible to read electronically? Wuthering Heights went by so fast I forgot to ask the question. And Frankenstein and Wives and Daughters. I'm addicted. My fingers won't stop flying.

From my writing keyboard to the buttons on my Sony Reader. I'm a goner. Is it true love or a trifling affection? Only time...and words...will tell.

E-Yours,

Jaki