Do not read this on your Kindle
For the love of books (and semi-colons).
There are few authors who startle me into the realization that we would totally be best friends IRL (in real life)—if we only knew each other. Lynne Truss is one of those people.
This book isn’t for everyone, but then again, neither is punctuation.
I’m rather obsessed with writing in a fashion that may be understood in the very context intended. Anyone who writes a book out of frustration over these matters is clearly BFF material.
I nearly broke into tears upon reading this [a diatribe in favor of print vs. internet]—as I turn around and post this to my blog—anyhow, back to it:
“The book remains static and fixed; the reader journeys through it. Picking up the book in the first place entails an active pursuit of understanding. Holding the book, we are aware of posterity and continuity[…]”
Without getting all preachy on your ass, there are subtleties buried within the written word (on the actual page.) Some girl far away might sit in a swivel-y office chair on her lunch break reading my labor-of-love, pages flipping madly, and come close to tears with feelings of BFF-ship.
That’s why I’m writing a book. Being connected is not always about the internet.
Book Process, Reading
Reader Comments (4)
Thanks for posting this. We're clearing out my office to prepare for our first child, and I've been trying to find a way to hold on to my thousands of books (I'm an English professor). The past few days, I've been considering getting a nook or Kindle so that I can still have thousands of books without taking up space...but I just don't think I can do it.
Congrats on your impending arrival Jessie! When I joyfully shipped 27 boxes of books via USPS media mail to my new Brooklyn home, I'm sure I sealed the deal of book-landscape enthusiast. I'm glad I'm not the only one out there.
I agree, there's something sensual and tactile about an actual book with pages in it. I can pick it up and set it down without having to remember to bookmark it electronically. And, I can concentrate on it without stopping to check e mail or have a million little windows open.
Wendy, tactile is my favorite word to describe books. There's just nothing that can compare to the weight shift that occurs after barreling past halfway point in a book, a real physical investment in reading.