Peony In Love: my first Nook Book

I am currently reading Peony In Love and because I enjoyed reading Lisa See's other novels about young girls growing up in China (at very different times in history), I am now reading a third novel by her. The difference is that I am finally getting around to using the Nook Jeff gave me for my birthday. It is amazing that while you can swipe the bottom of the nook to simulate turning a page (which does not seem to work that well and I will have to check that out), you can also just press a button to advance the page. Push a button. Wow!! Reading books is even easier than before and it was pretty simple then. Even though I have about 4-7 other books that are physically waiting on my shelves to read, they have taken residence getting dusty as this Nook is going to be so much easier to pack in my purse and I don't have to have another heavy back up book in case I finish this on the trip I am taking next Friday. I can just download another book just before getting on the plane. Very cool!

To be honest, I really wanted the Nook, while at the same, waxing nostalgic that I would miss the printed page and the organic feeling of having a real book in my hands to grasp and reread pages, look back to the cover, etc. A book to finish. A book to feel accomplished with by putting it on the bookshelf with all my other novels. Yesterday, I took a look at that small pile of books yet to read and felt a few pangs of guilt as I picked up my Nook (with a sweet Kate Spade Nook cover to boot!). When I get back from my two week journey to visit family between Washington, D.C. and Maine, I will work on completing those books. I look forward to lighten the load of those physical books, both paperback and hardback. After bringing some to my mom up in D.C. and having Jeff sell some on the internet, I plan on taking a hiatus from purchasing books other than the Nook. This is simplifying and it's starting to feel great just thinking about it. Maybe once in a while, I will buy a real book. If an author comes into town and I want his/her book signed. If I am buying a book for someone else. If I actually have to buy a book....then again, the old compulsion to take home real books may seduce me. I can't help it. I love books. I love my Nook.

The History of Love

A New York Bestseller by Nicole Krauss called The History of Love is my most recent read. I loved this book and toward the end, I just could not put it down. The strange thing is that I did not feel this way in the beginning. I think it just started slower for me and I wasn't as attached to the novel's conclusion so I put it down more frequently. When I finally devoted just an HOUR uninterrupted to the novel while taking a personal time-out on the beach by myself. Only an hour, and I found out to my amusement and pleasant surprise that I was hooked. I was intrigued by the story, a romantic journey and quest. I hate romance novels and I devoured this novel. The author ingeniously constructed a story appealing to any age. The author took a teen, her brother and and old man through an amazing journey of self discovery and love (lost and maybe not yet found).

It made me think of the same thing in my last book posting. What kind of movie would this make? Who would star as young Alma from Poland and the teen Alma in the United States. Who would play the adult Alma Mereminski/Moritz? And who would play Leopold Gursky? There has to be a hot Israeli actor out there who will the American Alma's father. Who will come forward?! I can't wait to see this movie. Not that it's a movie yet. But wait and see, it will be. Stay tuned.

Updating my book list

I am catching up on book reading and thus, I think I am going to be adding to my posted list often. I may remove some select books so the list is not dreadfully long. I had to read The Private Lives of Pippa Lee before I see the movie. The book was of course great, but I didn't realize the author had written Personal Velocity which I had seen a while ago. In fact, I had no idea it was even a book, or I probably would have wanted to read it first.

I guess I have a thing with reading the book first if I am able to and if I even know it's a book prior to seeing the movie. I love the imagination and the thoughts that go through my head about the appearances. Even though I haven't seen it yet, since I know Blake Lively is in it (and I have seen Gossip Girl only once, I swear) as well as Maria Bello and Robin Wright Penn (is it still Penn? Anyone?), I subconsciously put them in my head as I was reading the book. It did not really ruin it for me or anything, but it's not quite the same thing. I think my exception to my book before movie rule was The Namesake. I knew it was a book, but I knew I didn't have time and I had a movie date to see it. That was a nice movie, but I think I would have rather read the book first. Now, it is too late! I don't know if I have the patience to get through it now!

Please feel free to comment on any of the books I have read or suggest new ones. I have a few on my list that I have bought months ago and are in queue. Currently, I am reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. I hope to get some mileage in that book tonight when Jeff goes to his poker game. Either that or get lazy and watch Sex and the City for the 10 millionth time.