For me, reading paper books is a special ritual. E-books are convenient, of course, and I use them, but can you compare the warm, almost homely feeling you experience when holding a real book in your hands? It becomes not just text, but a companion. I carefully pick up a bookmark, carefully straighten the cover, trying not to damage the corners. But when the book is already read, small folds and light abrasions remain - traces of our shared journey. Reading a paper book is also an opportunity to stop, to disconnect from the world that is constantly bustling and demanding attention. When you open a book, it is as if you find yourself in your own quiet place, where there are no screens, flashing notifications and noise. Just you and the story, as if it was written for you.
Sometimes I catch myself returning to my favorite moments, rereading them. My friends live on my shelf – novels, collections, detectives. Each book tells its story not only on the pages, but also in the memories it left in me. Looking at a book, you immediately remember where and when you read it, what emotions it evoked.
Paper books are memory. They can lie on the shelf, but they will always be with us. And even though we have modern technology, I will not exchange the rustle of pages and their smell for the cold shine of the screen.
And how do you feel about paper books? Yours, Maria.