I got my first e-reader for Christmas 2009 and my reading has increased exponentially since. In 2009 I read maybe 6 or 7 books (back then English book choices in the Netherlands that didn't cost a small fortune were limited to murder-crime thriller and chick-lit, neither of which I enjoy. In 2011 I read more than 120 books, and having an e-reader was the main reason for the increase:
1) Variety. If I was too tired to read an intense, literary book, I could easily switch to something lighter/funnier/shorter within seconds. When carrying a paperbook around, if I didn't feel like reading that particular book, I just didn't read at all.
2) Convenience. I won't whip out a paperbook and read a few pages at the bus stop or in a long queue, but I will read a few pages on my phone. When the bus turns up or my turn in the queue comes up, I just lock my phone and slip it into my pocket. I couldn't do that with a paperbook - having to put my bookmark back in and squeeze the book into my bag is just too much hard work.
Reading in bed is also easier with an e-reader and a reading light - no more hand cramps from trying to hold up that 800 page hardback.
3) Availability. I can get pretty much any book I want on my e-reader, and if I can't, well there's thousands of alternatives. I'm no longer locked into paying huge prices on shipping and waiting impatiently by my mailbox. If I see something I want, I literally have it in seconds.
I still buy a lot of paperbooks - I love the feel of them and I read faster in paperback than in electronic format for some odd reason, but I'm never without some kind of e-reader.
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