E-readers can't replace the feeling of reading real books (yet)

I had two new experiences yesterday. I finished reading Joseph Conrad’s classic novel, “Heart of Darkness,” and this book was the first book that I have read entirely on an e-reader.

To say the least, the novel was great. First published in 1902 in Blackwood’s Magazine, this book is narrated by Charles Marlow, who is telling his friends about his adventures in the Congo while they are anchored on a ship near London. Marlow previously worked as a ferryboat captain for a Belgian trading company in Africa.

His mission in Africa was two-fold. He was to bring a valuable cargo of ivory back down the Congo River and bring back another ivory trader, the mysterious Mr. Kurtz. Prior to meeting Kurtz, Marlow learns that the man has a remarkable reputation and later discovers that the natives regard the charismatic Kurtz as a god-like figure.

About halfway through the book, I began looking to see if there were any film adaptations of the novel. I figured there had to be, given that the book is considered a literary classic. Much to my disappointment, there have only been two television adaptations of the book, one in 1958 by CBS and another in 1993 by TNT.

The closest thing to a motion picture adaptation is Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 movie, “Apocalypse Now.” However, the book, “Heart of Darkness” and the movie, “Apocalypse Now” are very different. The book is set in the Congo in the 19th century, and the movie is set in Vietnam during the late 1960s or early 1970s during the Vietnam War. In the movie, a young Martin Sheen plays the character of Capt. Willard, who takes the place of Marlow in the story. Willard secures passage on a navy boat headed up river, where is supposed to “terminated the command” of Col. Walter E. Kurtz. Kurtz, a genius who has apparently lost his mind, has broken away from the Army and is waging his own private war. He is also revered as a god by the natives.

As mentioned before, this is the first book that I’ve ever read on an e-reader, and it was an interesting experience. My wife gave me a very slick e-reader called by “The Book,” which is manufactured by Augen, for Christmas. The e-reader is back lit, very easy to read, has a color screen and has a long battery life. It also came packed with 150 free e-books, including “Heart of Darkness” and other classics.

Makers of these sorts of devices have a long way to go before they can replace the feel of reading a real book, but this technology has come a long way in a short time. My only fear is that they will, once they become ubiquitous, render libraries and newspapers obsolete. That day may never arrive, and for the sake of print book lovers, myself included, I hope it never does. This is not to say that I plan to throw my e-reader away.