Ordering The Chaos...Kind Of

I've been spending some time trying to tidy up my blog, refresh links, update pages, do better tagging, things like that.  It is an ongoing project that will probably never get finished, but a girl has to try right?  One of the things I have been trying to do is see what books I have, what books I've read, what books I've rambled about and what I need to do to update all of the above.  I have found (and this is a common problem among us bibliophiles) is that I own way more books then I remember I have.  Between random book trips, online shopping, and e-books, I easily forget I have certain books
already in my possession, or that I even want to read them in the first place.  To this end, I have been updating my Future Reading List with notations on whether I own the book on my bookshelf, on my Nook, or on my Kindle.  I have also been trying to plan ahead and actually continue or finish up some of the zillions of series I have started and actually like.  Now all of this sounds very good, but it comes with it's own problems.  As I go through my list of TBR books, I have a really bad tendency to stop whatever it is I am doing and start reading any one of the ton's of books I have.  If I can force myself to get past that aspect, I usually end up on TBR books I don't own and then a shopping spree ensues.  My rambling page isn't much better as their are a ton of books I love and am dying to reread, or (and this is one of my quirks) if a new book in a series comes out and I haven't read (or rambled) on the previous books...well I obviously have to reread those as well.   All of this, the changing weather, my random book cravings, and my inability to stay off my favorite review sites leads to more chaos then order when it comes to my books, but in the end, that may be one of the things I love about reading so much, there is no wrong way to do it, just not enough time.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Old Vs New

All through out history there has been the struggle between the traditional, known, beloved way of doing things and the new, provocative, cutting edge, unknown way of doing things.  Horse and Buggy vs The Automobile.  Stove vs Microwave, Snail Mail vs Email, and now ladies and gentlemen the newest debate Printed Books vs E-Readers! That's right folks, now you too can hold thousands of books in the palm of your hand, need a good mystery it's there, bored of that and want a good romance, just switch to a different book...unless you're in your bathtub...or the battery runs out...or your wonderful Hubbin won't share the e-reader.  Of course you could always stick with the good old bound book, you can take it anywhere, you never lose power, you have it actually in your hand...unless it's back at home on the bed table...or you don't feel like reading that particular book but your stuck on a plane with no access to your books shelf...or it's only in hardcover and cost a bazillion dollars and you really don't want to wait for it to come out in paperback.

As you have probably guessed from the above I feel there are pros and con's to both types of medium. 

Lets start with the good old fashioned bound book
Pros:

It's a book!

You most definitely own it, it will never disappear of your device if the server goes down
They are usually cheaper to replace if you accidentally leave it somewhere or get it wet
You can read it in the bathtub
Never runs out of battery
Some of the older (better) books are not available yet on electronic media
There is artistry in a lot of books that just doesn't translate to the electronic form
There is nothing like the smell of a book, old or new
I like turning the pages
It's a book!
Cons:
It's hard to take more then a couple at a time with you, especially when you are travelling
Individual books tend to be more expensive, especially hard cover
You have to go to a bookstore or wait for a book to be delivered to read it
Can't read them in the dark without some source of light
Can get damaged by things like water, fire, light, small dogs

Now for the technologically advanced E-Readers
Pros:
You can have like a zillion books at once
Instant access most of the time, no waiting for books
Can read in the dark
You get to buy a new toy
Individual books tend to be cheaper
Comes with a built in dictionary
Get to read new authors who may not be in print yet
A lot of the classics are available for FREE! (Jane Austen, Bronte sisters, ect...)
Cons:
The devices tend to be expensive to start with (though they are getting cheaper, and free apps for some devices that you may already have)
You can't(or shouldn't) take them in certain place, like the bathtub (which is one of my favorite places to read) or the beach (unless you are not like me and can remember to keep it out of the sand and rising tide)
The battery can die
It's way to easy to spend a lot of money without realizing it
Technically the books can be removed from your device by the provider
Can be damages by dropping, water, stupid people
It's not a book!

Obviously both sides have there ups and downs and I guess in the end you have to decide for yourself.  The nice thing though is you don't have to pick a side if you don't want to.  I have both real books and e-books and I love them all.  I think anything that gives more authors a chance to be known, and encourages more people to read can't be a bad thing. I personally have several of the more popular apps (Kindle, Nook) on my PC, laptop, and tablet device.  Besides now I have my Hubby convinced that collecting real books isn't so much a hobby any more as it is an investment because someday they may be rare and worth something :-)
Let me know where you come down on the issue.  Have you donated all your books and live the austere techno-junky life of the e-reader only, or are you a purist and only let your fingers touch honest to goodness paper pages, or are you like me and enjoy any possible way that you can read be it book or e-reader?