I asked the wonderful Twitterverse for its advice and the Kindle was the overwhelmingly preferred device.
I also asked a man I saw reading one on the train yesterday if he was happy with his gadget and he was very enthusiastic about it, saying he was reading a lot more since he’d bought it.
Glancing at the huge tote bag on the seat next to me, containing the hulking great hardback (a Booker prize nominee, so not available as a paperback for a whole year…) which I have to read for work by next week, and my mind was made up.
One click this morning and I am £149 poorer – and keenly anticipating the postman.
Apart from the portability – and with three weeks work travel coming up, that is very attractive – the other thing which convinced me finally to get an electronic reader is comfort of reading.
I like to read in bed, lying on my side, and with a great big hardback, it’s just not comfortable. There are wrist issues and I need my wrists for typing. With a Kindle, all books will be rendered equally readable, no matter where they sit in the publishing hierarchy.
I will also be able to manipulate the font size, another issue that has seriously affected my reading pleasure this year.
I keenly ordered a book people had been raving about on Twitter, only to discover the type was just too small for me to read without glasses – and it’s completely impossible to read in bed lying on your side wearing specs. I tried.
So rather than being the death of books and publishing, I’m hoping my Kindle will solve all these problems and have me reading more. I’ll let you know how I get on with it.
I've had mine now for nine days and I LOVE it. So much so that I've done a diary of how my reading life has changed since getting it!
ReplyDeleteVery pleased I chose it over the Sony or iPad (though would never have bought the latter). Will be intrigued to read what you think!
I love my Kindle too. It is just another way of reading. It doesn't replace a beautiful book but is great for thriller\ crime \ bestseller type books.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you note the font size can be changed - it is great for children, I have bought Ivy and Bean and Paddington on it for my 7 year old daughter, and I can size up the font for her. Fantastic. Money well spent.
I also have an IPad. It is a bit more 'like' a book because of the font BUT apparently the backlighting is an issue.
I'm very interested in getting one myself.
ReplyDeleteOh, Maggie, I'm really intrigued as to how you will find it. I'm normally a Luddite in such matters but I am keeping an open mind on this one as it might well be the future. J x
ReplyDeleteI ADORE my Kindle, for all the reasons you state and also because a) it saves paper and so helps the environment, b) it saves space in my house (which is cluttered up with books I've read but don't wish to keep so am trying to sell online) and c) it's led me to try books I wouldn't have otherwise, because they were just so cheap to download. I'm also reading classics that (shamefully) I should have read ages ago as an English Literature graduate.
ReplyDeleteI'll admit that I'm a bit of a gadget addict anyway, but this is definitely one of the best things I've bought. And that's even without mentioning all the many blogs, newspapers etc that you can subscribe to...
Enjoy getting to know it when it arrives! :o)
Off topic, but what are your Sydney dates? Can't seem to find them anywhere!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for your Kindle review...and congratulations on the new book - I shall purchase immediately!
ReplyDeleteKatie
I got my kindle today and am already in love with it! I'm very excited that you have one too; we can love the newfound convenience together! BUT there is one small issue... there are only two of your books on the Kindle store for me to download!! Will your new book be on there??
ReplyDeleteBrigit
hooray for 'accidents'...!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading one of your books on my Kindle right now - double happiness!
ReplyDelete