Thursday, June 18, 2009

What's on your Kindle?

Ever since the advent of electronic book readers, my husband had been urging me to get one since I am an avid reader. I tend to buy books instead of borrowing them from our public library with the result that our house was being overrun by books. This past Christmas, he convinced me that the perfect gift for me was Amazon's Kindle. I try not to say this very often (just kidding!) but MY HUSBAND WAS RIGHT! The Kindle was the perfect gift!

Why do I love my Kindle? There are four basic reasons: convenience, cost, space and the environment.

The Kindle is oh so convenient. New England had a challenging winter this past year and it began with an ice storm where we lost power for three days. I had no new books in the house to read. I turned on my Kindle, turned on the wireless and shopped for new books from the comfort of my chair. No need for me to go out on the treachous roads. How cool is that?

While the Kindle does have a pretty significant up-front cost, the cost to buy a hardcover best seller is significantly less. With the amount of books that I buy over the course of one year, I estimate that I will be off-setting the cost within the first year. After that, the savings will all be gravy.

The space savings of the Kindle is my husband's favorite part. I have one small book in my nightstand. No piles of books here there and everywhere ready to tip over. Also, when we go on vacation, I always would take a book bag stuffed with 3 or 4 books and then we would search for a bookstore at our vacation destination in order to buy more books. In August, I will be taking my Kindle. With storage for 1500 books, no need to take a heavy bag or to shop when we get somewhere. I think the new larger size Kindles would be perfect for students. Wouldn't it be great if they didn't have to carry 25 lbs of books to school everyday?

Our family has been trying to be more green in 2009 and the Kindle is a green solution. It is saving paper, ink, etc. etc. etc.

I also have found that with my Kindle, I actually read more. The fact that I was able to increase the font size to accomodate my almost 50 year old eyes might have something to do with it.

The Kindle does have other features like access to wikipedia, a dictionary built in, etc. etc. I will confess that I have not really spent much time even looking at those.

There are a few things I don't like about the Kindle. Even though Amazon has over 300,000 books available, there have been two books that weren't available. One I actually went out and bought and the other book, I ordered as an audible book to listen to when I walk. Secondly, unless I loan someone my Kindle, I cannot share a book.

What is on my Kindle currently? Everything from James Patterson to Harlan Coben to Carla Neggers. I also welcome any suggestions or recommendations for good books!

Here's to reading!

3 comments:

  1. I tend to stick with Dean Koontz and Stephen King. There are two other books waiting in the wings, but for the life of me, can't remember the titles. When I run across them I will pass along the info. i think one was "Coming Home" a true story written by a mother and daughter about their strifes. It was good, I couldn't put it down.
    You should write for Kindle ads! I want to run out and buy one after I read your post! But I will have to save up for it!

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  2. Once your blog is established, maybe you can get in with Kindle to review them - or Amazon to review books! If they offer you a new Kindle, make sure I'm first in line for your old one!

    I'm listening to Harlan Coben's Long Lost right now!

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  3. That is pretty cool; I like that you can save books on there, because I'm starting to get quite a pile on my dresser at the moment. As for recommendations, I just finished The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio, which I found a nice, easy, entertaining read. I'm also reading (though have temporarily lost) It's All Over But the Fightin' (I think that's the title.) Can't wait to find it (I think I left it at school), because the writing is brilliant, a real treat. Thanks for the recommendation :)

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