Technology cannot replace Books

Reading is my absolute favorite pastime.  Between my mom and my teachers, I was instilled with a love for books.  One of my favorite group of memories is my mom taking my brother and I to the public library.  The library was my favorite place.  What was not to like?  There were more books than I could ever read, cozy places to sit and read, a quiet atmosphere that was calming, and a wonderful book smell.  Best of all, the books were available at no cost!  I grew up in a poor family, so we didn't have many books at home.  But who needed books of your own at home when you could go the library once a week and trade the ones you had finished for new ones. 

With all the new technology (Kindle, Nook, iPad), will books be a thing of the past?  Not in my home.  I love the smell of books, new and old.  I still love to flip through a book, especially a picture book.  Now that I am grown up and am able to afford it, I have a new favorite place to go:  the bookstore.  Two of my favorites are Davis Kidd Booksellers (independent bookstore in Memphis, TN) and Barnes and Noble.  They have the same characteristics as a library, but now I get to keep my favorite books. 

That being said, I do have a first generation Kindle which I have upgraded to an iPad.  I love to read electronically also.  It is more convenient to take my books with me when I travel when they are in electronic form...less to carry on the plane, easier to pack.