Nookin' Up
by Ashley Mondale, English Teacher
September 23 , 2010
I did something this summer I swore I never would. Now don’t go and get all excited guessing about the things I have and have not done in my life. You will be completely off base, and remember I’m a teacher so these blogs are always going to be PG-rated at the worst. This thing, this thing I swore up and down I would never do, is pretty darn nerdy so anything you all come up with in your twisted little minds will be wrong.
Okay, here’s the deal - I bought an electronic reader, an eReader. You know what I mean, an eBook, or to be more precise, a “Nook,” courtesy of Barnes and Noble.
You’re thinking, “So what? What’s the big deal? Lots of people have them. No biggie.” But honestly, at first I felt like a traitor. Was I choosing high-tech gadgets over the time-honored tradition of reading a “book”? I felt guilty, as if I got caught stealing or something just for thinking about purchasing a Nook.
Why did I feel this way? I’m not really sure, but I have some ideas. First, we all know I love reading. In a previous blog I wrote about how reading allowed me to escape my reality and travel anywhere through any time. And while that part is true, I also simply love books. I love the heft of a book in my hands. I love the feel of the pages between my fingers. And strangely enough, I love the smell of books. That aroma released from the pages of books, whether old or new, is intoxicating. Every time I walk into a bookstore or library, I immediately inhale deeply. It’s the same breath I take when walking into a bakery. I love the artwork on the cover, and although we are repeatedly told not to do so, I often judge a book by its cover.
And wouldn’t I lose all of that “love” with an eBook? There would be no smell, no different textures of pages, no varying weight, no beautiful cover. Plus, I had a little ego thing to overcome. With a regular book, I advertise to those around what it is I am reading. I often reflect and evaluate people based on their reading materials. (Here again is that tricky little maxim about judging a book by its cover.) Since I judged others, it was entirely possibly that others were judging me based on whatever it was that I was reading. How would someone know if I was reading a trashy romance novel (which I haven’t since eighth grade) or if I was reading a great classic like Anna Karenina (which I haven’t since, well, ever. I never finished it – sorry to disappoint you)?
So what made me change my mind? Simply, it was a matter of economics. Yes, initially I had to drop a wad of cash when I purchased my Nook, but buying electronic versions of books is 20 percent or more cheaper than their paper counterparts. For example, this summer I read all three novels in the Millennium series (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its two sequels). My mom bought the first two novels in paperback, but the final book was only recently out in hardback. At the bookstore, even with a membership discount, the new hardback book was about $27 dollars, but on my Nook, it only cost $9.99. That’s a huge difference. Plus, even though I love the whole bookstore experience, it isn’t always convenient and I hate being without a book. I can download a new book on my Nook in less than a minute.
Yes, sometimes I do miss the feel of a real book, but I have fallen deeply in love with my Nook. While I’m reading, I can look up a word that is confusing. I can search the internet with my 3G connection. I can play games or even listen to some music transferred from my iTunes.
Maybe looking at the little computer-type screen will contribute to my weakening eyesight and maybe its carbon footprint is ugly, but I already wear contacts/glasses and I’ll increase my recycling efforts and decrease my water use. And to soothe my ego over people judging me by my book cover, I bought a hot pink leather cover by Kate Spade; it’s classic.
Bottom line, I’m hooked on my Nook!
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