My Kindle: Six Months Later

It's been six months since I joined the ranks of ebook reading and so I thought I'd give a little progress report.

First of all, let me point out what I thought about the idea of a Kindle back when I first heard about it. I was skeptical to say the least. I figured nothing could take the place of holding a book. Or smelling it. I figured the idea just really wouldn't take hold. I figured it would be a long while until I jumped in.

That post, the first time I heard of a Kindle, was back in late 2007. In May 2012 I found myself with one in hand! (So, yes, it took awhile.) And all through those years, I maintained the idea that I just wasn't sure about the whole digital book thing. I was nervous about it, I worried about it.

So, six months later, I have to now admit.. I LOVE THE THING!

I have had a blast with this device so far! I find it absolutely magic to hit a button and instantly have a book at your disposal, to read whenever you want. It literally makes me giggle in delight. The technology is SO COOL. You know? Do you agree?

I worried that I wouldn't feel justified in spending money on digital objects. With songs, I could always burn a CD and have a hard copy, so that idea never bothered me there. But with books, it's not like I'm going to go print them, right? Well, so far, I've spent very little money. All the books I have on my Kindle at this point have been very cheap, or free, or have been "given" to me for review and etc. I can handle cheap ebooks! I have yet to "really" buy a book, but I'm finding that so far, this approach works for me. I love the fact that the $25 dollar gift card I got with the Kindle has managed to get me probably 15 to 20 books, whereas that amount would have only purchased maybe 2 or 3 physical ones at the most.

As far as reading it, I have to admit it's actually easier than a book. It's easier to hold, to turn pages, to see even, especially in the dark!

Another thing that's been happening that I didn't expect, I will be browsing through my books, trying to remember what I've got and what I need to read soon, and I'll just start reading one, and suddenly I'll find that I've read a bunch and might as well keep going! This never really happens with my print books, those only get read on purpose  not "on accident." I'm thinking this is both fun and annoying.... that I'll just so easily jump into reading one of these books.

I don't normally write or mark up my physical books, but highlighting on my Kindle has been really fun! I have't done it a ton, but when I do, I have a blast with it.

Besides reading books, I've enjoyed using my Kindle to read blogs, browse Twitter, check email, watch TV shows on Amazon Prime streaming (lately I'll do this while walking on the treadmill which really works well!),  and all sorts of other things.

So, bottom line, I'd say I've been converted. Ebook reading is fun. I'll take it. I'll still buy the "real" books, but I'll keeping reading the e ones too!

My only sadness is that if I read a book on the Kindle that I love (Under the Never Sky or Raven Boys for instance) then I'll want that book on my shelf too. So... there's the rub. It means I spend more and more money to feed the habit. But maybe someday it will be that if you buy the print version, you get the e one too, or if you buy the ebook, you get a print one. Do you think? I don't know. I guess we'll see.

Also, I don't like that I can't pass the book along to someone else in my family to read, or a friend, or whoever. Yeah,  I know there's a lending thing for Kindle owners, but we are not to that point yet in this household, and still, it won't work for ARCs and other such books. So. That's a bit of  a sad thing too.

I'm guessing most of you have embraced the technology  Did it take you awhile to warm up to the idea? Are you still holding back? Or are you fully converted? Where do you stand on this issue these days?