The Book is Calling Me
The first time I saw it in the store, Dale asked me if I wanted it and I told him I would get it on my Kindle.
He said, “Are you sure that will fit on your Kindle?”
I laughed and told him it would.
For me, books are as tempting a buy as candy is to a kid and when I saw “11–22-63,” the new book by Stephen King, it was like that great big lollipop, just begging to be devoured.
The events of that day in 1963, changed the course for America, not just during that decade, but altered our nation’s history from that day forward and made more than one person wonder what the world would have been like if President Kennedy had continued to be a part of it.
It was that generation’s Pearl Harbor and our generation’s 9–11. A day so horrible for our country that no one who was alive would ever forget where they were or what they were doing when they heard the news and a date even most of those who weren’t alive know.
I wasn’t born yet, but the events of that day helped begin my life.
My mother was 7 ½ months pregnant with me on 11–22-63 when she was sitting with my future Godmother and another good friend of the family’s and heard the terrible news of the assassination.
She was so upset by the events of the day, she began having labor pains. The doctors were able to stop them until December 16, when I was born almost a full month premature.
Fast forward nearly 12 years when I picked up Stephen King’s first book, “Carrie.” I’ve been hooked on him since.
Put together a story about time travel altering one of the most shocking events in U.S. history (and one that had a profound effect on the beginning of my life) with one of my favorite authors and it adds up to my number one “must read” for this year.
I went home and mulled over purchasing the book on Kindle. Then I read a post by my former high school English teacher on Facebook. She,
in fact, had trouble downloading the 849-page novel.
That was the excuse I needed to add the hard copy to my already large Stephen King collection.
When I passed by it again in the bookstore last weekend, I grabbed it off of the shelf.
“I can’t take it anymore,” I told Dale, smiling.
He knew it was only a matter of time.
Now, I’m working frantically to get ahead in my work because I know when I pick it up to read it, I won’t be putting it down until 849 pages later.
We may not have needed another book on the shelf in Our Little House, but I have a feeling this is one of the books just too good to have just on the Kindle.
What is the number one book on your reading list this year? Kindle (or other ereader) or hard copy?
I love love love my ereader, a gift from my kids. I had no idea how much I'd love it, but I do.
I love my kindle fire I got for Christmas. I want to read the book.
I was born in 1946, so I remember very well when John Kennedy was shot and killed.
I'm getting into it now, Ginny. It's good so far!
I'm still trying to decide about buying an eReader (likely Kindle) or NOT. I'm bookmarking this discussion as part of my research.
Thanks, Roxanne. As I said, I would do the Kindle Fire now.
I don't think I've read a Stephen King book, but have seen several of his movies (even though they sometimes scare the heck out of me).
I've got a bunch of biographies and autobiographies sitting here waiting to be read. Paul Newman, Dick Van Dyke and Robert Redford, to name three.
Would love to read the one on Paul Newman. He was one of my favorites.
I've been a Stephen King fan for years, though lately I've stopped buying his really creepy stories. This, though, is one that I want to read!
I don't know, Kris, his early works were about as creepy as you can get! This books does sound awesome. I'm cutting time out for it this week.
You'll have to report back once you've read it. I reserve a day in July each year to lock myself in my room with the latest Daniel Silva thriller.
I will let you know. What a treat, maybe I will have to give myself a week to read a couple of books.
I read 11–22-63 on my iPad and loved it. So thoughtful and moving. I do think Stephen King has been underestimated as a writer and is finally getting long-overdue credit with this novel.
I agree, Ruth. I've always liked him.
I'm now reading Alice Hoffman's The Dovekeepers on my kindle, and this Stephen King book is on my list, too. But maybe I'll have to buy the REAL book, after reading this. I look forward to reading it; I hear it's really good.
I know, Sheryl. I can't wait!
There's something eerily prescient about this conversation swinging from "What book is calling you?" to "What e-reader is calling you?" I'll have to go think about that, in between pages of my current reading on a)The Honoured Society (Mafia) by Norman Lewis, and a story in correspondence, Navajos Wear Nikes and journals of an Arizona school teacher in the teens. On my TBR stack: Day of Honey and a dozen more–all for A Traveler's Library. It's all for work–but nice work if you can get it.
It's a great life, the writer's one.
My husband is reading the Kennedy book by Chris Matthews, then plans to read this one. Mostly I am just waiting for some new releases — Doc Ford, etc. Right now I'm reading a Key West food critic mystery which is ok but not fantastic.
Let me know how your husband likes this one!
Trying to write a book, rather than read one this winter! Makes you appreciate all the word authors put in.
Yes, it does, Alexandra. Good luck with your efforts!
I read this book over Christmas vacation…and you're right…I couldn't put it down. I remember when JFK was shot. The book is amazing..I am in awe of Mr. King's imagination! I can't wait to hear your opinion of the book! As you say, definitely had to have the hardcover version and not the kindle!
