I love books.
I'm a book slut from way way back.
I love the look of them, the smell of them (yes I sniff them don't judge), I love having them around for company.
When electronic book readers came out I dismissed them out of hand. They could never replace MY books. Without the tangible smell and feel of a book I would be missing out on too much of the overall experience.
Well, I was wrong.
I love reading on my iPod. I almost never read paper books anymore. The convenience is amazing. I can pull out my iPod anywhere and get a couple of minutes of reading. If I want to read in bed and not disturb Andrew - no problem. The iPod provides enough light for me to read without disturbing him. Forever banished are the constant hassles of trying to find the perfect night light. I can carry hundreds of books with me at a time - something I could never do with paper copies. I can look up words online, highlight favourite pages and phrases without ruining the book and the application keeps track of my highlights so that I can review them whenever I want. And I get to feel morally superior because I am not culpable for destroying trees in order to print the books I read.
Margaret Atwood has provided readers with another way to feel morally superior and I applaud her for it. She has released limited copies of her newest sci fi novel in straw. Yup, straw straw. It is considered a waste product for farmers and is perfectly usable as an alternative to lumber.
I can't see myself going back to paper products any time soon but I am glad there are such great alternatives on the market.
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