Oh bookcase, my bookcase, where for art thou?

In my tiny apartment, (if I called it a flat would it be more exotic?) there is a space for a bookcase.

And if you saw my post from the other day, I obviously need one. I’ve needed one for a very long time but waited to be able to get the exact right one.  But if I don’t hurry, I may not be able to get one at all.

A casualty of ebook wars is the book case. According to an Economist article, Ikea is redesigning its popular bookcase because people are buying less books. 

Less books, less bookcases?

I’ve known for a long time that I was the rare child who wanted her room to look like a library. I wanted bookcases of books rather than plastic, yellow haired Barbies. Books are my friends and I wanted them to have their own dream house–sharp, decorative book cases.

Even now as an adult and MFA student, books are still my friend. They revived me at a time when I was lost and confused and unhappy–my Lifetime movie moment brought to you by Junot Diaz, Cristina Garcia, and Roberto Bolano.

Despite this kinship with pages bound together with glue or thread, I took to the Kindle and nook instantly, wanting the Kindle back during its $400 days. I considered selling something, jewelry or soda cans, to get my hands on one. Eventually, and fairly recently, I purchased a nook. Then an Ipad. Then I had the Kindle and nook app. Yes, this writer and lover of books embraced technology and nearly abandoned the book.

Why? Space. No bookshelf. Ironies never cease. But also for the other myriad of reasons, better to transport, fits in my purse better, quick book download, etc.

But can’t I have them both? Can’t I have my wonderfully delicious nook (I actually like reading better on the nook than the Ipad though taking notes is easier on Apple’s machine.) with its easy to download books and free book Friday and cute, decorative covers, and super light weight design for my carry on? And can I also have my worn, bold typed, I can still smell the glue, love it like Christmas morning paper book that  just makes me smile?

And my bookcase. Can I have my bookcase too?

In my bibio-utopia there is room for everyone. There is room for technology and for book version 1.0. I love them both like a mother loves her children, equally. However, it looks like I am in the minority in that view. The move in this chess game is digital and if the publishing world has learned anything from its red-headed cousin the newspaper industry, the rule is change or be left behind. Checkmate.

And so the bookcase must come along and await other thing to proudly display. That thought is depressing enough to make me cry and short circuit my e-reader.

What of my plight? If not a bookcase what will fill my bookcase size space in my apartment/flat? The world may never know.