I LOVE BOOKS
I have been a reader all of my life. In good times and bad, I have kept on reading - novels, history, biography, essays, science - I believe that I have read a book on almost every topic that I can think of.
Reading has been one of my best friends. It has been there for me, year after year, feeding my curiosity and reaching into every bone in my body. When I was a kid, if I had to pick one thing most people said about me at one time or another it was - he always has a book in his hand. And I did.
I was a frequent visitor to many Philadelphia Free Library branches in South Philadelphia, my favorites being the Passyunk Branch at 20th and Shunk Streets and the branch at Broad and Morris Streets. Of course, the Main Library at 20th and The Parkway was the grandest of all.
When I could afford to buy books, I frequented the book departments in all the major Department Stores (Gimbels had the best) and the many bookstores around town. Buying books for over 50 years, I accumulated quite a library. So, when I downsized and moved into an apartment, I had to divest myself of thousands of books. Nobody wanted them. I gave away dozens of boxes to the Philadelphia library used book store (just north of the main library on 20th Street). I kept only the precious books that I re-read or that I have a special relationship with, e.g. my first copy of The Great Gatsby.
Not able to find room for more books, I have turned to ebooks. I have always listened to books in my long commutes to and from work, but now I also read them on my tablet or phone.
I know that many deplore the demise of physical books and refuse to give up the joys of actually turning pages, but there are joys to e-book reading too. For one thing, you can read Anna Karenina without having to lug around an 800+ page book. For another, you can look up words or places with just a tap. But the main benefit is access. At any time of the day or night, you can search for and find a book that interests you. The e-bookstore and e-libraries are open 24/7.
There is another great reason to read ebooks, savings. Here are a couple of websites that you can subscribe to and get in your email, everyday, a list of great books that are on sale, most under $2.99 and many just $1.99. This is your chance to read a book you always wanted to read, but then forgot about. Often, there are sales on entire series written by an author so you can get 3 or 4 books for $3.99 or less.
Here are the websites I subscribe to - tell us any that you know of:
https://earlybirdbooks.com/
https://www.bookshout.com/
https://www.bookbub.com/