An abundance of books, and a compromise

I find myself in a fix: a while ago I had ranted here about how offensive I found e-readers, how I am a purist and would never want to commit myself to such an atrocity. I wrote about the sacred experience of reading a book, the satisfaction of having a full bookshelf. So when I celebrated having survived for a quarter of a century without any major mishaps, I went and purchased (or, as my aunt tries to comfort me, she gifted me) a Kindle. Shameful secret – I bought three e-books in under a minute the moment I opened that Amazon parcel. I am a spectacular sell out.

Digression – I have also ranted about how I would resist a phone too smart for itself. Own one of those as well now. While I feel like I have moved into the 21^st century, I can hear the dying groans of my lofty ideals. But then, I have access to mobile internet, and therefore Google maps, at all times, so my sense of guilt is overpowered by my glee at never having to be lost again, and knowing exactly when the next bus will come along. That is what I use the Internet for, now you know. I also browse museum websites, and photo archives of art and architecture magazines. Don’t bother commenting; I know I am a loser.

Back to the Kindle, here is the thing that turned the tide: I moved to England with two books, To Kill a Mockingbird, which is the closest thing I have to a security blanket, and The Shadow of the Wind, which is not exactly high literature, but its ability to grip me after repeated readings makes me love it nonetheless. Then I discovered charity shops and cheap books. And my dark side emerged (I have several dark sides, but this one is particularly sinister) – I need to own books. They are everywhere - in my study, my floor, under my bed, on my bed. And yet I buy more. I need to smell them before buying them, and then I write my name on them, they are MINE. I have spent hours rearranging my bookshelf, I even use my phone (hah!) to browse this amazing website http://bookshelfporn.com a tumbler blog devoted to bookshelves I’d sell my firstborn to own. This is terrible. It is a disease. It has now reached a point where I will probably have to ship books back to Bombay if I move home. That is more expensive than their actual cost. And I would still do it. 

The situation after I had sent half a suitcase full of books back home:

Weirdly positioned bookshelf at home. Love it. 
Note inefficient use of photo editor on fancy phone. 

The oversize books collection

So a Kindle was really inevitable, if I wanted to make my life easier in the long run.  

The Kindle has its pros and cons. Pros: I can carry my library with me everywhere, so if I finish a book, I don’t have to twiddle my thumbs, I can start the next one. The reading experience is fairly smooth. I don’t have to hunt for a dictionary (that is a lie, I just skip the word or make up a meaning); the Kindle has one in-built. And I can highlight passages I like, which I wouldn’t dream of doing in an actual paper book. And you can get some really cheap and good e-books. 

The cons: No page numbers, just a stupid percentage bar which irritates me – 36%, 40% - its not an economic textbook I am trying to get through, its not a competition. Also, its annoying when I want to go back several pages and have to press buttons or search for words till I find it – while reading a book, I know exactly where a passage is, and can find it easily, with the kindle, I just don’t bother. And footnotes/appendix = nightmare. Next – battery. It has an astonishingly long life, but I get nervous that it will run out in the middle of a crucial scene in a book, and then I’ll be left, well, twiddling my thumbs. Final con (or pro, depending how you see it) – the experience of purchasing a book is so easy and immediate, that you sort of don’t think before you impulsively commit yourself to a book.

Still, I have reconciled myself to the Kindle – I think I have read more books since I got it, because access to books is so quick and easy on it. And while that should be the most important thing, I do miss the experience of holding, well, a real book.

Also, I judge people according to the books I see on their shelves. What they can see on mine now is an abundance of science fiction and graphic novels. I swear there’s a wider variety of genres on my Kindle. Oh darn.