I Read My First Book on an E-Reader!

Yes, I really do have only one book downloaded. For now!

After blogging two and a half years ago about how I thought I'd never give up paper books, I have caved.

Last month I read my first book 100% on an electronic device.

The device: Kindle app for Microsoft Surface

The book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The motivation: I needed to read it for book club, and I didn't have time to wait for Amazon to ship it, nor to visit a real bookstore (my beloved After Words bookstore, which is located just 3 blocks from work, didn't have a copy).

The verdict: Reading on an e-reader was a fine experience. Being able to create a bookmark with the touch of a button is nice. The screen's glare is not bothersome. And it's kind of cool that it tells you what percent you've finished. But there was a night or two when I'd forgotten to charge the darn thing and so I couldn't read my book. That's one advantage paper books will always have.

It's nice to be here in the 21st century. I think I'll visit again.

Even My Dad Is Here

My dad is arguably one of the most stubborn non-embracers of modern technology. I love the man. But gadgets are not his thing. He's got a more artistic bent.

He does know how to use a computer. That was required for work. But he didn't get a cell phone until well into the 2000s. And when he finally got one, it was a gift. And while he does carry it with him, he may or may not answer it when it rings. When he first got it, he'd take it on a trip, but forget to bring his charger. It took him a while to figure out how to set up voicemail. You get the idea.

Well, yesterday Dad sent me a text message. An honest-to-goodness text message! I was so proud.

The Book Is Fun, By the Way

I think I need to see the movie. It will be nice to see
Emma Watson in a non-Hermione role.

I enjoyed The Perks of Being a Wallflower. With a title like that, I figured the main character would be female. Not so. He's a boy, Charlie, a 15-year-old high school freshman.

If you're my age, you'll probably get a kick out of this book for the nostalgia alone, as the characters discuss Nirvana and college applications and 1990s teen angst. Charlie turns 16 in 1992—so did I. He goes to the Rocky Horror Picture Show a lot—so did I. He is a good student and loves to read—me too. This made him feel like a buddy to me, and it made his oddities, which are many, more sympathetic.

I did have a moment where I realized how many years I've put between myself and the 90s. In the book, Charlie goes to a bunch of house parties where people drink and smoke pot and have sex. My first thought was not: "Cool, sounds like a fun party." It was: "Where are these kids' parents?!?!" Ha!