Ok, this really should be titled “Prized Possessions – Book Collection/RANT about Kindle.” 

I love my books.  I enjoy flipping through pages and seeing passages or sentences that I highlighted.  And when I re-read the book, it’s always interesting to me to find new passages previously read without having my pen highlight them; ones I cannot let let slip by on the second go-round.  These books are like the reference tools for my life.  Virtually everything you need to know about me is contained on my bookshelves.  The card catalogue of my life starts at “Big Bad Bruce” and ends with the entire collection of Yeats poetry. 

I cannot imagine giving away or selling any of my dear books.  Further, I feel my copies are too personal and vaulable to be lent to friends.  At the same time, I would never borrow a book from a friend because of my temptation to mark it up. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Kindle, it is the complete antithesis to everything I have stated above.  It is basically like an iPod, except for books– you download a “book” and read it on a little handheld screen.  No turning of pages, no tabbing corners down. 

How gratifying is it to complete a book on screen?  There is no closing of the book proudly after finishing the last page and reflecting on the story.  You just “power off.”  Like I need to spend more time staring at a screen.  What happens when you are at the climax of the plot and your battery dies??  Can you honestly picture yourself getting into bed for the night to read on your Kindle before dozing off? 

And what about the cost?  The Kindle costs around $300.  Do you know how many physical books I can buy for $300?  Enough to fill my house.  I buy most of my books now used on Amazon.  (RECESSION TIP!)  You can get a pretty decent book for $1, and if you don’t care about the condition, ONE PENNY!  I like to make sure there is no writing so the books I buy usually run me around $2… but that is still a steal!

I believe they claim that there are highlighting capabilities, but is that really the same?  I like to visually see all my books sitting on the shelf and then decide which to pull down to peruse through.  I do not need to be sorting through various folders and sub-folders on a device the size of my hand.  That’s hard enough on my iPod. 

But I guess I’m just old fashioned.  Hell, I still get the newspaper delivered to my door every morning. 

Pet Peeve of the Day: The delusions of Jim Hendry and the rest of the Cubs organization. 

Quote of the Day: “Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart, and his friends can only read the title.” –Virginia Woolf