I won't lie, I'm not a fan of e-readers, and have no desire to own one. It's a regular, circular argument between me and one of my colleagues, who frequently voices the virtues of e-readers - the lack of suitcase space, the lightness in weight, the convenience. It doesn't wash. Give me a suitcase ladened with beautifully illustrated books any day. I'd happily lug it across the world. There are so many reasons why I love books more than e-readers. If you're interested, here are just a few.
A few years ago I was given Faber and Faber's Eighty Years of Book Cover Design. For me, the process of buying a book is as much about the cover as the content. I love new and emerging illustrators and seeing their interpretations of the books I read. I love the creativity, the colour and the feelings they evoke. I love the idea of a book being a work of art of itself. I feel frustrated about bad book covers that bear no relation to the content, or use stock imagery and tired fonts. Most recently, the 50th anniversary edition of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar annoyed me.
I collect old books, and in particular I love 1950s illustrated dust covers. While admiring my 1950s edition of Alice in Wonderland (below) recently, I thought it might be fun (as it's World Book Day of course) to celebrate the art of books and how different artists have interpreted this famous tale since it was first published in 1865.
1899 - original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel
1910 - illustrated by Mabel Lucie Attwell
1916 - illustrations unknown
1951 - illustrated by the Walt Disney Studio
1969 - illustrations unknown
Recent - Alison Oliver
Recent - Ralph Steadman
Recent - Sara Mulvanny
Happy World Book Day! What will you be reading today?
Liked what you read today? Then why not subscribe? Just click the button:
I'm afraid i'm an e-reader fan, but it took a lot of convincing! I never thought i'd be able to give up the feel of a book. I now have the two co-habiting in my household. I think it was a necessary thing since books were literally making my two bookcase shelves bend under the weight of books. Sadly something had to give...
ReplyDeleteAlice was one of my favs - enjoy!
ReplyDeleteH X
Happy World Book day Sally! I got an e-reader a few years ago, read on it once, and was horrified! Went straight back to normal books, I just can't handle it, I need the old book smell!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if anyone here is looking for a (literally) once-used, almost brand new red Sony touch eReader for a great price, please email me avpeelde{at}gmail{dot}com - I hope nobody finds it offensive that I put that there, possibly somebody might like to try an ereader and as it's world book day I'd encourage anyone to pick up a book (be it real or electronic!) and read :)
Happy World Book day everyone!
Alessandra xo
My brother received an anniversary edition of the Little Hobbit for Christmas in which the original text is complimented with the (cover-) images of hundreds of illustrators from all over the world who drew the characters and scenes over the decades. It’s such a treasure! Anyway, love all those covers of the Alice books!
ReplyDeleteI prefer real books to e-readers too, especially as I'm also someone to judge a book by its cover. I found many interesting reads because I was drawn to the book by a pretty cover - and I'm seriously annoyed if I buy a new book of a series and suddenly the size and even worse the general layout does not fit the other books of the series.
ReplyDeletePS: Currently, I am reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, I think it fits for International Book Day, but this is just a coincidence.
My boyfriend offered to buy me a kindle for Christmas once, I yelled at him No several times, to me it just takes away the whole beauty of reading a book. The feel of paper and of course the smell. He did however download me some Ann Rice books onto my laptop, I still haven't read all of them. Odd but if they were in book form I would of flown through them.
ReplyDeleteHannah
x
www.daintyandivory.blogspot.com
Wow, that is so interesting to see all those covers next to one another! I love books too and although I can read on my iPad, I have read a total of one novel on it since I got it almost 2 years ago. There is just something special about holding a book in your hands.
ReplyDeleteLoulou
http://www.loulou.to