As a long fan of hardcover books, I was always tempted by e-books readers but fought the urge to get another digital thing. You know, less screen time whenever possible. But that changed in late 2021, I finally got a Kindle.
One can guess I’m no longer a fan of hardcover books, but that’s not true. I’m still a huge fan. I’ve got a Kindle because I live in Morocco and getting a hardcover English book in Morocco is challenging.
First, there is not enough choice when it comes to English books in Morocco. If you like to read bestsellers and well-known books, then you are good. But anything outside that cliché-zone, you’re out of options.
Second, even if you manage to find your book, the prices are generally extravagant. I’m not sure why this is the case given books enjoy 0% taxes in Morocco, but I guess the market is small.
Lastly, shipping a book from the nearest Amazon (France or Spain) is expensive. I tried that before, and it’s around 4-5$ per book. Not worth it.
This is mainly why I decided to go digital. I can get any book I want, without thinking too much about the process and waiting for weeks. However, I’m still planning to buy the physical copies when I’m abroad to keep them in my library 🙂