Another Christmas Idea

Imagine if people started putting "Donation to..." on their Christmas list! That'd be pretty cool.

Nook or Not?

I find the Barnes and Noble Nook intriguing, as I've found ereaders intriguing in general. I haven't yet decided between becoming a Nook owner, holding out for a better product, or resisting the movement. Here is why (specifically in regards to the Nook):

What I like:

• Finally, I don't have to hold the pages open (yes, I'm that lazy)
• My books can go where I go - that's right Aaron, the multiple books I'm currently reading won't be piled on the kitchen table, coffee table, and dresser anymore!
  
• It has a seemingly very vibrant color touch screen, which displays the books by cover
  
• Newspapers and magazines that MIGHT be worth subscribing to if the nook is already in my hands:
• Los Angeles Times
• The New Yorker
• how about Christianity today or Relevant? I know thecomplete list hasn't been released, but I'd be interested to know what else will be available. It's a  pro & con: maybe some mags and newspapers will be good, but I wont be subscribing to RealSimple - it's not the same in black and white.
• You can add a Micro SD card and expand your library
• "From Treasure Island to Pride and Prejudice, download thousands of free titles."
• Nook supports PDF 
• It's more customizable than the Kindle
• Nook stores music (although this wouldn't be it's primary use, it's a nice addition)
• Nook includes a full dictionary, which I find very useful (especially when reading Anna Karenina)
  

But, what I don't like:

• It's a little small (7.7 x 4.9 x 0.50 inches)
  
• Members and EMPLOYEES do not get discounts on nook or on B&N eBooks, while right now I can borrow hard covers from B&N for free up to two weeks and I get 30% off all book purchases
  
• Nook does not have a web browser while the Kindle goes to Wikipedia
• Nook lacks text-to-speech
• Nook lets you loan eBooks to friends, free of charge, but only once and for a 14 day limited time.
  As a reviewer said, " the ownership concept is a little bit abstract." Can B&N take books back after you buy them like Kindle once did?
• Gift Cards and Gift Certificates cannot be used to purchase eBooks
  
  

Are these aspects enough to deter me from getting one?  I honestly haven't decided. The thing that is causing so much doubt in the Nook is the lack of discounted books. I own a lot of books that I haven't yet read - would it be worth it to buy a device that I would need to fill with more books? I've heard the argument that I could sell some of my books to pay for digital copies, but is everyone going to be doing that? Will my books actually sell for a competitive price or a price comparable to the digital copies?

Something else to consider: which books are available?

Books I'd be interested in purchasing digitally that I've been able to find: 

• Swallows of Kabul  (book:$13.95/ ebook:$10.40)
• Why Faith Matters by Wolpe (book: $14.99/ ebook: $9.59)  
• The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari (book: $13.00/ ebook: $10.40)
• Dimantled by Jennifer Mcmahon (book: $24.99/ ebook:$9.99)
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy (book: $14.95/ ebook:$11.96)
• Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun (book: $21.95/ ebook:$17.56)
• Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (book: $15.00/ ebook:$12.00)
• Cruel and Unusual Punishment by Nonie Darwish (book: $24.99/ ebook:$9.99)
• Hold Love Strong by Matthew Aaron Goodman (book: $24.99/ ebook:$19.99)
• The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose (book: $24.99/ ebook:$19.99)
• The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha  (book: $22.95/ ebook:$9.99)  

Books I want in digital format, but can't find:

• Hello, I Must Be Going by Christie Hodgen
• Hearing God by Dallas Willard
•  A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 

 It's a better turn up than I thought it would be, but are the prices fair? Are they worth buying in digital format for that price? I'll never be able to resell them. I'll never be able to pass them on to a friend. I'll never be able to lend them to someone who does not have a nook.  

And those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Mend: Know Who Made Your Bag!

MEND: Aromorach Monica from MEND on Vimeo.

Continuation School

My new theory is this: continuation schools are a bad idea. Why are we sticking all the "reject" kids on one campus? These are the students that are in trouble enough to be send away to this "bad kids school," but we are sticking them all together where there are no positive peer influences.

