Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Nook or Kindle

The other day I stumbled across a disturbing list. Apparently, my house is filling up with disturbing lists.

This time, the list belongs to Mr. Summy.

It's a list of possible Christmas gifts for me.

At the top is: Nook? Kindle?

I can vaguely recall a conversation of about a week about when Mr. Summy questioned me about these devices. Thinking we were having a state-of-the-art conversation about publishing, I merrily expounded away.

Now I see he was trying to determine my preference. Nook or Kindle? Kindle or Nook?

IS HE OUT OF HIS MIND????

We've been married almost 23 years. He should know exactly why I can NEVER own either a Nook or a Kindle.



I love a hot bath.
I read in a hot bath.
I fall asleep.
Splat.


(Yes, a book was harmed in the making of this post.)

27 comments:

  1. laughingwolfDecember 22, 2009 at 11:19 AM

    wait for the apple tablet, barrie ;) lol

    merry christmas to you and yours!

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  2. PJ HooverDecember 22, 2009 at 12:11 PM

    ziploc bag works!
    Merry Christmas!

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  3. Tricia J. O'BrienDecember 22, 2009 at 12:38 PM

    Love your photo! Poor book. :(
    I so don't want to curl up with a device, but I see how they could be useful when traveling.
    Happy holidays (no matter what you unwrap).

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  4. Sherrie PetersenDecember 22, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    Ha!

    I feel the same way, at least for now :)

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  5. CrystalDecember 22, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    I have always wanted a kindle...I love the concept of having so many books at your fingertips without taking up too much space. If you get one and decide you don't want it, you can always give it to me. How's that for loving your neice?!? HA! Just a side note....I will always love real books, too. Nothing better than the smell of a book...especially old ones. Am I weird?

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  6. Spy ScribblerDecember 22, 2009 at 1:25 PM

    LOL! Okay, seriously? Kindle. And not just because I own it. Go to the tech blogs and read their reviews. The nook is not a good product YET. (I'm sure it will be.) Gizmodo is one, I think. It's been rated drastically worse by people who really, really wanted to love it.

    I take my Kindle in the Jacuzzi and even the swimming pool while I do water aerobics. I just put it in a ziploc bag. Works fine. :-)

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  7. Keri MikulskiDecember 22, 2009 at 1:29 PM

    Love it!! :)

    Happy Holidays, Barrie!! :)

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  8. Christine Mercer-VernonDecember 22, 2009 at 1:35 PM

    i agree! i will never trade paper for digital. i love to see the pages and see exactly where i am in the book too. poor poor book in the tub. a great one though, have you finished reading it? such a wonderful book everyone should read.

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  9. Sarah LaurenceDecember 22, 2009 at 1:51 PM

    Shame about the book. When it dries out the title might read A Curious Incident of a Bath in the Night Time.

    My husband and I debated the Kindle question but decided to give it a pass. I keep thinking of the books I've dribbled with bath water or left on buses or loaned to friends.

    If I were to get one, I'd go with a Kindle. I'd like one for travel or in my handbag any day, but I'd hate to give up the touch and feel of real books. I'll wait until ARCs go digital.

    Maybe a new camera instead?

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  10. AnonymousDecember 22, 2009 at 1:56 PM

    OMG! That is the best photo of the year. EXACTLY! That and falling asleep in bed and having the Kindle/Nook break your nose when you drop it on your face.

    I love the things in theory. I can find all sorts of reasong that people should have them. Me? No. :)

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  11. BeeDecember 22, 2009 at 2:01 PM

    Couldn't you have harmed a potboiler instead?

    My brother in Afghanistan loves his Kindle, but I don't fancy them at all. I think that you need a week at a spa or retreat!

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  12. AnonymousDecember 22, 2009 at 2:22 PM

    So hilarious, Barrie! I can never give up real books. Humans are meant to use all of the senses. :) And, I think, print books are going to make a huge comeback in the future. Hee, hee! Just like vinyl records - who knew?

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  13. Barbara MartinDecember 22, 2009 at 2:28 PM

    Maybe he will read this post and get a hint. If he does get you a digital reader please don't use it in the hot bath...I want to keep reading your posts!

    Have a Merry Christmas, Barrie, and all the best to your family over the holidays.

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  14. Kelly H-YDecember 22, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    Hee, hee! I think I'd have to agree with you! But ... his thought was lovely! :-)

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  15. TeresaDecember 22, 2009 at 5:00 PM

    This is a great post. It reminds me of my grandmother who used to read in the bath tub every day from 10:30 to 11:30. I guess maybe he needs to get you one of those plastic baby books that can't be harmed by water :)

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  16. kayerjDecember 22, 2009 at 9:19 PM

    I love my kindle--I promise never to read it in the tub! I have that book on my TBR.

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  17. AnonymousDecember 23, 2009 at 7:29 AM

    Oh bless his heart for trying, but I have the same issues as you. NO electric stuff near water--beaches, tubs or (gasp) toilets!

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  18. Joy PrebleDecember 23, 2009 at 1:04 PM

    Poor book! Sweet husband! And for the record, having now been gifted with a Kindle and having used it for about a week now, I can say that while it will never replace books in my heart, I do like the little fellow. Kind of a lot.

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  19. Charles GramlichDecember 23, 2009 at 1:39 PM

    I had to hug my Kindle after this post. The poor thing was traumatized.

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  20. Vodka MomDecember 23, 2009 at 5:51 PM

    I loved that book. p.s.




    xoxo almost as much as yours.

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  21. justsomethoughts...December 25, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    i come late, and by way of our mother of perpetual inebriation.

    i'm more than a little concerned about the falling-asleep-in-the-bath thing.

    and as long as the book in the tub wasnt anyhing by fitzgerald, rumi, hemmingway, waller, or cheever, it's really ok.

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  22. CassandraDecember 25, 2009 at 5:39 PM

    I am found guilty for also wanting these amazing devices...

    Very expensive, but amazing. Books is 60 seconds! For half-price of a normal book! On a screen! White and crisp and beautiful handheld e-reader! Alas, I did not receive this gift either.

    Maybe next year.

    Hilarious post, by the way.

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  23. suzanneelizabeths.comDecember 25, 2009 at 5:44 PM

    About a month or two ago, I wrote a scathing post on my blog about why I would NEVER own a kindle, how they were the death of books, blah, blah, blah....guess what? While I haven't gone over to the dark side yet...if Apple ever comes out with an e-reader, it may take me about as long as it would to open my wallet and get out the amex card.

    On the other hand, I read an article last week on galley cat that suggested that e-readers cannot replicate the deeply satisfying brain activity that we get when immersed in a real book.

    I'm reading too much into this post aren't I?!

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  24. AmyDecember 25, 2009 at 8:47 PM

    haha, I put my Kindle 2 in a ziplock baggie when I go to the beach. It works wonders ;) Although, I am too chicken to read with it in the tub.

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  25. BarrieDecember 25, 2009 at 11:40 PM

    Just so you guys are in the know...I did not get a kindle for Christmas. Or a Nook. I may get a Kindle one of these, just not this holiday. ;)

    Also, I dropped the book in the photo (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) in the bath a couple of times. Not just for this post. :) But...I did manage to finish reading it. Loved the book.

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  26. Gary CorbyDecember 26, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    I guess you could try listening to audio books at bath time to eliminate droppage? I've never been keen on audio myself but it might work here.

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  27. LaurenJanuary 1, 2010 at 5:37 PM

    hahah...i do the same thing (best end to the day by far), although I splash the book...I don't think that i've dropped it in yet.

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Comments are always welcome!