I heard this morning that Tracy Chevalier was going to sign her new book Remarkable Creatures at a local bookstore I like to support. I immediately thought - Yes, I'll go get her to sign my book - before I remembered that I was just sampling it on my new Kindle. Then it hit me (I guess I'm a bit slow on the uptake here), if I read only Kindle books, I can't get them signed by the authors.
Not that I have many signed books. Actually, I have only one, signed by Anna Quindlan, an author I greatly respect. A high school buddy of mine who lives in Manhattan is friends with Anna Q and my friend sent me the book. What a thoughtful gesture. She is a great friend - more about her later.
So, I love my Kindle and maybe I don't love my Kindle. How important is it that I have actual paper copies of books? I don't stalk authors and bookstores to get autographs so that isn't really a consideration. But a few friends and I are forming a new book club this month and even though the Kindle has this place you can put quotes and mark pages, I'm not sure I will like manipulating the Kindle to that place instead of marking and flipping pages. And, yes, I know the Kindle allows you to highlight and write notes on pages, but I'm not sure I will like typing those notes on the unwieldy Kindle "keyboard." It will take some practice to get used to this electronic book thing. I've wanted a Kindle since they came out and my SE (spousal equivalent) gave it to me for Christmas this year so I really do want to like it. And not having all those books around the house will be a very good thing. I think I will still read hard copies of books along with the Kindle books. I love the library and I can't afford to buy every book I want to read. Just hope my SE will understand that not every book I read will be a Kindle.
So the Kindle is one bit of technology that I think I like. Time will tell.
About my friend from Manhattan. Maybe she and my other high school good buddies will be the subject of another blog. We've been out of high school for decades, raised children and now have grandchildren. During the child-rearing part of our lives, we only sent Christmas cards, but after some mini-reunions, we now see each other quite often even though we are spread throughout the country. When we get together, it's just like we never were apart. We share interests, points of view, books, movies, music, humor, life-experiences. The whole shebang. And since we never were competitive or snarky in high school, we certainly aren't now. No big egos in the group - just strong women who know their own worth. I have many friends now who wish they could have such good high school friends as I have. Am I lucky or what?
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