The temptation of an e-reader

I have been tempted by the seduction of a technological mistress - the e-reader.

I'm and old-fashioned kind of girl. I love my books. And I'm talking about the physical, hold in your hand, flip the pages, try not to bend the cover, books. I love nothing more than to sit in a cozy chair and read a book for hours on end. But the e-reader is trying to take over with its WiFi and easily downloadable books - that are cheaper than regular, old books.

And I have, at last, been tempted.

On Easter my mother gave my husband her first edition Kindle. She bought it when they first came out but has never actually used it. She claims she won't be able to figure out the technology.

I watched him playing with the Kindle, trying to figure out all its nuances. And I was tempted. Would I like an e-reader? They are better for storage. It's easier to move, no heavy boxes full of books. And they're cheaper. Maybe I could get more books if I had an e-reader?

But then I thought, what if I brought this e-reader on vacation and it froze or simply stopped working for no reason. I'd be without a book to read. A regular book could never let me down like that.

Still, the e-reader is new and shiny. It does all sorts of interesting things and it's yet another material product I can add to the list of "Gee, I really need one of those because..."

I promised my husband I would "try it out" when he downloads his first book to the Kindle. But I am wary. I can't exactly fill that library I want in my house someday with a Kindle full of electronic books, can I?