Oh, thanks for the review. I'm making time this weekend!
11/22/63 was the first book I read this year. I devoured it, just could not put it down.My oldest son belongs to a Stephen King book club thingy so it's been laying around our house since it came out and I picked it up on a whim one day. Great read.
Thanks for the review, Jupiter. Not being able t put it down once I pick it up is something I'm afraid of right now. I'm working hard to meet all of my work deadlines so I can immerse myself this weekend.
I have a full size Nook WiFi and I enjoy it. I got it for the ability to download library books because I am too frugal to pay for books. Since getting it the Kindle has this ability.
Most of the books I read I get from the library or second hand through Paperbackswap or used book stores. I seldom will buy a brand new book with the exception of Stephen King. I have quite a few of his books but I am rethinking my attachment to them. We packed recently to move and I have 3 boxes of his books alone! Can't wait to read 11/22/63 but I'm on the list for it at my library. Hope it moves quickly!
Thanks for the input, Jules. Being able to borrow from the library is an important point for many. Good luck on "11–22-63." I hope you get it fast!
Hi V.
I can tell you a little about the Kindle Fire which I have. The cost is $199. You can receive email on it, read books and magazines, play games (my downfall), search the web, stream video and play music (I haven't tried this yet). Many magazines are available and you can either purchase one issue or a subscription. And they come to you in color. Not all magazines are available on the Kindle, so I'm not sure about transferring a mail subscription to the Kindle. That's probably something you'd have to ask customer service at the particular magazine you were interested in.
No, you can't put articles on a disk. You have to read them on the Kindle.
What I like about the Kindle is that you can read books anytime, any place and no wireless connection is needed. The Kindle Fire is backlit so you don't even need a lamp to read. You can change the size of the font and the text and background colors to what is easiest on your eyes.
Magazines seem expensive to me, so I still opt for the ones you can buy and then you can clip articles or recipes from those.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for chiming in, Heather L. I love the font options on my Kindle 3G. These eyes aren't what they used to be!
Thank you Heather, Mat, Kerri, everyone.
I will look into Kindles. I just have no one here in this backward town that will help you and give you an honest opinion about gadgets. Its not cost, but I look for what you can do with one, beside just read.
I will start checking with the few magazines I do get, (Mother, Mary Jane's Farm, and some gardening and herb magazines) and see if they have options for Kindles and the others.
Kerri,why I asked is I trust your journaliam and you do use gadgets on a daily basis. What better person to ask.
Thank you for all of your help.
Thanks, Vicki, for the compliment. That is the highest compliment a journalist can receive!
Love love love my Kindle. It has enabled me to give my hard cover books to new homes. But I also agree there are some books I still have to have in print, either out of tradition or because it is not available on Kindle(there are a few). I went with the 3G kindle so I can download anywhere I can get a cell signal and not be reliant on WiFi. And Yes, you can get magazines, newspapers, and convert files using your home computer and send them to your kindle. I am sure there are similar programs available with Nook and Sony E-Reader. The only thing I have ever had trouble downloading to my kindle were audible books. Still trying to figure that one out.
I love my Kindle 3G, too, Heather. The only thing I'm sorry I don't have is color for magazines.
No, never upset for a request, Vicki! I just don't know that I'm very qualified to write on the e-reader options out there. I don't know a whole lot about my Kindle except that I can pay to download magazine and newspapers and get books. When I purchased mine, I had the option of the Kindle, iPad or Nook. I really only wanted something lightweight to carry on planes and maybe on the boat while Dale is fishing so I could read. I didn't need a whole computer that gave me my emails, etc. I also liked it because it was rated the best for use outdoors. When I buy another, it will have more options such as the ipad or Kindle Fire. Here's a good article I found that compares the e-readers vs. the "tablets" (all inclusive tablets) and gives a range of prices. Hopefully, some other people in our community can chime in too. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738–1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/
Kerri,
Could I make a suggestion to you, if you would not be upset of me to ask?
Could you do a post on all of these ereaders for people like me who are not in the 21st century? I would like to look into one but I have absolutly no idea what to look for, what to spend, what can you do on one? Are you able to download magazines and articles from the internet? If you have a magazine subscription, can you get your subscription on the reader? Can you burn articles off of the web through the ereader and then on a disk?
I have many questions about them but I am not a techy gal and I have no one to ask or talk to about them here where I live.
Thank you for posting this today.
Kerri's link to C-Net is pretty definitive.
To me, the real question is: Which end of the Kindle spectrum do you fall in? The $79 e-reader is quite good for book reading. The $200 Fire is great for everything, but costs more than twice the amount. Is the added connectivity, color, and touchscreen worth it to you? It would be worth it to me.
I agree, Mat. I love my Kindle 3G, but there is not color. I really wasn't thinking of magazines when I got my e-reader. I was thinking of books and most of the books I read do not have photos (color ones) anyway. I probably would go with the Kindle Fire if I could choose another one today.