The Magic Of Physical Books vs An E-Reader

Why sometimes the old way is still the best way.

Credit: Unsplash

I own four e-readers.

A Kindle, two Kobos, and a Boox Palma—each with its own perks. Yes, I know. I'm flexing a little. 😅

But here’s the truth: as efficient as e-readers are, sometimes nothing compares to the quiet, unexpected magic of reading a real, physical book.

And a few weeks ago, I was reminded just how true that is.

I was at the hospital for a routine follow-up, already bracing for a long wait.

Normally, I’d bring my Kindle. But that day, I grabbed the book I was reading at the time, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas—a chunky fantasy novel in paperback that had been sitting on my shelf for years.

(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭.)

While flipping through the pages, I noticed one of the staff members stealing glances at the cover. She looked intrigued, but didn’t say anything until later, by pure coincidence, when she ended up processing my payment.

As she keyed in my bill, she asked quietly, “Are you enjoying Throne of Glass?”

She was a fellow fantasy fan. Had seen Sarah J. Maas’s books around but hadn’t picked one up yet. That one question turned into a five-minute chat about favorite series, strong female leads, and book recs. 

(Naturally, I told her to start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. I mean c'mon, you gotta read this series if you haven't people.)

Two strangers, connected through the story in my hands.

This isn’t a rare event. It’s happened so many times, in the most ordinary places:
💅 Nail salons
🛫 Airport lounges
🏥 Waiting rooms

Every time, someone sees the cover of a book I’m reading and says:
“Oh, I’ve read that!” or “I’ve been meaning to start this. Is it any good?”

And I tend to do the same when I see a fellow book reader with an interesting book. 

These small, spontaneous connections? They don’t happen with e-readers.

With a Kindle or Kobo, no one knows what you’re reading. It could be a Pulitzer Prize winner or a spicy dark romance, you’re basically holding a black mirror of mystery.

(Although... I do read my spicy dark romances on my e-reader specifically so I don't get judged in public. 😂 We all have our tricks.)

But here the deal:
✨ E-readers are convenient and great for privacy.
📚 Physical books are great for connection.

Reading a physical book in public is like quietly wearing your heart—or your reading taste—on your sleeve.

You’re giving the world a glimpse into your inner world. And sometimes, that glimpse is enough to spark a conversation, an exchange, even a brief sense of community with someone you’ve never met.

Sure, there’s a little vulnerability there. 

You might get judged for your book choice. But more often than not, you’ll find someone who lights up and says, “I love that book,” or “I’ve been meaning to read that too.”

And suddenly, the book becomes more than a story. It becomes a bridge.

Look, I’m not giving up on e-readers. They’re brilliant for travel, midnight reading, and saving space (and money) in the long run. I love mine. All four of them.

But that small hospital moment reminded me why physical books still matter.

Because sometimes, the best stories don’t just live on the page.

They begin when someone notices the story you're holding in your hands.