In 2009, GT readers voted the Amazon Kindle Reader the best travel gadget of the year. Coincidentally, I received my very own Kindle for Christmas. The device also happened to be one of the best sellers for the 2009 holiday season. I’d say Amazon is pretty happy with its product, which has spawned numerous other similar products. Barnes & Nobles’ Nook was released right before the holidays, and Sony has The Reader, the most expensive of the bunch.

I am completely happy with my decision to go electronic. I’m a huge reader, so I was a little skeptical at first, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the Kindle. My book habit was getting expensive; in an attempt to save money, I tried going to the local library, but then my late fees were costing me an arm and a leg. It’s hard to put a time restraint on a book. Plus, books were bulky on my travels, and it always seemed like I was just about to finish a book just as I was leaving for a trip, so I ended up lugging two books around. And I hated the lull in between books. I would finish reading one and not have another to start until I had the time to go buy one.

The Kindle was the solution to all my problems. All the books, magazines and newspapers are cheaper on Amazon then buying them in the store. So even though I’m still shelling out money, I’m saving too. I just bought a book that is a bestseller for $4.98. The device is super lightweight and can store up to 1,500 books. I can lug hundreds of books around at once without any back pain. My Kindle works wirelessly around the world, and books download in seconds. I can finish a book and be started on a new one in minutes. And the best part is, I can read a free sample of any book before I buy it. If you are a voracious reader, you should definitely consider purchasing a Kindle.

And I didn’t have to give up on printed books. My grad school professor made sure I had to purchase plenty of them!

Travel tip — Kindles are treated like laptops, so be sure you take them out and put them in a separate bin before going through security.

– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

I just learned that my original hometown airport — Portland International (PDX) — came in second in J.D. Powers and Associates’ 2010 North American Airport Satisfaction Study in the medium-sized airport category (10-30 million annual passengers). The study measured overall passenger satisfaction with six general factors: accessibility, baggage claim, check-in/bag check process, terminal facilities, security check and food & retail services. PDX came in just behind Kansas City International (MCI), with 733 points out of 1,000 compared to MCI’s 742. Aside from justifying my admittedly biased pride in my city’s airport, the study affirmed that other flyers appreciate most what I also enjoy about the facility: its food and retail offerings.

Oh, I also like the fact that Portland’s light-rail system, MAX, provides quick, convenient mass transit links to downtown and beyond; and the parking garage’s setup makes it easy to spot the open parking slots. Also, the overall design of the complex is both pleasing to the eye and functional; the arching glass canopy between the parking structure and terminal lets light stream in to the lush vegetation draping over the sides of the building while keeping visitors dry on those too-often rainy days. And I really appreciate the free Wi-Fi available throughout the site. But I admit that what I really look forward to when a trip to PDX is in the plans is the opportunity to visit some of my favorite shops and restaurants — anywhere, not just my favorite airport shops and restaurants.

Checking out the list of the airport eateries, it is clear that the managers have made a conscious effort to load the place up with popular, long-time local favorites rather than a slew of tired chain representatives. Rose’s Restaurant and Bakery has been a Portland institution for decades, offering up both New York-style deli foods and the most amazing, enormous desserts. The Beaverton Bakery since 1925 has also been serving up great baked goods, and their airport outlet also sells soups, salads and sandwiches. Samplings of local liquid libations can be had at Rogue Ales Public House and the Laurelwood Brewing Co.; the biggest problem for me is deciding which one of these many fabulous options I will enjoy during my limited time traveling through the airport.

While most of the restaurants and pubs are located beyond the security checkpoints, a number of the retail stores are not, so if I’m picking someone up or dropping someone off, I like to leave time to stop in for at least a quick browse if not some serious shopping. Again, some fine local institutions are represented here, most with well-deserved national and international reputations. The parents of both Columbia Sportswear and the Nike Store are Portland-area based with products sold world-wide. If you’re looking for gifts that speak of where you’ve been, the Made in Oregon shop has everything from the upiquitous t-shirts and caps to fine wines, gourmet foods, chocolates, jewelry and smoked salmon. I love meandering through the Oregon Pendleton Shop, letting my eyes rove over the fantastic variety of beautiful woolen blankets while my fingers trail across the soft wool plaid shirts and lovely shawls. The famous trade blankets first came off the looms in Pendleton in Eastern Oregon in 1909, and one of my most prized wedding gifts is a blanket from this venerable company.

