I have found one of the best inventions ever. The Amazon Kindle. It is an electronic reading device, and so much more. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical when I heard about an electronic device that would replace printed books, who would want to replace books? I'll be the first to say that I love printed books, and have bookshelf after bookshelf of my hundreds of favorite copies. But, I have since discovered just how wonderful an e-library can be.
First, let me give a quick summery of what a Kindle is exactly. The Kindle is a device that stores thousands of copies of books all in one location, you can instantly download almost any title from the internet to your Kindle no matter where you are, you don't have to be connected to a computer, no syncing to a computer, no wires, just push a button and you instantly have a new book in your hands. Did I mention that you are always connected to the internet? No subscriptions, no fees - free internet all the time. The screen uses an e-ink technology that looks like a printed page, so you can read for hours without the discomfort on the eyes of looking at a regular computer screen. Most of the books that you download are $9.99 at the most, many are under $1, and most classics are completely free for download. You can switch back and forth between reading different books, and the Kindle remembers exactly where you last left off in each of them.
Now, here is the reason I love my Kindle so much. Because, like I said, I love books. Electronic versions of books will not keep me from buying up lovely physical books. But, who wouldn't love to cary around your entire library with you in one small package? I can be at the park, in my office, at a coffee shop, in an airplane, on a roadtrip and access practically any book I could ever want - in an instant. No more choosing 30 lbs of books to take with me every time I travel, and then realizing that I wished I had brought something different. I can read whatever I'm in the mood for, or even download something new - in an instant. Not to mention that the price difference for ordering an ebook verses buying a hardcopy in the bookstore is an amazing savings.
Many books I will still buy in hard copy, but there are many books in the bookstore that I wouldn't purchase because I don't know if it will be worth the $25, now I can take a chance on those books for a fraction of the price...I've already discovered some great finds! The free collection of classics is enough to keep me reading nonstop for months! I'll let you know as I find more.
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