Yes, I’m still basking in the afterglow of the Tucson Festival of Books. We celebrate the written word, ideas, stories at the festival. But lots of people do their celebrating  by listening to books on tape, or reading books on kindles, iPads, Nooks and other devices that allow them to download e-books and take off. 

I personally haven’t been a fan of audio books and I don’t have a reading device. I like to hold a book in my hands and turn the real pages. But that doesn’t mean other readers aren’t enjoying books as much in their own ways. 

We can’t stop history. To think we can is folly. 

Sharon, a friend of many years, commented on my last post about the joy of seeing so many book-lovers at the book festival this weekend, which is testimony to the future of books, however they’re read.

 The progress that women have made and the current retrogressive attacks we’re experiencing — you know, from those old white male politicians who don’t know the definition of rape and don’t want women to have control of their own bodies — is shocking. Women must speak out, which means the use of social media.

 To disregard Facebook, texting, tweeting and other online ways of communicating I haven’t tried yet, is also folly. I love Facebook; it’s an effective way to voice your thoughts to as many people as you choose, and to find out what your “friends” are thinking.  Although I don’t pay much attention to Twitter I check it out every once in a while. 

Sure, the Internet is intrusive, can take up too much time, foists unwanted advertising on us, but it’s a phenomenal way to learn about the world. No old reference librarians shushing us. The reference library is now at our fingertips. 

And texting? I figured it wasn’t for me. But I learned.  Does it help me make appointments, let people know where I am, where to meet and allow me to quickly ask a question, like do we need more eggs, is texting my friend? Totally.

Does it irk me when I see a lovely young couple out to dinner, looking down at their phones, thumbs going a mile a minute? Sure. But we have a choice how we use these new tools. We must speak out using every tool we have. That works for me.