Greg showed me his kindle. A thin tablet easily held in ones hand or slipped into the side pocket of a shoulder bag, it looked like something Captain Kirk used on the bridge as he explored a dangerous decision.
There were a dozen books in this thin rectangle. Perfect for the many long trips Greg and his wife took around the world. Always something to read without heavy bags or less space for an extra shirt.
But even with this new ease, Greg shook his heads. "I love the smell of books."
However tempting lighter bags and more reading material sounded, I wondered what would become of my favorite corners in the world, away from problems and burdens, comforted in silence, welcomed into new worlds.
5 comments:
I struggle so with this. I've yet to succumb to the Kindling of books, but, my next is permanently out of wack from carrying big volumes, or multiple books (afraid I'd finish one before I get home and have nothing to read for...thirty minutes?).
I'm a sucker for book covers to the point where I've had to ban myself from bookstores for fear of total bankruptcy. The smell of them, the grade of paper, the edgings and bindings. The dog ears of someone else's reading when I buy used books on the street.
I'm not ready to give any of that up, but the neck pain...maybe I need a little houseboy or a husband to do the heavy lifting and carrying?
robots? dog sled? miniature donkeys? can you imagine the beauty of that sight? NYC sidewalks filled with itty bitty donkeys carrying lovely books....
well, even in Star Trek Kirk always pulled out an "ancient" book of Shakespeare or Dickens. Perhaps there's hope for all of us.
what a timely post. as my BIG birthday approaches and my family asked me what i would like, i have to admit that i requested a kindle. touring for 2 or 3 weeks with 3 or 4 books in my luggage eating up the space i would rather use for cds (to sell) and more panties (to wear, contrary to walter i do not yet have the thong imprinted with my name), i have come to the conclusion that this would indeed be a great gadget to have. HOWEVER, i DO LOVE BOOKS. i think for me the future will hold my absolute favorite must-have books in physical copy on my shelf, and many more books i will only read once in the 0-1 string format. to this day, one of my favorite places in the world is a barnes & noble store.
What indeed? I've held a kindle though never read off it. I don't see it taking off just yet, and perhaps it will co-exist with the book into the future.
But with the gadgetiz-ation of just about everything, those silent corners for contemplation, and imagining into new worlds are getting harder and harder to find . . .
T.
I can sympathize with readers who like those gadgets cause they have bigger font size ( for eyes that need them), easy to hold on the train, etc. But nothing replaces books for me. I think it's a blessing that I don't have an unlimited cash flow, or else my entire living room floor would be filled with books.
I hope that they never get to the stage of threatening the existence of those sacred areas of contemplation, bad enough seeing the tables in the Reading room of the Main Branch taken over by more laptops that rare books.
Post a Comment