J. M. Levinton

I Threw Out 94 Paperbacks This Week

• May 30, 2021
• Blog
• 2 Comments

Yes, threw out, not donated. And believe me, it hurt. So why did I do it? Because as I took each book off the shelf and breathed, I began coughing. It was age and humidity and there was nothing to be done about it.

Replacing them is a dilemma. Paperback or Kindle? So here’s my Pro and Con list and I hope to hear opinions from both sides.

PAPERBACK

Pro

There’s a tactile connection for reading with actual pages. Some stories begged (at least, begged to me) to have that extra sensory experience as I plunged into the tale again.

Others can see what I’m reading (or have read) and that fosters dialogue. Those bookcases are there for a reason.

Con

The musty decay that made me cough will happen again. Maybe not for years, but it’s a given. And then it becomes one more thing for the landfill.

The price. Paperbacks have become a lot more expensive.

KINDLE

Pro

I can carry around many books wherever I am.

It’s significantly cheaper than paperbacks.

Con

I’m dependent on electricity.

No one can see the books and share in them.

I have considered replacing some books with hardcovers, which seems to solve the problem of longevity but not the price or the space they take up.

And finally, not all of those 94 will be replaced, although most will. I was surprised that some had become a “should have” rather than a “will reread again.” It was actually possible to toss those and not look back.

I’ve had teeth pulled. That was easier than sitting with the recycling bag and those well-read and tattered books.

*Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net