Can I Interest You in a Book Today?

Most of my friends know that I'm a lover of movies, music and books - basically a pop culture whore - and I go through these phases of watching tons of movies, reading tons of books and listening to tons of music. I do try to mix up the genres though so that my mind doesn't turn to mush. I try for the thought provoking and swing all the way toward the indulgent. For the most part I gotta admit that I don't have a lot of restraint and usually indulge.

That's not to say that I'm opposed to classic lit or Italian operas. But lately, I don't have the willpower to pour through Moby Dick or any of its cousins. I have, however, breezed through three, almost four, Chick Lit books in a matter of days. While I know that they in no way compare to Melville's masterpiece (which I still have yet to crack open), I do feel a sense of pride for even reading text in its physical manifestation.

In this day and age, most people get their info online with audiobooks, 24/7 streaming news (and gossip) and podcasts. They catch up on a variety of things snippet by snippet, never fully diving into any one thing. The idea of holding an actual book, turning the pages and curling up on the couch is foreign to many. Who has the time?

But for those of us who do pick up a book now and then, it's a feeling that can't be beat. Feeling the crisp pages on your fingertips; smelling the clean paper smell; being the first to make a crease in the spine - these are all things that make it worthwhile. Or, if you're a used books/library patron, the idea that hundreds of other people have enjoyed these exact same pages as you can be very fulfilling (unless you are OCD, of course).

I'd hate to see the era of the book be surpassed, like many other things, by the speedy pace of technology. Yes, it can sometimes be inconvenient to lug a book around with you. Yes, it can sometimes reveal things about yourself to others that you're not yet willing to admit. Yes, it can seem unimportant when millions of things are buzzing around in your head. But, don't let it slip away.