I can take my nook here, there and almost everywhere (like this bench at Windmont Park.) A perfect gift for a book lover, and I couldn't be happier with mine.
Never say never.
Apparently on Friday, August 6 my column proclaimed that “The ebook reader is one gadget I think I can do without.”
I was wrong.
In my defense, I am a victim of my own research. Someone, and you know who you are, asked me to compare the Kindle and the Nook, both very nice electronic readers. The basic models allow you to hook up to wireless internet service, whether you have a router in your home or at businesses that carry the service.
I did plenty of Googling for both devices, but I’m such a softie for Barnes & Noble that my pick was the Nook. Still, it’s one thing to do the research and quite another to recommend one reader over another so I strongly suggested that only an in-person investigation would do.
Thing is, I ended up doing that too—sort of. That’s because the whole notion of having all kinds of books in one place just fascinated the stuffing out of me. At night I couldn’t fall asleep because I was busy thinking of all my favorite authors, cookbooks, mysteries and more.
Then, something wonderful happened: My birthday. As I get older I get better presents. I take very good care of them, and I only ask for what I will use so that made this choice a no-brainer. But I still had to convince someone that this is what I really, really wanted.
I pointed out the advantages of being able to choose from a million books, getting to choose from nearly that many for free, having the ability to jump on the internet with just the basic model, and the sheer fun factor. Plus, prices have come way down since the release of Apple’s iPad so that was a big deal in my book, pun intended.
On that special day I was able to visit both of my favorite bookstores. After buying my Nook and adding a gift card to my account, I happily focused on this electronic wonder until my ride came over an hour later. By then, I’d downloaded over 20 free books and had a monstrous pain in my neck. But boy, was it worth it.
Today I’m closing in on 50 books. All but two were free; I did find the American Standard version of the Bible for .99, and I’ve reserved Stephen King’s newest that will be released in early November. I got it for a fraction of its hardcover cost.
My collection contains several works by Edgar Allan Poe, fairy tales from Hans Christian Anderson, 365 breakfast dishes, a book called Famous Coffee House Recipes, Dracula, and books by Jane Austen. I feel like I won the lottery.
The perfect gift for a book lover, a delicious dinner with family, cards from family and friends and a beautiful fall day made for a birthday I will remember for a long time.
What will they think of next? I know someone who probably doesn’t want to know, but that’s OK. I’ll be more than happy to do the research.
No comments:
Post a Comment