Share the power of the printed word this festive season

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Do you remember a special book from childhood, perhaps reading with a loved one? Does the smell of the ink and the feel of the crisp pages conjure fond images in your head? Have you passed those memories on to your child, a friend, or family member? If so, you are not alone.

According to a survey recently conducted by the Paarl Media Group to look at reading habits, an overwhelming 97% of respondents were able to recite fond memories of a book they had read. Many of these memories stemmed from books received or read as a child or young teen.

"What was expected was the number of respondents who said they had positive memories from a printed book, and many of those who shared their memories spoke of childhood books that had been kept as a memento, or that had passed on to their own children," says Peter Metcalfe, executive director: sales, Paarl Media Group.

There are a few reasons that respondents had such clear recollections; some had to do with the particular smell of ink and paper that brought up images from younger years. Most often, the respondents recalled tales that caused intense emotion, one respondent recalled how tears wet the pages of a book she had read.

"Those powerful recollections are the ones that stay with us forever, and giving that as a gift is priceless," emphasises Metcalfe.

Although the ongoing debate of the benefits and preferences between eBooks and printed books is sure to continue, one thing is clear, printed books create lasting memories.