Tag Archives: books

Coming from someone who is best known for doodling cartoons on business cards, Hugh MacLeod’s advice for developing creativity is not what you might expect.

In “Ignore Everybody,” MacLeod shares 40 keys for fostering creativity, personal and professional success, and a variety of other life lessons. The lessons are augmented by colorful stories from Hugh’s personal and professional life. His poignant cartoons litter the pages, punctuating them with irony and insight.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours. The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people that the actual content will.

Good ideas have lonely childhoods. This is the price you pay, every time. There is no way of avoiding it.

Nobody cares. Do it for yourself. Everybody is too busy with their own lives to give a damn about your book, painting, screenplay, etc., especially if you haven’t finished it yet. And the ones who aren’t too busy, you don’t want in your life anyway.

The best way to get approval is is not to need it. This is equally true in art and business…

Not interested in creativity? Call it whatever you’d like; this book is about developing the ability to pursue what you love with relative freedom.

When I heard that Cushing Academy had decided to remove their school library in order to move into the digital age, my heart broke a little bit. The Boston Globe piece shares that what used to be a library on campus will now be a learning center with everything from e-readers and big screens for data viewing to a $12,000 cappuccino machine.

I have never been to Cushing Academy but I am an avid reader who values the feel and weight of a book in my hands. Of course I say this only a few hours after I started to seriously think about purchasing the Amazon Kindle. The problem with being an avid reader is that I have stacks and stacks of books since my bookcases are filled to capacity. The stacks are getting a little overwhelming so I am looking for a solution.

There are so many advantages to the use of an e-reader. Cutting back on printing and shipping are good for the environment and drive down the cost of the text that is transmitted to the device. It’s a great way to cut down on the pain and strain of carrying a heavy book or two in a purse or backpack. I also love the idea of downloading the book instantly instead of going to the bookstore or ordering from an online vendor.

The convenience is also a double-edged sword. As I’ve learned from iTunes, easy access can lead to  impulse purchases (yep, I admit it, you’ll find a little Miley Cyrus in my music collection). There’s also something to be said for the ability to write in your book and make notes and highlight passages you want to come back and read again. I’ve also mentioned how much I love the weight of a book in my hands and after a full day in front of a computer screen, it’s nice to enjoy something that isn’t digital.

That’s my dilemma, am I ready to go that digital. Withe so many enthusiasts on both sides of the debate, I mentioned my interest in purchasing the device on Twitter. Bub.blicio.us contributor, Michelle Lentz, had the best tip on how to enjoy the best of both worlds*:

*Yes, that was an intentional Miley Cyrus reference

by Michelle Lentz

Since it’s Banned Book Week, and because we should all step away from our computers and read some books, I thought I’d talk about eBook readers. Really, I want your opinion on them.

I’ve gone on record several times and in several places as saying I could never use an eBook Reader like the Kindle. Then I wandered into Borders Books over the weekend and ran smack into a display for the Sony eBook Reader. My husband had a heck of a time dragging me away from the display unit, as it was my first hands-on encounter with an eBook device.

I was impressed – amazingly impressed – by the size of the unit. It was slightly larger than a paperback book, but amazingly thin and light. The screen, with the special e-ink (my husband said something about solid state graphics or something), was easy to read. It was just like looking at a page in a book. In fact, I found it slightly easier to read than a page in a book.

I found myself wanting one. I can’t believe it. I love books. I love the feel of a book in my hand and the musty smell of old books. So I’m surprised at myself. It comes down to this. As a Web Worker, I’m on the go a lot. I’ve always got a book, newspaper, or magazine (or all of the above) in my briefcase, along with my Macbook and it’s necessary accessories. An eBook device would cut down on the number of things shoved into my briefcase. With the Kindle, in particular, I could actually download and read the newspaper without getting covered in news ink or dealing with the unweildy and impractical size. With either device, I could easily bookmark my place.

I’ll be traveling a lot (for me), over the next year, including two trips to California, a trip to Las Vegas, and quite possibly a trip to Seattle / Alaska. None of these places are close to Cincinnati, so I’ll be spending a lot of time on a plane. In my carry-on, I usually have at least one newspaper, two magazines, and two books, with more books in my checked luggage. An eBook device would free up that carry-on space for something else – or for nothing, which is even better.

I haven’t read a blogger review of the Sony eBook Reader, although I’d like to. My friend Jason, however, has written a rather glowing review of the Kindle. His review has made quite an impact on me – he’s a librarian. Granted, he’s a bit more digital than a lot of librarians I know, but really, his world is books and he loves his Kindle.

My biggest issue right now is price. The Kindle, in particular, seems extravagant at almost $400. I’d love to get my hands on a sample machine to use for a bit to see if it’s even worth $400 to the average user. Would I really use it all the time or just for travel? $400 is a lot if I’m not going to use it on a daily basis.

So tell me, would you switch to an eBook device? Do you have thoughts on whether you’d use a Kindle or Sony or something I haven’t yet stumbled across?  Tell me what you think in the comments below.

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Contact Michelle with your news, apps, and events via email, Twitter, Pownce, or FriendFeed. Visit Michelle at Wine-Girl.net and Write Technology. You can also catch Michelle presenting on Twitter at the upcoming DevLearn ’08 in San Jose.