Tag Archives: books

Reviving a passion

The other day, it hit me. I am craving a great fiction novel.

I grew up an avid reader. My passion and interest in writing is borne of years of devouring books — often more than one in a day. But over the last 10 years, that interest as fallen off due to things like work, the internet, and other things that fill my time and focus. What reading I do is for review programs, most of which are usually  non-fiction and motivational in nature.

Don’t get me wrong! Those are great!

But I wanted fiction. Like I told my husband, I want a chick flick in a book.

I told my parents about my urge to read, and Mom mentioned that my brother recently visited a Half Priced Books store where my sister-in-law picked up armloads of books to read — most of which cost her about a dollar each!

So, I googled, “half price books nashville tn” and I was directed to McKays Books a bit west of town. So, my parents, my husband and I made the trip out to see what we could find.

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I was in heaven. Absolutely in heaven. Books, music, movies… I wanted to bring in a cot and just sleep there for a few days… weeks… ok maybe a few months.

It didn’t take long for everyone to split up. I started in fiction, then eventually ended up pouring over photography books. I discovered Dad over in the financial section. Mom was in the motivational books section. And my husband indeed up in CDs picking out some to buy. We ended up, collectively, leaving with 11 books, 2 DVDs and 6 CDs. We spent about $46 total. For everything. Including tax.

My husband and I agreed we’d be going back regularly. I can already feel my passion for reading being revived with this trip to McKay’s. And I love it. So good to be reunited with a part of yourself that has been left dormant for much too long. I am most definitely happy!!

Making my case for books

shot_1284068213591.jpgI love BOOKS. It’s not just the stories they tell or the worlds they create, its the feel and smell of a book. It’s a book’s character, how every folded page or coffee stain shows use and love. It’s a worn out spine. It’s a scratched up cover.

It’s a book.

I got on this topic after/during a debate with a friend on Facebook who just purchased a Kindle. (Sorry Dave! You never know what might turn into a blog post!)  If you don’t know what a Kindle is, its an electronic book reader. It does more than just let you read books, but in its most basic description, its a book reader.

I happen to be one of those people who staunchly wants to keep books in book form. Before I go into my laundry list of reasons, I will in all fairness give the Kindle these kudos:

1 – You can carry a LOT of books in one small electronic device. In less space than one paper back book, you can have multiple books available right at your fingertips.

2 – Saves paper and trees. (However, my father-in-law was a logger and that is how many people make their living. Plus, no one ever seems to notice that they do replant trees after they take grown trees out.)

3 – You can do more than just read books on a Kindle. Although, my phone can also surf the web, play music, etc.

4 – I have to admit, being able to search for a phrase or section of a book with a few clicks is really, really cool.

Okay, I’m done playing nice. Now why I won’t use a Kindle. At least not any time soon. (I have to leave myself an out, you know, in case a moment of weakness comes and I go over to the dark side.)

1 – Like I said before. I love the feel and smell of a book. I happen to be one of those people who really loves going to the library and being surrounded by book after book after book. Its sensory overload for someone like me!

2 – When on a plane, I don’t have to wait to open my book, nor do I have to close it for landing. I regularly, when I fly, hop in my seat and open my book immediately. I read until the wheels touch down. I only pay attention to the “electronic devices” guidelines in regards to the iPod or maybe my camera if I am in a “take pictures from the plane” mood.

3 – I never have to worry about the battery dying. Granted, from what I have read about Kindles, they have stupid long battery life. But, hey, books don’t need batteries…

Retro Camera :: Books4 – …before anyone says they can read their Kindle in the dark, I respond, “So can I… its called a flashlight.”

5 – If I am on a desert island (because you never know when THAT might happen), I can read my book and then use it to start a fire and keep me warm.

6 – I never have to worry about losing my books to a dramatic hard drive crash or something of that nature. I just have to worry about a lighted match.

7 – If I drop my book, I don’t have to gasp in horror if I broke it. I can throw in my purse and not worry about scratching it up (even though I AM a stickler for keeping my books nice) or it breaking. Heck, a broken spine on a book shows use to me, and it is like a badge of honor.

As we go more to a digital world, more and more things that have been staples of the past are fading away. There’s a good chance that books will be next. Newspapers are already having to change their mode of operation.

Through our history, we’ve advanced as a people through technological innovations. Kindle, and other such book readers, are another step in our advancement. I acknowledge that. I’m just also a sucker for the ways and times of the past, and books represent that to me. Perhaps a big part of that is the fact that growing up, I always had a book in my hand. It went everywhere with me. Books to me not only represent where am going with my future, but they also represent where I came from.

And forgive me, but I am not ready to let that go yet.