In the movie "Anchorman," Will Ferrell’s smarmy protagonist, Ron Burgundy, is putting the moves on his sexy new colleague, Veronica Corningstone. "I'm kind of a big deal," says Burgundy. "I have many leather-bound books."
I recalled this scene as I familiarized myself with the new Kindle my wife gave me for Christmas. I was skeptical of Kindle. I enjoy the tactile aspects of reading...curling up in bed each night with one of my many leather-bound books (You know...I'm really kind of a big deal!). But it didn't take very long for me to become Kindleized.
Kindle's print is large and legible. It has a built-in dictionary feature that can be used to help define obscure words. If you come across an interesting quote, the page can be stored in a separate clipping file. And for about nine bucks a best seller, it really makes reading cost efficient.
The problem, of course, is that books stored digitally through Kindle can not be displayed in all of their leather-bound glory in my home library. Who among us doesn't spend a fair amount of time deciding which authors and titles get prime display space so as to impress our visitors? I love my collection of "The Onion---Year in Review." But if you visit my home and browse my library, it will be Camus' "The Stranger" that will catch your attention. After all, a library, more than any other aspect of one's home, speaks volumes about who we want the world to believe we are.
I suspect my strategy will be to continue enjoying the value and simplicity of Kindle while searching garage sales and used book sales for just the right leather-bound versions of the classics for my home library.
I recalled this scene as I familiarized myself with the new Kindle my wife gave me for Christmas. I was skeptical of Kindle. I enjoy the tactile aspects of reading...curling up in bed each night with one of my many leather-bound books (You know...I'm really kind of a big deal!). But it didn't take very long for me to become Kindleized.
Kindle's print is large and legible. It has a built-in dictionary feature that can be used to help define obscure words. If you come across an interesting quote, the page can be stored in a separate clipping file. And for about nine bucks a best seller, it really makes reading cost efficient.
The problem, of course, is that books stored digitally through Kindle can not be displayed in all of their leather-bound glory in my home library. Who among us doesn't spend a fair amount of time deciding which authors and titles get prime display space so as to impress our visitors? I love my collection of "The Onion---Year in Review." But if you visit my home and browse my library, it will be Camus' "The Stranger" that will catch your attention. After all, a library, more than any other aspect of one's home, speaks volumes about who we want the world to believe we are.
I suspect my strategy will be to continue enjoying the value and simplicity of Kindle while searching garage sales and used book sales for just the right leather-bound versions of the classics for my home library.
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