There is a time when this would have been completely untrue. No one loved Barnes and Noble like I did, even though their theater section was the most pitiful shelf in the store and they probably would have been better without it so as not to embarrass themselves.
And I absolutely see where the closing of the book stores leaves us as society. It's almost like saying that books aren't as important now. I disagree with that entirely and I love reading. I love it. I can see how the browsing culture of America would be lost without a book store to browse in.
It's just that I don't even remember the last time I was in a Barnes and Noble. Racking my brain which has a pretty decent memory I can recall going there last Christmas season. (Like Christmas 2012.) But I am certain I was there with my friend Kathryn and she made a purchase and I did not. OH! We went to one last summer in a town over and bought Polar Bear Polar Bear. Now this may be because my local B&N is located at our mall.
I am firm believer in the mall. I grew up in Minnesota. The MoA was a mere 10-15 minutes away depending on the lights on Hwy 13. I love a good mall. My local establishment is not a good mall. It is poorly laid out and truthfully there isn't a whole lot of interesting stores that draw me in. I do like Gymboree but I usually wait until we're visiting in Minnesota because... no tax on clothing. So location could have everything to do with it. I'm not sure.
It could be that my life has significantly changed from the girl who would kill hours looking at all the books on the shelves and coveting the many seasons of television on DVD. When Husband and I were dating we'd spend a lot of time browsing together and talking about books. I just don't have the time to go there and kill a lot of time. And I have never been a coffee drinker so I am even less likely to go and sit.
But it's not even about that or the death of books. It comes down to budget. It is cheaper to get a book on the Kindle. Sometimes by half! And I don't have to load up a toddler to get it. Perhaps that's lazy. Perhaps that is just what the "death of the books" group think of me and my generation but I am a LOVER of books. I just am out of room on my bookshelves x a million. I have boxes of unpacked books in my basement and that makes me sad because I love my book collections.
I was just thinking about where some of it will go when the third bedroom becomes a nursery. That's where my Trixie Beldens are and Cherry Ames and other old school series are currently stored. I don't want those going to the basement but I'm not sure where they're supposed to go!
So for me the Kindle makes sense. It's cheaper, it takes up less space and I don't lose anything by reading them on an electronic. I know the book people want me to miss holding a book but it's actually lovely not having the weight of a hard bound, new release and still being able to read a book the day it comes out.
There is something exhilarating about rushing out of a Barnes and Noble with your copy of Harry Potter to your brother waiting in a running car. (Because we always had a plan to get the heck out of there and read! Plus I was the crazy who camped out the day before for a wrist band so I could be one of the first in line to buy the books so my plan was brilliant actually.) But at this point in my life it is just as exhilarating to turn on my Kindle at 12:01 (Sometimes it goes with PST so it's 2:01) and there is the book you pre-ordered a long time ago.
And I do still browse. On Amazon. And I get books all the time that I never would have ordinarily picked up. Because with Amazon they recommend things I might like based on what I've read PLUS I get to read reviews others have left. I have never lived in a cute little town where my local bookseller would be able to recommend for me personally. In fact when I was younger I had read so much that when they would suggest something it was usually a reread for me. I do still visit our local library and utilize both the paper copies and electronic copies of books. But you all know that relying on a library for a new release is a moot point.
My greater point here is that I am certain that Barnes and Noble serves a purpose in the world, but just not in my world. I would be sad to lose that option definitely, I just do not utilize it enough for it to impact me on any great level.
I am exactly the kind of person the Barnes and Noble executives hate. And I am not going to apologize for that. But if the death of B&N actually comes, I will attend the funeral to pay my respects.
And I absolutely see where the closing of the book stores leaves us as society. It's almost like saying that books aren't as important now. I disagree with that entirely and I love reading. I love it. I can see how the browsing culture of America would be lost without a book store to browse in.
It's just that I don't even remember the last time I was in a Barnes and Noble. Racking my brain which has a pretty decent memory I can recall going there last Christmas season. (Like Christmas 2012.) But I am certain I was there with my friend Kathryn and she made a purchase and I did not. OH! We went to one last summer in a town over and bought Polar Bear Polar Bear. Now this may be because my local B&N is located at our mall.
I am firm believer in the mall. I grew up in Minnesota. The MoA was a mere 10-15 minutes away depending on the lights on Hwy 13. I love a good mall. My local establishment is not a good mall. It is poorly laid out and truthfully there isn't a whole lot of interesting stores that draw me in. I do like Gymboree but I usually wait until we're visiting in Minnesota because... no tax on clothing. So location could have everything to do with it. I'm not sure.
It could be that my life has significantly changed from the girl who would kill hours looking at all the books on the shelves and coveting the many seasons of television on DVD. When Husband and I were dating we'd spend a lot of time browsing together and talking about books. I just don't have the time to go there and kill a lot of time. And I have never been a coffee drinker so I am even less likely to go and sit.
But it's not even about that or the death of books. It comes down to budget. It is cheaper to get a book on the Kindle. Sometimes by half! And I don't have to load up a toddler to get it. Perhaps that's lazy. Perhaps that is just what the "death of the books" group think of me and my generation but I am a LOVER of books. I just am out of room on my bookshelves x a million. I have boxes of unpacked books in my basement and that makes me sad because I love my book collections.
I was just thinking about where some of it will go when the third bedroom becomes a nursery. That's where my Trixie Beldens are and Cherry Ames and other old school series are currently stored. I don't want those going to the basement but I'm not sure where they're supposed to go!
So for me the Kindle makes sense. It's cheaper, it takes up less space and I don't lose anything by reading them on an electronic. I know the book people want me to miss holding a book but it's actually lovely not having the weight of a hard bound, new release and still being able to read a book the day it comes out.
There is something exhilarating about rushing out of a Barnes and Noble with your copy of Harry Potter to your brother waiting in a running car. (Because we always had a plan to get the heck out of there and read! Plus I was the crazy who camped out the day before for a wrist band so I could be one of the first in line to buy the books so my plan was brilliant actually.) But at this point in my life it is just as exhilarating to turn on my Kindle at 12:01 (Sometimes it goes with PST so it's 2:01) and there is the book you pre-ordered a long time ago.
And I do still browse. On Amazon. And I get books all the time that I never would have ordinarily picked up. Because with Amazon they recommend things I might like based on what I've read PLUS I get to read reviews others have left. I have never lived in a cute little town where my local bookseller would be able to recommend for me personally. In fact when I was younger I had read so much that when they would suggest something it was usually a reread for me. I do still visit our local library and utilize both the paper copies and electronic copies of books. But you all know that relying on a library for a new release is a moot point.
My greater point here is that I am certain that Barnes and Noble serves a purpose in the world, but just not in my world. I would be sad to lose that option definitely, I just do not utilize it enough for it to impact me on any great level.
I am exactly the kind of person the Barnes and Noble executives hate. And I am not going to apologize for that. But if the death of B&N actually comes, I will attend the funeral to pay my respects.
You know, we were just talking about this here!
ReplyDeleteI am a book lover. Always have been.
I love the feel of a new book in my hands, and the smell of one too.
I was an ebook hold out. For as long as I could.
But, like you...once I tried it...I found it to be soooo convenient, I was hooked.
Instant gratification!
But I still collect my very favorite series of books...just not as many. : )
Loved this one!
I didn't hear that B&N is closing. I own a nook...I hope they are still going to offer the nook books on line. You are right though, since I got my nook a few years ago, I seldom go into the store. Stopped by at the recommendation of Kendra at Answer Me This.
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