My two favorite shops, however, I save for last (or, when time is short, they are my only stops). Powell’s Books is Portland’s legendary new and used bookstore, with the original store taking up an entire block downtown. The airport branch, necessarily smaller and lacking some of the aged charm of the original, nevertheless offers a generous assortment of gift items and new and used books — not just the ordinary NYT bestsellers but an eclectic and fascinating cross-section accompanied by interesting notes and comments from store employees (who are a very well-read bunch!).

The Real Mother Goose started up in 1971 and is a feast for the eyes. It is both gallery and retail shop, with the most stunning array of handcrafted jewely, art glass, ceramics, textiles, woods and exotic items I’ve ever seen in one place. My sister gave me a silver and turquoise bracelet from Mother Goose when I was 16, and I’ve been in love with the place ever since. You can spend a lot of money here or not very much, but you’re guaranteed to come away with something beautiful and unique.

I hope all your travels are swift and easy. But if you find yourself with extra time to kill at Portland’s airport, don’t despair. I think you’ll find you’ve got some very agreeable options for whiling away that time, and you might actually be glad for the opportunity.

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Last week, I started my first graduate school class. When the professor announced in the first class that we would be watching a documentary, I jokingly thought to myself, “Maybe this grad school thing would be easier than I thought!”

The 2002 documentary, The Stone Reader, is the story of two men - Mark Moskowitz and Dow Mossman. Moskowitz is a filmmaker and a great lover of books. As a teenager, he read a New York Times book review of Stones of Summer by Dow Mossman. He attempted several times in his life to get through the book, but he never could — until the late 1990s. He once again picked up his copy and started reading. This time, he was inspired. He loved the book and looked for more books by Mossman. He found nothing; no record of Mossman — it was as if he vanished off the face of the earth after his first critically-acclaimed novel failed to find success.

The Stone Reader is about Moskowitz’s quest to track down Mossman and find out what happened. The documentary chronicles virtually everyone involved in the book publishing process — from his teachers to his agent to the book critic to the publisher and book jacket designer. Moskowitz even interviews the photographer who took Mossman’s photo for the inside flap. Does he find Mossman? Well, I won’t give away the ending, but the documentary is a great choice for anyone who loves to read.

It also offers a glimpse into the life of authors. As these men and women put their hearts and souls into their characters and plots, they can begin to lose themselves. Many never achieve critical or monetary success, and sometimes the pressure is just too great. It’s more common than you think to have one-book authors. Some of the greats only wrote one book — look at Harper Lee and To Kill A Mockingbird. The documentary is just an overall look at reading, publishing and authors.

On Wednesday, J. D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, one of the most beloved and iconic books of all time, passed away at the age of 91. Salinger is a perfect example of the above. He followed with short stories and novellas. He refused movie options. And he went on to live a semi-reclusive life in New Hampshire.

Check out The Stone Reader if you have a chance. It offers the opportunity to take an inside peek at the literary world and gain a new perspective.

– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

This weekend I am going to see The Lion King with my parents and boyfriend. When I learned that this will be my boyfriend, Sean’s, first Broadway show, I thought to myself of all of the shows I’ve ever seen: Jersey Boys, Wicked, Spamalot, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Rent and Les Miserables.

In sixth grade, before I ever had any interest in Broadway, I came home from school and started channel surfing until I came across a PBS special celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Broadway musical Les Miserables. The special was about halfway over, but I found myself completely mesmerized by the music. It was Eponine’s solo number, “On My Own,” sung by Filipino Broadway star Lea Salonga, that had me hooked. I was in love with the music and desperate to learn the whole story.

For about a week, PBS aired this special, and every day I would run home and try to catch it from the beginning so I could tape it on VHS. Each day I would tape a bit more and learn a little more of the plot until I finally had the entire performance on tape, available to view as much as I wanted. I watched it every day, learned the music and the story and shared it with my family. It wasn’t long until my parents and sister jumped on board with my new obsession. I bought a copy of Victor Hugo’s novel and started reading it.

