Print or Digital, No One Can Have Too Many Books

Published by Kate Thompson, April 24th, 2019

I take my library to bed. I never leave home without it. One-thousand, seven-hundred and two books aren’t heavy. They fit in my purse. I started reading e-books the end of 2010. I was resistant in the beginning. I had a paper-book library big enough to wander through and after working on the computer all day, I wanted to pluck books off my shelves and thumb through the pages, not click or swipe on a reading device.

My reading life changed the day I received notice that a book I put on hold months before was ready for pickup. I dropped whatever I was doing and headed to the library.

I went to bed early that night. I fluffed the pillows and opened the book. I squinted. I brought it closer to my face. I shined the lamp on it. I couldn't read it. The library had sent me a "tiny-print" version! I didn't know they even made tiny-print books, large-print for old people, yes, but who would read this, a flea?

I showed my husband. "What?" he asked. I pointed out the obvious and he read a paragraph out loud without moving off his side of the bed. I scowled and he shrugged and suggested checking out the large-print version.

I bought a Kindle instead. When it arrived, I went online to buy ‘the’ book that brought me into the e-book world and it wasn't available. That’s right.

I bought a 150 dollar Kindle and the 10 dollar book I wanted to read on it wasn't an e-book. However disappointing, it wasn't long before it became one and I learned the e-book world was far bigger than font size.

But what would a life be without paperbacks and hardcovers? What would a town be without a library? What would a night out be without a bookstore? We don’t have to choose. We can have it all. Paper books or digital, no one can have too many.

Kate E Thompson is the author of Bigfoot Hunters Never Lie and a contributing author of New Halem Tales - 13 Stories from 5 NW Authors. She is currently working on her second book, A Family of Forgetters, a historical novel set in 19th century Utah.