hardcover, paperback, pda?

he other day I had an email conversation about reading books via PDAs. A friend does that - buy ebooks and then read them on his PDA. He says its convenient and saves him from having to find more space for his overflowing book collection. And that he can also highlight passages, check meanings of words if he has to.

But I feel that reading is not just about the book, about the words the author has written but also about the medium. I can barely stand it when reading some mass market paperbacks - where the quality of the paper is so thin, and almost grey. Worse still are those books released for reviewing purposes - those are usually on blindingly stark white paper. Whereas I just adore it when the paper is of a good thickness, is slightly creamy in colour and with a good font. It also helps if the cover's a nice one, of course. I'm a sucker for a gorgeous visual cover.

A PDA however, I'm not sure. I guess it's also because I'm just not a fan of the PDA. I can see the merits of being able to store many ebooks on this one device but it just seems to take all the romance out of reading. I can't see myself whipping out a PDA to read books in a cafe. Although I suppose it could prove useful on a bus or MRT, or at a meeting.

Meanwhile, found an interview with Truman Capote in the Paris Review archives. (warning: PDF) Interesting statements he makes...
I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a cigarette or coffee handy. I've got to be puffing and sipping.