Matt Shalbrack/Winonan

As a kid growing up, it was always my dream to have a room in my house devoted to books.

I had the design of the room all figured out: three walls covered in books with one of those sliding ladders going from end to end.

There would also be a fireplace, with two large picture windows on the wall, without books.

On the hardwood floor in front of the fireplace would be a giant bear rug. The room would feature a grand piano, a black leather couch, and a desk/chair duo made of beechnut.

Let me take a second to snap back to reality; I mean that’s every child’s dream to have a room decorated and filled with books like that, right?

Here’s the way it would happen. After graduating from college and working for a few years, I would end up buying my own house.

I would decorate it just like I’ve decorated houses playing “The Sims,” all while obtaining thousands of books to line the shelves of my study.

The only problem with this entire grandiose idea is not the money, but the current technology.

Growing up as an only child, I always read. As a little kid, my parents always read me bedtime stories.

I went to the library and the mobile library, the “Book Mobile” as I called it, every week to pick up new reading materials.

Books on dinosaurs fascinated me. I also love the “Henry and Mudge” series, and of course, “The Hardy Boys” books.

My vocabulary grew and grew and spelling words was never a problem for me.

I remember in third grade we were learning how to type during computer class and I asked my teacher how to spell the word “because.” She made me sound it out and I spelled it correctly on my first try. I was so proud of myself!

Once again, back to reality.

The hardest part about getting enough hardcover or paperback books to fill three walls of bookshelves isn’t the cost per book; it’s the lack of bookcases in my apartment for them to fit on.

Books are great, but the physical book is beginning to be a dying breed.

With the invention of e-books and e-readers, the physical book has lost its luster.

I was somewhat of a book purist, in other words, I didn’t like the idea of using an e-reader to read a book.

That was until I used an e-reader for the first time. I fell in love. I ordered the new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon. The only problem was that this product was on backorder for 4-6 weeks.

I still ordered, even with the 4-6 week waiting period. I checked my email every day, multiple times each day, seeing if I was lucky enough to get an early shipment.

About five days before my scheduled shipment date, I finally got the email saying it would be there the next day.

I ran around my apartment shouting for joy.

Let me tell you, this e-reader is fantastic. It was definitely worth the wait. In the two weeks I’ve had it, I’ve read two books and started a third.

I’ve been extremely happy with it so far. My dreams of a fancy room lined with bookshelves are a thing of the past.

I was once a book purist, now I’m just a technology geek who likes to read for fun.

Contact Matt at [email protected]