Usually for Mondays we participate in the meme for Library Loot. I have a serious case of the book blues this Monday. The shocking truth is that I have nothing checked out from the library right now! Last week I started The Grapes of Wrath and I seriously only made it about 10 pages before I put it down. I read it once before, in college, but I really just skimmed it so I could write a paper on it and when I sat down to read it for fun, well it was just too heavy for me. Then my copy of Gone finally became available at the library and I was excited to start reading it, but last night I put it down also. I was haunted by the fact that all the adults disappear and by the 4th chapter a 5 year old girl has died and another 5 year old boy is clutching his blanket asking for his mother and all I could picture was my own 5 year old and it was just not enjoyable for me. So I went back to the sappy love story that I've read before and that I borrowed from my mom's book collection so you can see that I'm in a pickle. I have no idea what to read next to get me out of this funk. If you have suggestions please leave me one!
Since I have nothing to offer by way of Library Loot, I thought I'd put forth a discussion question. I saw a commercial over the weekend for Audible.com. Have you heard of it? It's an online book store, for lack of a better word, where you pay a membership and can stream audio books to your listening device of choice. For some reason this just makes me sad. I love holding a book. I love looking at the cover. I love that when I read, the words and characters become a
part of me because I hear them in my head and not because someone is reading it to me. Kath loves the smell of books so much that she wants to make a perfume of the scent. So dear blog reader I have two questions.
part of me because I hear them in my head and not because someone is reading it to me. Kath loves the smell of books so much that she wants to make a perfume of the scent. So dear blog reader I have two questions. Do you listen to audio books? If so, Why?
Would you ever or do you own a Kindle?
Again, the Kindle seems neat but it just makes me sad for some reason. It would solve my problem of storing books though.
1) I've only listened to two audiobooks (Goose Girl, River Secrets). A friend told me that they listened to books while they worked out and I thought it was a good idea. I've tried watching TV or listening to music, but sometimes get bored. I actually really enjoyed listening to books though, it made me work out a little longer and made the time pass quickly. I listened to Goose Girl first, they had different people reading the different characters, so it was like listening to a play. It was a lot of fun.
ReplyDelete2) I do want a Kindle! Like you though, I LOVE holding a book, smelling the new pages, etc. I just dont have the room right now to hold all the books that I want to buy. With Kindle most books are only $10, and you can read the first 2-3 chapters and return it if you dont like it. I have mixed feelings though. I think I would really need to hold one and play with it before I dropped the $400 for it, plus I want one that comes in color!
Oh yeah, I was going to say that I had checked out Gone and started reading...I only got one chapter in though. I dont know if I will give it another try, it just didnt suck me in and it seemed really long.
ReplyDeleteI like reading books and holding books, and buying books. I think Kindle's are pretty neat, but I would still prefer a beautiful hardcover to a hand-held reading device.:)
ReplyDeleteAs for audio books, I have a hard time with them. The only ones I truly like are the Harry Potter books because Jim Dale is amazing at bringing the characters to life! I prefer reading though. I like imagining what the characters sound like in my head.
First of all, good on ya for attempting The Grapes of Wrath. I read that in university and, boy, was it a heavy read. I resented Steinbeck for the whole summer. :P
ReplyDeleteI feel quite the same way as you towards ebooks or whatever they're called. I stare at the computer all day long which hurts my eyes after a while so I like to relax by looking at a page in a book. I can't imagine doing that with a Kindle (as environmentally friendly they'd be compared to books). I can never get into a story without physically being able to touch it, smell it, hold it in my hands and losing my bookmark down the side of the chair!
You know, I've really come to enjoy audiobooks. I didn't used to listen to them, but they are especially useful when you have housework or need your hands free, but not necessarily your mind. I will never give up my hard copy, page filled books, but they have their place.
ReplyDeleteSame thing for e-books. I've read a few and while I'm not crazy about the format, they come in handy when I'm stuck at my computer, but don't have much to do. So, I probably would love a Kindle or other reader, but may not get one for a while (what with price and all).