I have gone over to the dark side!
Everyone knows I am a book girl. Real books that you can hold in your hand, read, look at, lend to a friend, put on the shelf until the next time you need to visit the world between those particular covers.
In theory I have admired the idea of ebook readers, but wasn't wanting one for myself. If I commuted to work, maybe, in one year I could probably read my way through a small forest. I think the printed word is one of our great acheivements on this blue planet. All you need to read is a book (and adequate light, yes I know). One book can be read by many many people. Anyway that is a rant for another time.
But here's the thing. My upcoming travels have sedced me over to ownership of this previously scoffed at item.
Looks innocent enough, doesn't it?
Being the resident Hermione Grainger of my TTM class means I was planning on taking all my texts and notes with me for the three months I'll be away, good revision time I thought.
That's a big chunk of my luggage allowance right there.
So there was the perfect rationalisation! (Plus I love a new toy.)
But the other big thing that has been worrying me is the lack of reading material. You cannot buy english language books where I go; and I cannot carry three months worth of reading, not without much excess luggage and a small troupe of muscular boys to carry it for me.
That was enough to make it a "necesary purchase", next is the fun part! Yes, yes, loaded up the pdf files of all the texts and notes for my TTM studies. Now filling up the clever little device with pleasure reading.
I am a comfort reader. I love to re-visit favourites over and over. So that's what I am taking with me, my library of favourites.
A much bigger pile!
That's not all of them, its the ones I could find easily this morning. And I have discovered something wonderful, lots of these books are available for free, and the others are a fraction of the cost of a hard copy. I have pre-ordered the new George R. R. Martin, due out in a couple of weeks, and it will be delivered directly to my device! So I can see myself a happy resident in the electronic reading camp and the actual book in hand camp.
This is my favourite picture: everything, and the wee black case that has it all and more.
Think I'll name it Darth.
Mind you, I still love a big pile of books, that says happiness to me!
That is awesome!!! I completely understand your rationale. I love my books and it gives me physical pain when, for lack of space, I donate some to a worthy cause. So I was always, always against ereaders of any kind. Alas, travel with more than 2 books is not easy, especially with luggage costs on flights. I downloaded Kindle for PC and now have somewhat more than 5000 books loaded into it. BUT, I only did it after I made sure I could get all of my Dorothy Dunnett books online. So, yes I understand and honor your decision.
Posted by: Scott Milner | July 04, 2011 at 05:38 AM