There’s nothing quite like the feel of flipping through the thin pages of a book in your hands. The smell of a new book is fresh and crisp, unlike the bland feel of some fancy electronic device. I’ve owned both books and a Nook, and sadly, a Nook cannot compare to the feel of a “real” book.

Although the convenience of downloading books instantly is pretty nice, it definitely isn’t the same as picking out a book you love and bringing it home. The electronic “bookmark” doesn’t come anywhere near the satisfaction of folding down a corner of a page to hold your place.

Not only that, but many schools won’t allow eReaders because they’re electronic devices. Taking books makes things a lot less complicated. However, the slim design of a Nook makes it easier to carry around and stash in various places.

I prefer real books, and for simple reasons. But there’s no denying that a Nook has its pros, too. The ability to change font size helps those who have vision troubles, and the automatic book marks saves you from losing your page. The no-backlight thing helps to ensure that it doesn’t hurt your eyes after a long time of reading. Lastly, the most obvious positive is that you don’t have to go anywhere to purchase a book. You log on, hit “buy,” and the book downloads straight to your nook. More innovative and technology-obsessed people are really into the whole idea, but some of us more old-fashioned readers prefer the real deal.

It’s really sad that printed books are becoming old style. If the trend continues, printing will be almost eliminated in the future. Everything in our world is becoming technology-based, and now they’re trying to take away our books, too. Even though Nooks seem desirable, real books just can’t be replaced. You can write notes, crinkle the pages and mark your place. You can drop it without the “screen” shattering, unlike with a Nook. (Mine broke, by the way.) Books never break. They’re durable, withstanding everything from a hungry cat to a vicious rain storm.

The more prestigious people of today’s society might opt for the electronic version of everything, but sometimes newer really isn’t better. Like many other things, books are irreplaceable. They can work as hard as they want to make something better, but books have been around as far back as anyone knows.