a very long and rambly entry about my books

[mmejavert]

I spent another afternoon at storage, although the weather today was not horrid. It was 70s, overcast, breezy, a little sun. And the wind blew the right way so I got to smell the fresh bread baking at the Stroehmann factory that is several hundred yards across the train tracks behind where the storage facility is. Mmmmmm.

Comments

[deathmask_revel]

I couldn't deal with all my books taking up space--and being shuffled around, lost or pain-in-the-assedly (that's a word) being hauled around whenever I moved (which is alot) so. I bought an e-book reader. Now I have 500+ books (so far) taking up only as much room as a single DVD case on my shelf.

Of course, I understand the appeal of having "real, paper books" in your hands, the tactile sensation and wonderful smell and all of that. But, honestly...once I got used to the Nook, well, I just love it, and I feel a little more responsible about paper-usage.

I actually wish paper books would stop being printed altogether except for placement in libraries.

[mmejavert]

While I wouldn't object to fewer books being printed, I do like the idea of books that are of a certain age or have been out of print about 15 years or so, be available in the public domain and to print on-demand (for a fee of course). That way books wouldn't be mass reprinted, only for people who actually wanted them. It will be a sad day when paper books are extinct.

That said... I want a Kindle, now that there's going to be a $139 wifi-connected version available. So I'm going to possibly see about giving myself one for Christmas or something. Because many of the books I have in storage are ones I read once or twice, and may well read again, but wouldn't mind if they were in e-book format.

But I will never give up on my own little library of paper books, no matter how much I put on a Kindle. I just love the smell of old books and the way it feels to hold books and turn pages, to ever give them all up completely and permanently.