I miss my Kindle. I never ever thought I would say that but I do. I lost mine on a plane west last weekend and, after numerous calls and an actual visit to the United Airways “Lost and Found” in Phoenix on my return trip from San Diego, either it is still in the seat back of 15B or it is warming the hands of a slippery member of the airline cleaning crew.
Response to my loss from others has been mixed. Between expressions of sympathy I hear, just as often, “Never owned one…I like the feel of a real book in my hands” or, “I like to physically turn the pages.” Understandable thoughts, many once shared. Yet, from one longtime book lover to another, the old adage, ‘Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it’ definitely applies.
Just as I initially fought music downloading in favor of CDs, so too did I eschew reading electronics for the bound ink on paper tried and true. Yet, just as the availability of a wide range of music continued to shrink with the exit of the music stores, so too did the selection of written works as Borders put the corner books stores out of business before succumbing itself to market conditions and consumer preferences.
Today, I’m sold. Juggling 2-3 books at a time is now a breeze, especially when traveling. Download prices are more affordable and while the selection is far from ideal, it is growing every day. Inside its leather case, the Kindle is the same as holding a smaller book and, perhaps best of all, the Kindle store is always open. Want a new book on the Civil War at 2am? No problem.
Ala the iPod and video On Demand, the Kindle, and its friends the Nook and iPad, allows us to enjoy exactly the type of entertainment we want, when we want it, then archiving it in one convenient, portable location. I find myself reading more and learning more and while my office library may appear to be stagnating, my brain power is, in fact, doing just the opposite.