No, I haven’t seen any white lights; it’s not that dramatic. But it is an important moment, nonetheless. I decided today that I will go back to an old love, one that I didn’t realize I missed so much until I found myself at Indigo, surrounded by stacks and stacks of books. And, before you get any other ideas, I did not lock eyes with an old beau; I just suddenly realized how much I missed holding a book in my hands.
Yes, I’m giving up the e-reader. No more Kobo or iPad reading for me. I want that delicious feeling of cracking open a new read and feeling those crisp pages in my hands as I turn them. I want to feel that weight in my hands. I want to be able to see that I’m half-way or three-quarters through my book so I can pace myself to the end. If it’s a good read, I don’t want it over too soon. Too many times, while swiping my screen, hoping to have another chapter appear before me, I have felt bitter disappointment.
I started using a Kobo two summers ago. We were off to the cottage and I wanted the ease of being able to download a new book without having to wait until the next time we went into the city (the meagre selection in the town near our cottage was never enough to sustain me). I also liked that the e-readers are better for the environment; the thought of fewer books on the shelf seemed like a good thing.
I wanted to like my reading on a screen. I really did. And for the last two years, I have committed to reading on the Kobo or my iPad. However, I found that I was reading less. I blamed it on work, on creating for TpT, on the myriad other distractions in my connected life. The Kobo just became one of the many things on my bookcase that gathered dust. It was not like me to not have two or three books on the go. And I missed it. Deeply.
So, today, at the bookstore, I made a decision. I’m going back. I want to line my shelves with books and have several taking up space on the coffee table, on top of the iPad, not below. Tonight, these three have that illustrious spot, stacked there, beckoning like old friends. I’m off to crack a spine…
What are your thoughts? Do any of you love your e-reader?
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I do love my Kindle. On trips my suitcase isn't weighed down anymore. I average a book a day on vacation, and even if you only pack paperbacks, that is a lot of weight. I can read in bed in the dark without having to turn on a bright light that might keep my husband awake. I can check books out of my library to read on my Kindle (for free) without ever getting off my couch. So many plusses.
I do however still read paperback/hardcover books because the book gift givers in my life have not switched over to digital. I think a balance of reading both is nice. And there is all of that research about the effect of cell phone/iPad/tablet light on your brain when you use it before going to bed.
Happy reading!
Brynn Allison
The Literary Maven