One of my all-time favorite things to do is park myself in a comfy (or not) beach chair on the beach, in front of the ocean waves and lose myself in a really good novel.
For about 15 years (from the time my oldest was born until my youngest became a strong swimmer), this delicious past-time was broken up into 15 second increments as I constantly scanned the beach for my children. These days, they are old enough and strong enough swimmers that I can get about 45 seconds at a time before my 'mom radar' turns on and I am forced to do a quick scan of the beach. They don't necessarily need me to do this, but I think I am stuck doing it for life.
The biggest problem with my passion for beach reading has been making sure I have enough books with me on my trips. I am the kind of reader that gives an author 50-100 pages to capture me; if I still don't care about the book after reading that much of it, I put it down and move on to the next one. This requires that I always have a good supply of books with me for any vacation (in a pinch, I will make myself go back to a book I previously rejected).
A girlfriend of mine received a Kindle for Christmas.This has solved the problem of not having enough to read (download something if you need a new book), reduced her packing loads and saved her from those wet bathing suit marks at the bottom of her book. I keep thinking that a Kindle might work for me, but I love the process of picking out a new book and I love having a book with me.
I think for now, I will stick with the more traditional mode of flipping pages, shaking out sand, and toting that extra bag of books with me on the trip!
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I love reading, but it is the rare book I start, but do not finish. Even if it is not that great I have trouble pulling away from it. There is no substitute for a good old fashioned paper book.
I have been turning pages for so long I think it would be difficult using a program like Kindle would be difficult to get used to.
I love both methods, but I have to agree. I LOVE going to a good bookstore. I can spend hours just picking out books! Now with 4 small kids, I wish I could find time to read them all!
Sincerely,
Kathleen
I want a Kindle myself. I read a lot.. couple books a week. & I travel a lot too, so I have plenty of time to read on my trips. I just wish the Kindle was not so expensive.
Great post and I love to read at the beach. When the kids were small, I rarely understood a thing I read though.
I really need to make more time to read. I have even taken a course on being able to read faster, and it has helped.
Yes, whats better than a good book on the beach. Reading is a great escape.
I get my news from my I-phone instead of my Wall Street Journal, but I must confess that I love my books and no Kindle or computer gadget can ever come close to the enjoyment I get from the real thing. I'm with you 100% on this one.
I am with Mirela, no Kindle or computer gadget can come close to the feel and smell of a good book in my hand. Even my kids, who aren't big readers, share my love of the smell of books and there is a bookstore on the boardwalk at our beach that smells so strongly of newly printed books that we go in there every room just to smell it! It's the little things! lol!