From the time you are a baby grandchild of Mama Susan's you know what you are getting for Christmas. No surprise. The only surprise, what are the titles this year. You are getting books. Always and forever.
Last week I received a letter from our local bookstore. It had had to move from Tahoe City because of high rents and now resides only in Truckee. Sales were going down. They needed help to stay open. The town of Truckee gave them a banner sales day on Saturday. I went in this morning to buy some of those Christmas books. I was a little embarrassed because, you see, I am part of the problem.
I fell in love with my Kindle and although I still love books, I read almost exclusively on my Kindle now. I have two grandsons who read almost exclusively on their Kindles. The brother of one has decided he really likes a gift card so he has his own money and can buy the books he likes. The father of two others told me three years ago that they have never read the books I have given them. He has a hard time getting them to read what they need to for school so if I'd like to give them something they will actually use it would probably be better. I'm offering a Kindle to another one although he may choose to have books instead. But you see the problem. Even in a basically book loving family, we are moving steadily toward electronic reading.
I don't want to see bookstores disappear. Bookstores are Wonderful. Books are Wonderful. I am So Grateful the grands are reading even if it is electronically. I would just like the best of both worlds so that the bookstore can remain in its own little corner of the world.
1 comment:
I feel the same way exactly. I read all my books on my iPad Kindle app, which I love, but I love bookstores too, and Terry still buys physical books. We don't have an indie here in town, but we do have a B&N. Up the road where I attend church is a long-time independent that also had to move on account of rent - in this case off the main street and on to a side street. I have taken to stopping in after church and picking up the Sunday New York Times. Helping them out just a tad, so something of a win-win for both us us.
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