Things That Would Make Me Buy an eReader

I'm starting to see them everywhere - the Kindle and the Nook - I even actually saw a mother using an iPad with her baby. They're online, in electronic stores, and even at the forefront of chain bookstores. eReaders. They're closing in on me, and the whole corporate world seems determined to make me buy one.

Well, that's too bad, 'cause I don't want one.


At least not right now. I love paper books - the look, the feel, the weight, the smell - and I'll never want to give them up. But eReaders aren't exactly going to go away, and I've accepted that as an unrepentant bibliophile I'll have to get myself one. Some day. The list isn't long, but there are a few things I'll need to have, or be assured of, before I can guiltlessly spend my pay check on one of these contraptions.


Add Comics and Manga. Most of my book-spending money goes towards manga and graphic novels, which sucks since those are also the most expensive books I buy. It would be great to use me eReader to read a book I'm not so invested in I have to own it, but unless it's cutting the costs on the biggest hole I'm throwing my money into, a $200+ device just isn't worth it.

Lower the Prices! I know, the iPad has all those awesome comic apps, and even a couple of manga companies like Digital Manga Publishing and VIZ Media are throwing their stuff on the device. And it's in color! But have you seen how expensive an iPad is? Yikes. That's more than my down payment for grad school. Who can afford that thing? I might not even mind the lack of comics if I could buy an eReader on the cheap.

Convince Me Print Won't Die. This is a big one, actually. I know a lot of people are welcoming the advent of digital in part because it will finally free up that shelf space, but that makes me nervous. I'm a collector, and I'm a little nutty; I like having the actual physical thing that I can look at and touch and feel and smell. I won't mind giving that up for books I don't care as much about, but for the books I love I don't want the privilege of holding the bound up paper to go away. I just need someone to convince that print and digital can get along, and that print doesn't have to die.

Do you guys have an eReader? If not, what will it take to get you to buy one - or will you never cave?

Embarrassing Reads - Comic Books and Hedgehogs

Recently I read the second volume of a manga series called Kingyo Used Books. Basically, the series is composed of a bunch of one-shot stories about people, the manga they read, and how said manga can affect or even alter their lives. All of these stories are episodic, so some of them stick out to me a little more than others.

The one that stuck out this time was the chapter called "One Percent Man", about a tough street punk, who also happens to really love a manga made for women and girls. Part of the problem he has to overcome is his embarrassment of even asking the store clerk whether the next volume is in stock yet, afraid that these complete strangers will know his little secret. I really connected with this guy, and I could think of one good reason why.