There are many expressions that complete the phrase “Autumn is the season for…”, and “Autumn is the season for reading” is one of them.

The two-week period from October 27 to November 9 is designated as “Reading Week,” making it a great time to enjoy books.

By the way, how do you usually read books?

Preferences vary; some people prefer paper, while others opt for digital formats like tablets.

Both paper and digital formats have their own merits, and many people likely switch between them depending on their purpose.

However, studies have shown that there are differences in reading comprehension and memory retention between the two formats.

In one experiment, a group of students was split in half and asked to read the same book—one group using paper and the other using a digital device. The results showed that the group reading the paper version had a better understanding of the material and could more accurately recall the sequence of events.

This is partly because, when reading text on a tablet, people tend to unconsciously skim or skip through the content.

Furthermore, without the tactile sensation of turning pages—and because the visual information remains constant regardless of progress—readers lack the physical cues (such as the book’s size, thickness, or the specific location of a passage on the page) that often help trigger memory recall.

In fact, these physical, primal memory cues are incredibly important.

While tablets certainly offer convenience and ease of use, I recommend making a conscious effort to read paper books as well.