The Making of a Confused Reader

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As an avid reader, I am thoroughly confused about my preferred medium for reading the books. Below is my journey so far:

1. Started with physical paper books. Highlighting what you like and the feeling of holding a real book adds to the overall joy of reading. Then logistical challenges kicked in. Storage of books, impatience of waiting for a new book to be delivered, inability to carry multiple books when your travelling et al.
2. Kindle seemed like a logical next choice. I could download books instantly (at a relatively cheaper price) and carry it wherever I go. And highlight sections too (though not as fun as using pastels on paper). So, got the Kindle. Then pandemic kicked in. Didn’t had enough time to read given chores took precedence. And yes, I did miss the feel of paper.
3. Audible seemed like a logical next choice. I could listen to books while I did the chores. Audible made the chores much more likeable. But then I lost the ability to highlight sections I liked. And going back (like turning the page) wasn’t an option. Plus, it didn’t seem like the right choice for all types of books. I recall I was listening to Alchemy by Rory Sutherland and I had this nagging feeling that I need to have this book in physical so that I can read it over and over. That’s a gem by the way.
4. I also dabbled with Blinklist briefly since had a paucity of time (should rather say I couldn’t prioritise reading). It seemed like a good app for the books you wouldn’t read otherwise but not for the books that you would really like to read. So, it became an app where I would read the blinks of a book that I wouldn’t read otherwise. But it felt like I was cheating myself given all I did was to read the summary of books I wouldn’t have read otherwise.

So, I moved back to reading the physical paper books. Ordered a whole lot of them and have been thoroughly enjoying them. Plus, I found some really cool books that no other medium would do justice to other than paper. ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ is one such book and it is one of the best I have read. I do occasionally read Kindle when I am travelling somewhere. Blinkist continues to be a choice of app for books that I wouldn’t read otherwise. Have given up on Audible.

And yes, I continue to be a confused reader.