In Search of a Book

There was a time when every Monday I went to the local bookstore. I spent my entire lunch hour cruising the aisles, picking up books, reading the blurbs, putting them back. I started at A and finished at Z.

For a while it was easy getting a new book, I had four or five favorite authors and a few secondary ones. With every visit, I checked if they had anything new on the shelves. When they did the search was over. I clenched my new find to my chest like a prized possession, made my way to the cash register and practically purred with anticipation at this new story. When none of my favorites or secondaries had anything new, I had to try a new author.

Times changed. One bookstore after another closed down, and at the rate I was reading, my favorite hobby cost me a small fortune. The answer came at Christmas when my son presented me with a Kindle. I no longer had to go to the bookstore and electronic books were cheaper than paperbacks. I was thrilled with my gift, but my enthusiasm didn't last long.

For starters, I missed going to the bookstore, browsing the aisles, and the occasional conversation with another book enthusiast. Most of all I missed spotting a new book by one of my favorite authors and making a beeline for it like an arrow from a bow. I missed the smell of a book, the weight of it, the touch of the paper, and that intoxicating scent. I also missed turning pages, being able to go back a few pages, or even go right to the beginning of the story. I know that this can be done with a Kindle too, but I find it much more complicated.

Even more complicated is finding a book online. If I'm searching for a book by a specific author I might find what I'm looking for, but if I don't know what I want, how will I find it? It's not like I can walk up and down the aisles.

To find a new book I have to rely on reviews (which I don't trust in the least), promotional ads, or just word of mouth. I tried going online and searching for 'bestsellers' or 'popular books', but that still leaves me in the dark.

When I mentioned my predicament to a friend, she suggested getting a library card. The prospect of borrowing books from a library appealed to me as much as cold porridge. I've seen how some people treat library books. They cough and sneeze over them, they handle them with sticky or downright dirty hands, while some even take the books with them in the washrooms.

When I pointed this out, my friend laughed. 'You don't have to go for actual books,' she said, 'you can borrow them online. You know, electronic copies.' Alright, well that sounded like an acceptable solution. So excited was I at this new turn of events that I didn't let the grass grow under my feet. The very next day I made my way to the library and it was all very easy. I filled out a form, produced some I.D. and that was that. I got my shiny new library card there and then. I couldn't wait to get started.

Initially, I experienced the same problems as before … if I knew which author to look for there were plenty of suggestions, but if I just wanted to find a book for the sake of finding a book, I was completely in the dark.

To test the waters I typed in 'James Patterson' and immediately was presented with a wide selection of his books. Some were audio books, others were ebooks. Having read quite a few of James Patterson's works it was a case of … read it, read it, read it, read it. Eventually, I came to some titles that I hadn't read, but then there was another problem … the book was not available and had to be placed on hold. Waiting time varied between 10 to 30 days.

I tried Tom Clancy, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, and several others, but it was always the same thing … their latest works were not available and if I wanted to read a book of my choice, I had to place it on hold. I did the only thing I could do, I looked for older works and borrowed those.

While electronic books definitely have their advantages (they are cheaper or even free and weigh less - especially if you love thick books) I still prefer a paperback book. Come rain or shine, or a foot of snow, I will make my way to the bookstore, cruise the aisles and spend time with my current and future paperback friends.