(screenshot of Amazon's current homepage)
I always knew I was a hopeless romantic. Just never knew until today that I was a romantic when it came to books.
Yep, books…
You see, I was shopping on Amazon for books for my birthday and after my fifth or sixth book, I noticed a trend. They actually had "Hardcover" and "Paperback" crossed out or minimized and KINDLE was proudly and LARGELY displayed. There was even an extra picture of the Kindle off to the left just in case I forgot what it looked like in the millisecond it took me to glance across the web page.
For a second I was horrified at the thought that I might not be able to buy the hardback I wanted.
But I want the new book smell!
I want to be able to fall asleep with it and wake up with a HUGE indention on my face from its spine!
I want pages I can grip in terror or delight!
I want that dust jacket that makes the book so shiny and pretty! (Guys don't even try denying that you like it too!)
I want to be able to fall asleep with it and wake up with a HUGE indention on my face from its spine!
I want pages I can grip in terror or delight!
I want that dust jacket that makes the book so shiny and pretty! (Guys don't even try denying that you like it too!)
Don't you dare make me buy a digital book… I ain't buyin it! (See, just the thought makes any grammatical skills I possess go right out the window…)
Now, do I have a problem with digital books? OF COURSE NOT. Heck, I'll probably own one before the year is up. It's like having a travel sized hair dryer. It's slightly pathetic in its existence, but your hair eventually does get dry...
But I want the SHINY hairdryer. The one with the ionic thing that helps your hair not frizz. I want the force of my hairdryer to be able to make my face do that flappy thing that happens when you stick your head out of a moving car. I want the familiar with me- not something that just reminds me that I'm not home. I want the REAL deal…
Give me a book whose cover is so hard I could use it for self defense if I needed to and then still be able to read it later! Give me a book I can throw across the room if the author ends the book on a crummy note! Give me a book that smells like a book's version of a new car. Give me a book that rustles as I turn each of its lovely pages. I want to make noise when I'm reading in the library! Seriously- those places are too quiet already… Can you imagine how quiet you'd have to be in a library where the majority of people are reading digital books? Um, NO thank you…
Give me a REAL book…. Pretty please…
One last note...
I have laughed over many books. Cursed some. And cried over more. There is something special about pulling a book out to read that once moved me to tears. Its pages are slightly dimpled and it will never go back to its crisp pristine beginning. But somehow, it's even more beautiful now. Because it moved me. It spoke to me. Its words reached past all the noise and all the crap in life to touch my soul…
As I was sitting here thinking about all the times books have brought me to tears, I had a mental picture of being cuddled up on the couch with a Kindle, tears falling down my face and onto the Kindle's beautiful crystal clear screen. And then, what do you know? The *#&* thing shorted out… ;-)
(My trip to the Library today... Didn't find what I was originally looking for but found these instead.
A couple of my favorite authors and a few I've never read. From Top to bottom...)
A couple of my favorite authors and a few I've never read. From Top to bottom...)
- Choosing to Cheat by Andy Stanley: it's written for married couples but I figured it applies just as much to my relationship with the Lord and having a balance with work and time with Him. Saw him speak at Catalyst 2009 and was so blown away by what a great communicator he is, I decided to try and read anything and everything of his that I could get my hands on!
- Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott: frothing at the mouth to FINALLY read this
- Troubled Waters by Rene Gutteridge: one of my favorite fiction authors. This lady has a very quirky sense of humor that almost never fails to make me laugh out loud.
- Flies on the Butter by Denise Hildreth: Another favorite (and local) author and another book that I've been wanting to read for FAR too long. If you are in the mood for a laugh pick up her book "Savannah from Savannah"!
- Lost in Rooville by Ray Blackston: have seen this one for years and never read it so figured I would try a new author out...
- Leadership Gold by John C. Maxwell: I plan on reading as many books by him as I can get my hands on!
- Today Matters by John C. Maxwell: Excited about this one. Need to hear it now!
8 comments:
That paragraph about your tears making the Kindle short out almost made me laugh out loud! I feel the same way... will probably get an e-book reader sometime for the convenience, but I'll always prefer a real live book. :)
Love the thought process...how funny!
oh, my, I really like Renee Gutteridge, too!! I could've written this post, it so closely reflects my feelings about digital books. I, too, have and will again use a digital copy, but only if I REALLY have to, if a real copy can't be found easily. Suzanne Kroeker
Well said, Mel! I have mixed feelings about e-readers. I would like to have one, but for one thing, they are expensive to be basically a one-trick pony. I am very much a gadget guy, though and I am sure I would really enjoy a Kindle if I had one. I understand the whole experience thing with a traditional book, though. There is just something about the feel and smell and sound of a book...seeing your progress by where you last left your bookmark instead of a progress bar at the bottom of your screen. For these reasons, I think there will be demand for physical print media for a long time.
Blake
Ann Lamott is amazing. She has such a fresh perspective. She challenges me and I love it!
FYI, girl- Ray Blackston is HILARIOUS!!!!! I own two of his earlier books if you want to borrow them. =) Love ya! Angie Y.
fabulous photo!
if i could ever be even half as good of a photographer as you are, i'd be so happy.
I completely agree! And thanks for the book titles, I read so many, I always like to have ideas about what to pick up next...
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