Oh Happy Day

That's what today is! I just feel happy.

I officially became the Kolb Family Nanny (which is a sweet deal because I can do this and student teach next semester, it's a stable source of some income, and it's fun!)

I talked with Chris (youth pastor) today and he's gonna try to start a skate park ministry (heck yes!) and allow me to help. Which, if you didn't know (you, being whoever the heck reads this crap) I love ministering to cultures like the skate culture - the fringe people that others don't reach because they don't come to church.

And although these are really the only two super cool things... it just makes me so super excited to be involved in two things I love. And life is looking up! Thank ya Jesus!

PS:
YOU: what ever happened to the Nouwenisms?
ME: .....yeah.....

"Stephanie, take a trip to India with today's Books newsletter!"

In my e-mail a week or so ago, I received an e-mail from LivingSocial: Books. The subject line read, "Stephanie, take a trip to India with today's Books newsletter!" Hello! Duh! If anyone ever wanted my attention, that's the way to get it - India and books! I read it and thought it was pretty interesting (I own two of the books mentioned, but haven't read either... and now I'm intrigued.)

Lately, there’s been a cultural love affair with India. From Slumdog Millionaire to sari-inspired fashions on the Ports 1961 runway, India’s religion, décor, and food has become a subject of intrigue to popular culture. So there’s no doubt that fascination has extended to the literary realm. Books for years have tapped on the unique culture of one of the most populated countries in the world, one which has existed through centuries of empires, ornate architecture, trades with the Western world, Bollywood, and cutting-edge technology.

Author John Shors wrote one beloved book about India, a novel about the building of the Taj Mahal. The story, Beneath a Marble Sky, is a love story, both gruesome and endearing, that sweeps readers away into a world of war, passion, oppression, art and Hinduism. Robin said the book “made me want to travel to India and the Taj Mahal” and it “kept me turning the pages.” Sara describes it as “disturbing, painful, yet utterly beautiful” and Kaitlin was impressed with the book’s “really inventive spin on what happened during the time” a historical fiction that could define the genre with its ability to fuse plot and historical accuracy.

Set in New England rather than India, The Namesake, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, follows a Bengali boy into manhood and his struggle to accept his Indian heritage and newfound Americanism. A gripping story with elegant, descriptive writing, The Namesake gives readers a peek into the strict traditions of Indian culture and the balance first-generation Indian Americans must find to succeed in both worlds. Jason says it “really brings home the immigrant experience, both good and bad, across multiple generations” and Douglas cited that there are “beautiful comments on the nature of being a foreigner.” The prose here, however, really sets the book apart. As Joseph explains, “It’s clear that [Lahiri’s] strength lies in compact and incisive observations about characters in flux. In just a few short lines, she paints fully developed figures with rich pasts and heading toward and uncertain future.”

You can hardly talk of the Indian love affair without including Salman Rushdie and his novel, The Enchantress of Florence. Following a European traveler to the Mughal emperor’s court, the plot involves power, desire, treachery, and self-discovery, the type of story you can’t put down, especially with Rushdie’s writing. Jessica was delighted by “Rushdie’s clever, humorous style” and Cristoforo appreciated his “seamless incorporation of real world historical figures with an elaborate fiction of epic proportions.” Kailash rediscovered her love of Rushdie, calling him a “magician of words” and it made her “marvel at the heights to which human imagination can reach when at its inspired best.”

PS - the bold names of those quoted are just names of LivingSocial: Books members.

Lindemans Pêche

If you haven't tastes Lindemans Belgian Pêche Beer, you must. Serious!
I'm not a big drinker, and I really don't enjoy very many beers. This beer, however, is beautiful. It's sweet enough to convince you that you're not drinking beer at all, and it's pretty too! I can't find the alcohol content listed anywhere, but I can tell you that it's not a high alcohol level at all. It's perfect for an after dinner drink. Yum Yummy!

 

I buy it from Trader Joe's but wherever you can find it, buy it!