Finally, one summer,  I was sitting in my room when my dad called me to the bottom of the stairs. I remember him taking a long pause and looking at me before he finally said, “We’re going to see Les Miserables on Broadway in New York.” I was speechless. I had never been to New York City, and I had never seen a Broadway show. The rest is history!

I can only hope that Sean’s first experience on Broadway will open his world to a whole new love of music and performance.

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

I can’t remember a time when I did not love books. Before I could read to myself, one of my three older brothers was usually willing to read to me. Once I was able to scrawl my name, I got my very own library card, and I looked forward all week to our Saturday afternoon treks to the local branch. Dad would head off to the stacks to gather his own collection of thick, dull, non-illustrated books while we kids made a bee-line to the brightly painted tables and low shelves of the children’s section. The three-book limit never sated my appetite, so I looked through as many books as possible before choosing the three that I would take home for the next seven days. As I got older, I enjoyed reading aloud to my three younger siblings when I didn’t have my nose buried in my own stories. When there was no captive audience to be had, I would pretend I was the “Library Lady” who came to our school once a month and gave each class book talks and shared a portion of some enticing new tome. I’d sit in my bedroom and hold the book up to share the pictures with my imaginary class of fascinated listeners; I’m sure this early love of books played a key role in my later decision to become an English teacher.

 My own daughters were read to from a very early age, and each has developed her own life-long love affair with the wonders and mysteries which reveal themselves within the pages of books. The holiday season has allowed me to relish two of my favorite things — Christmas and books — at once, and every year I look forward to bringing out all my old favorites and scouring the bookstores for one or two new treasures to add to the collection. One of our family traditions was to allow each girl to choose one story book a night, and we would curl up on the sofa next to the lighted Christmas tree and enjoy the words and pictures together. As the girls got older, sometimes they would read to me, but even now, with both in their twenties, we love to share that quiet time with these familiar and beloved tales.

I am very particular about the kinds of winter/holiday stories I allow into my little library. The story itself must be beautifully written, with the words carefully chosen and woven together to draw one in to the special world the author reveals. The illustrations must also be of the highest quality, no matter the style or medium, so that their magic combines with and magnifies that of the written word. Some years the pickings have been woefully lean, and I’ve not been enticed to purchase any of the not-up-to-snuff offerings. I simply return home to enjoy all my old friends and trust that the next year might bring a better crop from which to choose an addition.

Some of our favorites take us to times and places far from our own experiences, allowing us to travel the world in our minds and see how others celebrated Christmas or the hush of winter. Owl Moon, written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr, tells how a little girl and her father strike out over a frozen, silent landscape to go owling late one cold winter night. Gloria Houston’s The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree (illustrated by Barbara Cooney), lyrically presents an Appalacian Christmas at the close of the Great War, while Probity Jones and the Fear Not Angel (Walter Wangerin, Jr.; illustrated by Tim Ladwig) is a sweet story set in a modern-day inner city neighborhood. Another Barbara Cooney-illustrated story, The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden, took us into the world of a lonely orphan girl in England. A collection of poems by Norma Farber, illustrated with simple, bright pictures by Petra Mathers, tells the individual stories of several not-so-traditional visitors to the manger in Bethlehem (a sloth, a turtle, a ladybug, a racoon). My favorite is the poem of the queens who, though arriving late, brought practical gifts for mother and child like a homespun blue gown and chicken noodle soup. And, with thoughts full of “home and children and chores undone,” they “stayed not long” — such a lovely dose of reality with which I could readily identify!

One story I can not fail to mention, although it does not qualify as an illustrated children’s book, is Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory. It’s really more of a long short story or a short novelette, but I’ve loved this tale ever since I first shared it with one of my 9th-grade English classes over 25 years ago. The gentle, loving relationship between a young orphan and his eccentric elderly kinswoman is revealed as we follow their preparations for a Depression-era Christmas. It is a gem of storytelling and character that readers young and old can treasure.

I wish you warmth, happiness and peaceful time spent with those near and dear to you during this special season. And my hope is that you will be able to spend some quiet time curled up with a good book to warm your spirit.

 – Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader