Reading Dylan Thomas in Nooks and Crannies

I finally got it! A Nook- Barnes and Noble's electronic book. I've been debating getting one of these for a while. I love everything about books- from their beautiful covers to the yellowed, musty, dog-eared pages of my favorite antique copies, to the stateliness they lend to my bookshelf. But I am suffering from a problem common to all book-aholics; no space. There are books on shelves, books under tables, atop refrigerators; on the counters under the beds and tucked away in closets. I finally reasoned that until we can buy a home big enough to house my collection; I can store books on a Nook and save my shelf space for my most precious copies. Why, I can even buy a book on Nook, and if I really really really love it; I'll buy a hard copy. My hubby really liked this idea so he bought it for my birthday. It is one of the most awesome presents I have ever gotten. I can download literally millions of free books; I can request samples of books to purchase; read reviews, highlight my favorite passages, create bookshelves, and best of all; read. Yesterday was cold and gloomy, the perfect day to read. So I downloaded this classic into my nook and settled myself into hubby's comfy recliner with a flannel quilt and puppy Koda lying beside me. And since I want my dog to have a well-rounded education-I read the story aloud to her.

I think this was Koda's favorite part:

It was snowing, It was always snowing at Christmas. December, in my memory, is white as Lapland, although there were no reindeers. But there were cats. Patient, cold, and callous, our hands {himself and Jim Prothero's} wrapped in socks, we waited to snowball the cats.

I'm sure Koda snickered at this part.

My favorite passage reads:

There were the Useful Presents: engulfing mufflers of old coach days, and mittens made for giant sloths, zebra scarfs of a substance like silky gum that could be tug-o-warred down to the galoshes; blinding tam-o-shanters like patchwork tea cozies and bunny suited busbies and balaclavas for victims of head-shrinking tribes; from aunts who always wore wool next to the skin there were mustached and rasping vests that made you wonder why the aunts had any skin left at all; and once I had a little crocheted nose bag from an aunt now, alas, no longer whinnying with us.

Yes, I laughed out loud as I read this passage! I must admit that I have been the giver of Useful Presents more than once; and I have made mittens that would fit a giant sloth before-along with other ill-fitting Useful Things! I think this part was lost on Koda, as she doesn't knit; and I haven't had a chance to knit a sweater for her yet.

This book only cost me 99 cents to download! How great is that! This is the first book on my 'Christmas Book' shelf in my Nook. And to quote Dr. Suess, 'Oh the places I can go!'

So here's Koda today. We had a White Thanksgiving. She wants me to snowball cats with her!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!