Kindle Heaven

Ok, this post is entirely inspired by KarenG at Coming Down the Mountain and her post on e-publishing. Although I did comment, there is so much more I want to say about my Kindle. I am writing this from the point of view of a reader, not a writer seeking publication.

My favorite thing about it is that I can lie in bed under the covers and read without the book being too awkward. My kindle was broken for a short time and the return to regular books was frustrating. My arms would get cold, my finger tired of propping up the book. It also takes up much less space on my bedside table, one thin item instead of three or four books.

Wireless delivery is amazing. As soon as I remember a book that I want to read, two minutes later I have it. Even as I am writing this post I am ordering books (The Giver). It does take more self control because I don't see the money leaving my wallet like it does in a regular bookstore. I am prepared to be tempted in Borders, but having a bookstore at my fingertips is tricky.

My husband loves my Kindle because there are boxes of books he will never have to move again. They can stay at my parents house forever. He doesn't have to hear how I miss them, or find I have managed to sneak a few more into the solitary bookcase in our cramped apartment. If only Harry Potter was available.

When the Kindle goes into sleep mode a picture of an author appears on the screen, Jules Verne today. As I look at different authors, I am reminded of all the quality books, classics, and childhood favorites that I once read and am encouraged to seek books that stretch my mind.

The screen is very easy on my eyes. Unlike computers that shoot light at you, the kindle uses different technology so it is not at all like reading a monitor. It is more like reading an old paperback with faded pages. The ink is still easy to read but the paper is a little darker. Because I can make the font different sizes, there is no eye strain. I prefer tiny print because it is more like a book, but the large font is nice for when I am jogging. Some books have a text-to-speech option so I can listen to the story. Unfortunately, it isn't a nice soothing voice but a male or female computer voice. I have only used it for the Old Testament.

Using it for textbooks is less useful. Although I can highlight and make notes, it is to0 hard to search easily. The large pages of a textbook allow for easier skim reading. Front to back reading is fine but looking for something if you aren't exactly sure where is very frustrating.

The days of record players and the large artwork that covered the albums are gone. When smaller cassettes appeared people missed the ease of finding the song, having a stack of records drop automatically into place, the artwork. Ipods have changed everything again. The volume of music that can be stored and the quality of the sound outweigh any of the nostalgia over the loss of records. Records have their own feel, smell, sound, and memories, but cannot compare to the current technology. I think that books will eventually go the same way as this technology continues to improve.