[lukev]

I don't disagree that a physical experience is nice, and I'm not even going to touch the "hot girl" point, since sex is one of the few things that is almost entirely physical.

But the physical experience of a book is completely orthogonal to the true nature of the book: that is, its content. I actually prefer physical books to e-texts, I like the experience better. But I don't delude myself that that's somehow more "true." I also like reading outdoors on a cool autumn day with the scent of woodsmoke in the air, but that's no more essential to a book than its physical medium.

The essence of a book is the thoughts contained therein, everything else is peripheral.