Right now I do about half my reading on my Kindle. I couldn’t do without it.
1. It can’t be beat for travel! This is most important. This summer I took two trips, one week each, to Colorado and Maine. I was under pressure to “pack light” which always seems like some weird joke, when you know you need rain gear and clothes for a wide temperature range. What a relief to load ten books onto my Kindle instead of agonizing over which to bring! I felt positively smug jumping on Amtrak with a little of every genre, romance, sci fi, etc.
2. If I get a book on Kindle, I don’t have to find shelf space for it at home. I also don’t have to get it back to the Library.
3. My Kindle fits into my handbag. Many books are too big.
4. Kindle is light, which is great for anyone who is bed bound or has arthritic wrists.
Yes, I still love the “feel” of a book. There will always be a few special books I really must own.
I know I read “differently” on a Kindle, but for recreational reading, that’s OK. The worst drawback is the poor quality (or complete lack) of illustrations and maps. I had problems with Into the Silence by Wade Davis, which is about exploration in the Himalayas after World War I. Also, I couldn’t read the genealogy chart that came with the Anya Seton novel about which I posted on August 5.
Sometimes the Kindle books are expensive, (say $15 for a new best seller) so it’s not the best way to get the latest Janet Ivanovich novel. On the other hand, my husband and I have linked accounts, so two can read for the price of one. Classics are free or very cheap, and that includes Jane Austen! I tried getting free downloads at the Library, but the system seemed impossibly clunky. I may have asked the wrong librarian. Placed under the “hobby” category, my Kindle use is not a big expense.
My Kindle is here to stay.
AMG Reading Journal 