Hallelujah! Print books are officially NOT dead [1]. When ebooks made their debut several years ago, literary-lovers feared what the future would hold for our beloved (physical) books. But the "digital apocalypse" has been thwarted and true books still hold steady in sales — due in no small part to all the hardcore book addicts [2] out there in the world. While ebooks certainly have their perks, real books are, and always will be, so much better. Here's why.
You can create bookshelf porn.
#Shelfie
They are better for flipping back and referencing earlier parts of the story.
You can literally get your nose stuck in them.
You can bring them into the bath!
And they won't die a slow flickering death if you drop them in.
They can be used as tables, furniture, and shelves.
Because book art is the best art.
Book origami [3] is our new favorite art form.
They can reflect the season, the weather, or your mood.
You can spend hours browsing libraries and book stores.
You can take book selfies.
Because beautiful book covers are LIFE.
You can slam them down or shut.
Slamming books shut makes a statement. Just ask Hermione.
Authors can't sign ebooks.
You can build book forts, passageways, and towers.
The possibilities are ENDLESS.
You can hug them <3.
The wear and tear shows how loved they are.
Because bookmarks speak volumes.
They smell SO. GOOD.
. . . Seriously, people have made candles in the attempt to capture their scent.
Reading books is contagious!
Really! Science says that reading is a habit that is developed [4] by the influence of others.
You can throw them across the room when they make you mad.
And unlike an ereader . . . books won't break.
They add to your home decor.
You can take them anywhere and everywhere.
They make gorgeous gifts.
Making them is an art form in and of itself.
You get a workout without even trying.
You can still read them even if they get wet.
They help you sleep.
While the light from ebooks can make it more difficult for your brain to wind down, books actually help you relax [5] and fall asleep more easily.
You can get really creative with how you arrange them.
You can read them in the sun without worrying about the glare.
The battery of a book never, ever dies.