Saturday, February 26, 2011



Borders bankruptcy filling was very shocking news to me last week and the news makes me worry about paper books' future at the same time. I love reading paperback books, children's books, magazines, newspapers, and any type of reading stuff made by papers. When I was a child, I stayed a library almost every day after school. I learned mountain climbing technic, ski technical method and names of flowers and trees all from books. I learned moral and human nature by masterpieces. When I saw those book in the book shelves, every single memories came across my mind. They are like trophies of my life.
With the appearance of e-book such as Kindle and Nook, paper books are in a tight squeeze. I am not interested in e-book at all, but I checked Nook at Barns and Noble yesterday. Well, I can read a children's book with illustration, which releves me as a person who wants to make a living with illustration, I can carry it easily, which is good for someone who always annoyed with stiff shoulders like me, and e-book can save many trees and change environment. But simply I hate it! It doesn't provide the smell of ink, it doesn't give me a freedom choosing a book from a book cover, and it doesn't have any texture that each books have. There are more reasons I hate e-book, but this is like emotional thing. Am I sounds wired?


Then, I made a illustration of the relationship between I and books! This is really personal piece!

5 comments:

  1. You're definitely not weird, Shigeko! I love to be able to touch things, and I can't deal with touching e-ink.

    Though, e-ink does look very attractive. I think that, if I did get an e-book one day, it would not stop me from buying physical media. It is sad though, that there are no more bookstore chains in Hudson County.

    Great painting! So meticulous in your head!

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  2. Oh, we are in the same team!
    Barnes and Noble in Hoboken was also gone, and we need a place to read and buy book in Hudson County or Jersey City!

    Thank you for your comment! You encourage me always!

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  3. I totally agree with your opinion. The e-book going to replace the paper books, but it is very sad. I love paper books more than e-book.

    I still remember smell of children's books and enjoyment of choosing a book from bookshelf. I don't think there is a bookshelf in the e-book.

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  4. And I can get your feeling from your work! Beautiful work, shigeko-san.

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  5. You are in the same team, too! Let's try not to buy e-book!
    Thank you, Keiko! This is my the lastest piece, but I wish I could more.

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