“Brian ordered coffee from the attractive waitress but it wasn’t her beauty that caught his attention on this particular day it was what he saw through the window…..”

Stories are great, information is power and books rule, no?

There was a time when a book cost as much as a house but that was centuries ago and unimaginable to modern readers so I will leave that up to you to look into.

The written word models who we are and how we act and is far more personal than a stage play, television programme or film. The words create the images in our minds and the reader has the ability to control the speed of the story.

At school I was particularly poor at reading and writing and I was always so ashamed and humiliated when forced to read passages aloud to a class full of uninterested pupils. It did nothing to boost confidence and put me off reading for life. Or so I thought.

Luckily, I  found a love for the written word in my early twenties when I consciously began the journey of teaching myself to read for pleasure.

Secondhand books were cheap and easy to find and each evening I would pick up where I had left off the evening before. Characters left hanging in doorways or peeling a banana would be able to continue to the next frame of their lives.

Newspapers became interesting and by choosing a diverse selection of genres and topics my want to read became a desire rather than a must.

The problem with modern living for many is space. Space is expensive and more and more want a slice of that space.

Books on the other hand are bulky and require space. They are heavy and easily damaged when carried around.

So was the Electronic Book or E-reader invented. The early ones were from Sony around 2004/5 and in 2007 we were introduced to the first Kindle.

Suddenly hundreds of books could be stored, carried and read on one small easy to use tablet. For those like me with a one bedroom house it was a revolution of the most welcome kind. No more buying books only to be given away as I had nowhere to keep them once read.

The computer became a fantastic arena for reading free papers. I can’t remember the last time I bought a newspaper. One can also comment on articles instantly and vent frustrations or put across points of views.

And the internet…look even I can write words and create yet another electronic piece of bilge.

Its the biggest innovation  since Caxton and his kin invented the printing press.

At the start the machines were a bit heavy and some were a bit confusing to download to to. Upgrading sometimes meant a loss in purchased titles too but the modern Kindles are simple and almost idiot proof. Buying a new one? No worries all one’s previous titles and amendments are automatically imported when set up.

Even the written word has gone electronic with “e-pens” being used to write on tablets and electronic paper. Some even transfer from writing on normal paper to an awaiting computer.

Artist can draw and paint using these pens and stylus so it brings an end to messy and cluttered studios and houses. One can also design on the go without having to carry a plethora of equipment.

I love them but will they replace “real books” or “honest art” completely?

No. Is the simple and most honest answer.

There is something very pleasing about a bookshop and the handling of a book that the electronic device will never replicate or be able to replace. They also look good with their sleek jackets and bindings.

As for art well thats for the artist and the beholder of art as a piece in its own right.

Books are here to stay so long as we have eyes to view them and both the electronic and physical will just have to rub shoulders and accept one another for what they are.

Technology really is all around us as gradually more diverse ways of using it and interacting with it are brought into play and invented. Some we just take for granted and have changed the way we live but others are left kicking and screaming on the edge of our lives to be frowned up and pushed away.

Mostly though we do have choice so as for reading, writing and arting (I know its not a proper word but it just fits here) either stay traditional, embrace technology or play the bit of both world game. Its all up to you.