The Traveler and The E-Reader

I remember lying in bed as a little girl with a book positioned in the sliver of light coming from the hallway so that I could read it long after I was supposed to be snoozing away. I’ve always loved to read.


When I first learned of e-readers like Kindle and Nook, I was doubtful. I’d tried reading books online, but for some reason found it difficult to stay focused. And I love books. I love the scent of them. When I walk into a Barnes & Noble or Borders and smell that combination of two of my favorite things in the world – books and coffee – it’s like heaven. I respect them. When I finish with a paperback, it still looks new. There are no bent pages, no creases on the spine. I even dabble in collecting, and have a few signed first editions on my bookshelf. I used to dream of a personal library, complete with floor to ceiling bookshelves and library ladders. I was quite certain that an e-reader was not for me.


Then this past winter my husband gave me a Nook for Christmas, and the benefit of an e-reader became immediately apparent to me. I spend a lot of time reading while I’m waiting – for planes to arrive, for kids to get out of soccer practice, for dental hygienists to call my name. And I always had one book with me, because that’s all that would fit in my purse. With the nook, I have dozens of books in my purse. If I tire of the one I’m reading, I can switch to another.


This perk is especially useful when traveling. In the past, I rarely packed more than two books because they were heavy and took up too much space in my baggage. Last week I traveled to Florida and was able to switch between a couple of different books on the way down, and others on the way home. I had one print book with me for the beach, because I didn’t want to take the risk of damaging the Nook with sand or water, but for the rest I relied heavily on my Nook.


Not to mention, wherever there’s free wi-fi, I can check my Facebook and update my Twitter status from the Nook.


As I look into the future, I see that my library won’t need a room of mahogany shelves and rolling ladders. The entire library will fit in my purse.