I’ve been lusting after a Kindle recently since a couple of good friends (who also happen to be new moms) are Kindle fanatics. My father is a writer and I grew up in a house filled to the brim with books. My reservations about the Kindle are two-fold a) I don’t want another device to charge and (b) I like to see the physical books I’ve read lined up on my bookshelf. I suppose I could always buy cheap used copies of the books I read on my Kindle that I LOVED, but that seems a little nuts. It’s a pickle, this technology thing.
All of this is preamble to explain why I was delighted to see the work of Jane Mount. She paints bookshelves and will do a custom portrait of your favorite shelf at home. I love this idea and think it makes a perfect gift for the reader or writer in your life!
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I love my kindle Abbey! And I feel (and felt) the same way about books.
But a guy I know owns a coffee shop and when Starbucks came to town he said: “we are going to sell more coffee than ever.” He was right.
Same thing — Kindle has not slowed down my
book purchases. AmEx bill proves it.
One big HOWEVER, I’m also a new mom, and I struggle to find time to read ANYTHING these days.
Angela
I’m thinking the kindle will be great for ‘disposable books’ (ie – things I will probably not re-read) and digital copies of favorites for when i am far from home. But I agree – I like to see my bookshelves as a reminder of my reading life.
lina and jason are obsessed with their kindles
ps. also lina says her kindle saved her as a new mom since she can read it with one hand!
I love the appearance of physical books on my shelf as well…Plus I totally judge a book by it’s cover, and you can’t see the real covers on a kindle!
I will always have books crowding my shelves. I love holding them in my hands and admiring the covers, turning the pages, and smelling them from time to time (what can I say, I’m a book freak!). And the books I’ve read represent little journeys I’ve gone on, so I like having them around as a reminder of where I’ve been.
That being said, I did spot a real-life kindle for the first time on the subway in NYC and I couldn’t stop staring at it. It does look remarkably easy to use and carry around. I’m curious, but I would in no way give up my books for one.
P.S. Jane Mount’s work is awesome!
What a charming painting!
I love the idea of instant gratification if you think of a book you want to read at that very moment, and I also love the idea for travel purposes… but I am also a huge fan of bookshelves. I love my collection of books… plus with books you can write comments on the margins!
I love the painting of the books, what a wonderful gift that would be.
I don’t have the Kindle, but alot of my friends have it and love it!
I love the idea of this painting…very clever, xv.
Cute idea!
i love my books, and i love my kindle! it is okay to love both, you don’t have to choose.
What an awesome idea! And I’ve been on the fence about getting a kindle since they came out.
found you via a cup of jo and love your site!! as for the kindle…i’m too torn. i love the smell of old books and the feel of them in my hands.
I hope there’s a lot of Craig Nova and Castle Freeman on yours!
Hi Abbey, I stumbled across your blog (a link from my friend
Libby Wilkie) and I’m glad I found it. You always were a delight,
even at TGS all those years ago, and now you’re entertaining in the world at large as well. I’m so glad you seem to be enjoying life so much. Don’t forget to visit VT once in a while.
Love and grins from Alice and Castle
I just figured out that you’re Craig’s daughter. Thanks for all the recent traffic to my site?
Russell
that was supposed to be an exclamation point not a question mark – isn’t punctuation important!