For the most part, ebooks are just electronic books. Sometimes these are the text from physical books in electronic form. Other times, these are books exclusively meant to be read electronically.
This later category occurs because of the ease of electronic distribution. There’s not much point in printing a highly-specific book of only 12 pages. But that can be done quickly and cheaply if only done electronically. So there are thousands (if not more) books that only exist as ebooks.
Ebooks also give the reader a new level of interactivity. While you can no longer physically highlight a passage in an ebook, you can still copy/paste sections. Text can also be hyperlinked or animated. The text size and font can sometimes be adjusted in an ebook. Electronic text can also be read aloud by the device you’re using, which helps with visually impaired readers.
Paper maybe better for retention and eye strain, but studies show that younger readers often prefer electronic reading. Some people bemoan the growth of ebooks , but they offer new features to the reading experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IczC2_u99A
I held out on getting an ebook reader for years. I just liked reading paper books—I liked the feel, the smell, and the taste (OK, too far). But I finally broke down and got a Kindle while in college, and I am so glad that I did.
Because there are so many advantages to reading electronically. The books are usually cheaper, including many out-of-copyright books you can get for free online. It’s easy to buy books directly from the device and make notes in the margins. Best of all is the ability to carry around a few hundred books in a device that fits in the pockets of moderately baggy pants.
Other readers who haven’t yet converted to ebook enthusiasts all have the same hesitancies that I once had—I’ll miss paperback books; it’s just not the same reading experience. But I’ve got good news. Having an ebook reader doesn’t mean you must stop reading physical books. About every other book I read is physical. I don’t miss that experience. I just ended up reading more.