Booking through Thursday - Interactive

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This week's question...

With the advent (and growing popularity) of eBooks, I’m seeing more and more articles about how much “better” they can be, because they have the option to be interactive … videos, music, glossaries … all sorts of little extra goodies to help “enhance” your reading experience, rather like listening to the Director’s commentary on a DVD of your favorite movie.

How do you feel about that possibility? Does it excite you in a cutting-edge kind of way? Or does it chill you to the bone because that’s not what reading is ABOUT?

My answer...

First, let me start off with saying that I never ever thought I would like an ereader. I love books and I wanted to be able to hold them in my hands and see all the beautiful covers. When ereaders came out, I wasn't the least bit interested. Anyone who reads my blog knows that I now almost solely read books on my ereader. So, how did the big change happen for me?

It started out being about space. I'm a huge book hoarder and I literally took over our guest room with over 10,000 books in my TBR. There was no way to even walk in that room. I am not exaggerating at all! My husband hated it, but he was a good sport about it.

Then one day we were talking about the possibility of moving. I mentioned my books and he said there was no way we could afford to have those transported to wherever we moved. He said they'd be the first to go. That's when I started thinking about ereaders (after I stopped shaking at the thought of losing my books). All my books would be stored in one place on a small transportable device. A device that easily could fit in my pocketbook.

So, I went into Barnes & Noble, which is across the street from where I work, and I checked out their display. I held the Nook in my hands and it was the size of a paperback book (I rarely ever read hardcovers anyway). Sure, the book covers were in black and white, but did it really matter? I already decided I could no longer keep books after I read them anyway. There's just no room. Then they gave us an update for the Nook which made it possible for me to create shelves and place my books on them so I could sort them (I have one for each genre I read). This was turning out to be better than my guest room where all the books are stacked haphazardly and I can't find anything. I can always find a book on my Nook :)

We, also, travel alot and everywhere we go I would take at least 12 paperbacks with me (I'm a moody reader so I had to be prepared for any mood change. LOL) Now, I just take my Nook and I have my complete collection of books - mood changes are no longer a problem.

I have the classic Nook which means I'm not able to read the enhanced books with videos, music, etc. That's okay because that's not why I read. That would be why I watch movies :) For me, reading - regardless if it's with my Nook or a physical book - is about reading words, not watching videos or listening to music. The only time I listen to a book is an audio book and that's saved for the car during my commute to and from work. I don't need or want all those other enhancements. For me, the Nook is just another method to read a book.