Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »

2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Sheila has read 4 books toward her goal of 100 books.
hide

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

To Kindle or Not to Kindle...That is the Question.

Say Hello to Kindle <span class=DX with Global Wireless"
For quite awhile now, I have been debating whether or not to buy a Kindle. I read a lot! Many people that know me have suggested this would be the perfect "thing" for me.

Being an old fashioned girl, I am not sure the Kindle would be a right fit. There is something about holding a book in your hand and turning the pages that excites me. I love the feeling of walking into a library or a bookstore and exploring the possibilities of adventure and mystery that await me.

I am currently reading "My Fairy Grandmother" by Aubrey Mace. There is a chapter, where the main character talked about walking into a library and why she loved that experience. I want to share that with you because it is exactly how I feel.

"Kaitlin loved libraries-aisles of books as far as the eye could see, and all of them arranged neatly in endless rows. Kaitlin enjoyed reading books so much that she thought she might want to write her own one day. And when that day came, she would come to the library to write it. Something told her that it would be the perfect place. It was quiet and organized, and what could be more conducive toward bringing a new book into the world than the encouraging whispers of thousand of others?

The library wasn't as large as the one near her house, but the same wonderful smell greeted her when she walked through the door; the comforting smell of paper and ink. She loved to sniff new books, and when you filled a whole building with them, the scent multiplied. It was like going to an old friend's house to visit, only this is where the books lived. People walked the aisles of stacks of books, while others lounged in soft chairs, caught up in their individual stories. The only place Kaitlin liked better than a library was a bookstore, because instead of just borrowing a book, she knew it would be hers forever."

I want to thank Aubrey Mace for helping me describe exactly how I feel about books. They are like friends to me. I see a Kindle as a cold, impersonal machine. You could compare it to when you call up a company wanting to talk to a live person and get a computer telling you when to push one or two for service.

To be fair, I am giving you, who own a Kindle, an opportunity to tell me why you like" The Kindle" and why it would be beneficial for me to own one. I do not mind lugging around books. I have done it all of my life. I always have a book in my hands or in my arms.

Good luck and I eagerly look forward to hearing your responses.


13 comments:

  1. I agree. There's something magical about a book. I feel successful with every turn of a page. I don't think that feeling could be replaced, wireless or not.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a Kindle owner, but I also own over a thousand books. Yes, there is something mesmerizing and wonderful about a bookstore, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I love my Kindle. Just like a regular book, once you get into the story you forget what you are reading it from. I love the convenience of being able to pick a book at random I have stored there and being able to pack my own books and works in progress around. I love being able to read sample chapters before buying the book.

    The only thing I miss is seeing the cover sitting on the shelf. Other than that, I see no difference between a traditional book and an e-book reader.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have to agree that despite it's convenience I am too old fashioned to give up holding a book, turining its pages and being able to close it when I am done. Not for me..but I know lots of people who love em!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I thought I would never read e-books until last year when I read about the improvements to the Kindle 2. I decided then to make my own book available on Kindle and added the Kindle to my Wish List for Christmas.

    But then I got an iPhone and suddenly I was able to download all kinds of e-books to that. Yes, it's a much smaller screen, but you can increase the font size and, after about 15 pages into the book, you're not even thinking about anything but the words (if it's well written). So, I've decided to wait. They are coming out with all kinds of e-reading devices. In the meantime, I can get books faster and cheaper over my phone. An iPod Touch for $199 also has Kindle compatability.

    I still love actual books, and have plenty of them. While e-books are only going to increase in popularity, I firmly believe there will always be a market for the real thing and real bookstores and libraries. No e-reading device can offer the atmosphere of rows and rows of paperbacks, hardbacks, and bound leather.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Personally, I prefer to have a book in my hands and turn each one of those pages, anticipating what's on the other side.

    My husband also made a good point to me once about having his scriptures on his Blackberry. He reads his scriptures every day there and used it at church. But when someone asked our kids if their parents read their scriptures, they said, "Mom does, but not Dad." Because what they saw was him looking at his Blackberry, which he does all the time for text messages, notes, etc. They can't tell he's actually reading his scriptures.

    I think it's the same for books. It's important for our children (and other peers) to see us actually reading with an actual book in our hands. Also, as an author, I'd much prefer to have a book in my readers hand than having them read it digitally. No one can see what you're looking at on your Kindle, Palm, or Blackberry - but if you're in an airport & have my book in your hands, anyone who walks by can see the cover and ask you about it. I get lots of questions about books I carry with me.

    I will say that sometimes an e-version is the only choice I have - like when I'm stuck in my house because of a blizzard and I'm dying for something new to read. I'll pull out my netbook and purchase something from ebooks.com. But I generally find I have a crick in my neck for days and that I just can't get as comfy with my netbook as I can with a real book.

    Good luck making a decision!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey girl, you need to put your follow list higher up. That way people will see it with your most recent post.

    Great post, by the way. I've thought of getting a kindle, but I'm too poor!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love my Kindle. I still read old fashioned books as well, I still go into the library and check out books, I still wander through my favorite bookstores. I still loan books out, and borrow books from my friends. My Kindle however is another shelf in my library. I can take that entire shelf with me anywhere I want to go, and even grab new books from it on vacation, at work, or wherever I happen to be. It is a great addition to my books, and doesn't limit me, it expands my options! How can I not love that?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kindle recently was sued for going into peoples devices and removing copies of George Orwell's books. It was found these books were mistakenly sold without copyright permission. This was done without informing consumers, causing distress and a sense of violation to many customers (including students who lost all notes as a result of the unapproved purge). This has soured many people against the product, In my opinion, with good reason.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love both. I get those same highs as I finish a kindle book now. I feel the same anticipation and emotions as a read a book on my kindle.

    I read a number of books through an e-reader on my computer and my blackberry before purchasing a kindle about 1 1/2 years ago. I find the kindle (smaller size rather than the bigger) is a perfect size for reading and taking along EVERYWHERE. It sure makes waiting much easier.

    More and more books are becoming available in an electronic format. In fact after we talked last weekend I went online and there are a couple of LDS authors which were not available a few months ago, but are now.

    Before the kindle I had maxed out my bookshelf space. My husband and I have so many bookshelfs and books it is amazing. But we found now we can reserve that space for books we know we want to have long term. I've even re-purchased a number of my favorites for the kindle because I enjoy that reading experience so much.

    Good luck in your decision.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks so much everyone. You have all given me new perspectives on this device. This is why i always like to get others opinions before I pass judgement on something

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey Sheila,

    Just came across this link and thought of you and this post. After reading these comments on your post, I'm starting to think there might be room for both a Kindle and real books in my life. After all, who says it has to be one or the other, right?

    http://www.bestbookreview.us/introducing-the-new-kindle-dx/

    Shanda :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I don't know... I can't decide... and as of right now I can't afford one anyway.

    Jenni

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jenni, I think that we both are in the same boat. This has been greta to hear so many good things about the Kindle, but the $$$$ is lacking right now.

    ReplyDelete