Reporters should, when necessary, tap into the vast stock of e-books available from online stores such as Amazon. This is not about showing off how cultured you are. Digital books, which can be downloaded in seconds and often at reasonable prices, are fast becoming one of the essential tools of the trade. Journalists constantly find themselves dealing with technical, complex subjects they do not fully master. That is why they are obliged to read up on them, even if the deadline is brutal. E-books can provide data, explanations and references to legislation. But the reporter needs a good nose. They should steer clear of long, convoluted academic textbooks and instead pick out, at a glance, guides that are reliable yet written for non-specialists. Those will be excellent travelling companions for any story, giving an article substance, accuracy and authority.