Bella Book Host: Changing Ways We Consume Literature

EmilyAnn Raynor

September 3, 2020

As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Audible. As a mom of two dancers, I spend a lot of time driving and waiting. Audible allows me to access a nearly endless list of audio books from my phone, in the car, in the studio waiting room, and while sewing. For a monthly charge I receive a limited number of credits included in my plan. This month, after realizing I had already used my credits catching up on speculative fiction series involving dragons and talking ships, I evaluated my options. I keep my in-person shopping limited these days, but Amazon had print and Kindle versions available, and of course there is the local library.

Around the state and the country, many public libraries remain closed. This seems like a practical thing as libraries, in addition to being filled with knowledge and adventure, are filled with fomites, objects or materials which are likely to carry infection. The Aiken County Public Library, part of the ABBE Regional Library System, has reopened with precautions in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19: limited hours, required face coverings, and increased sanitation procedures. Like many libraries, the possession of an ABBE Library Card allows access to a wealth of eBooks and audio books though the library website’s digital resources. Unfortunately, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell was not available in eBook or audiobook format, but I was able to use the online system to place a hold on a print copy and pick it up when it was ready.

It was nice to go “old school” and read this book as an actual paper book, propped up in a cozy chair, while I screened out the rest of the world. So often these days I multi-task while reading — it was a pleasant change to be able to focus on the story. I hope that, however you choose to read this book, you enjoy it as much as I did.

EmilyAnn Raynor

EmilyAnn Raynor is a native of Aiken, South Carolina, with more hobbies than time to do them. Among other things, she is a nurse, ballet costume designer, and mother of two, and she can recite her family genealogy for at least 6 generations in any direction.

EmilyAnn Raynor

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