However, despite scepticism from some technology experts that the tactile satisfaction of the paper book has not been successfully replicated, it now seems that the e-book is starting to take off.
The Amazon "kindle" e-book sold out in the United States within a few hours on its first run. Bookseller Borders' iLiad e-book is selling well and the much-hyped Sony Reader is due out in September.
"It has been spoken about for a long time but things are actually starting to happen," says Julie Howkins, head of e-commerce at Borders.
"Publishers are beginning to think seriously about their e-book strategy."
'Books breed overnight'
Two literary professionals put the e-book to the test over the last few weeks, with surprisingly positive results.
"You forget about the technology if the story is good," says author Naomi Alderman.
"It just becomes invisible."
Kathryn Hughes, Professor of Life Writing at University of East Anglia admitted that she was quite happy to take her e-book to bed with her.
What is more, it solves the problem of holiday reading when after the first week all you have left is "a battered copy of Vogue from three months ago and something on sale in the local boutique, written in German."
Now you can just nip down to the local internet connection and top up your reading.
While Hughes admits that "there is a visceral quality that you miss with an old book", it is the question of space that pleases her most.
"I find that my books breed overnight," she says.
"I can control my environment now. I'm not going to live in this ever-expanding library."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7545000/7545598.stm
at u75 search.
Won't be deliverd until mid September, though. 
