There is nothing better than a new book. The smell of it. The stiffness of the spine that no one has broken, making you feel as if you are the only one privileged to experience the story. The written word has a way of moving you, and of letting the imagination soar. But it’s not just the words for me- it’s the experience of reading. Total immersion in a story is one thing but I do love the book itself. The turning of the pages, the different covers, the way each one is like a piece of art on the shelf. This is why I will avoid the Kindle like the plague. It’s convenient, don’t get me wrong. Carrying the last book I read (the Book Thief) on the tube was a work out on it’s own but reading off a screen ruins part of the experience of reading for me. I will keep turning the pages, not pushing a button. As great as carrying 1000 books at a time in a single device is, I’d rather just be committed to one and, once I’m finished, put it on my shelf for a record of my adventures.