What is a book?

A book is a friend. A book is that friend that comforts you when you're alone when you're having a bad night. It's the friend that you're willing to spend time with on a rainy Saturday. A book is a story and a lesson. A book can also be your worst enemy. But do you not learn from your enemies as well?

I love holding a book, and prefer it. But I don't, and can't, cherish the book quite like other people can. I like seeing duct taped books. The books that are falling apart because they've been read so many times. I like reading other people's notes in the margins. I love seeing a well loved book. I just can't do that. My books are almost always in near pristine condition even after 4 or 5 times of reading it.Yes, like most books the spine is creased (usually), the bottom of it a little more so than the top due to my thumb holding the page down. I love seeing a well loved book. I hate making the book look like that. So to me? The physcal book holds a story of its own. Does that make an electronic copy any less important or wonderful? No not at all. I would actually prefer reading large books that I can't take to school on an e-reader or something (looking at you, Harry Potter). There's merit to both viewpoints. The story you take away from the story is going to be taken away no matter how you read it. Do you take away something totally different from the simple act of holding a physical book? Maybe. Maybe not. That depends on how you read.

A book is your friend. It may be triggering, it may make you want to throw it out of a window (don't tell me you haven't wanted to do that before) and it may make you question your entire existence. And because of that it's a bit of your soul. When you read a book it takes a little bit of your soul and replaces it with a part of itself. And the act of letting a friend borrow a book is a symbol of trust (you had just better be sure they'll give it back...) and removing the physical book from the equation removes the personal connection you may have to it.

So to me? The story and the book itself are both important. You just have to choose which experience you want to take away this time.