My name is Amy, and I am a book-aholic. Reading is my drug of choice. Simply entering a book store causes my heart to race, my palms to sweat, my mouth to water, and my ability to make rational decisions to completely fly out the door. My husband frequently jokes that if we lived in a larger city, he wouldn't have to worry about me staying out late at the clubs. He knows if I was out late he'd likely find me hidden-away in the corner of the neighborhood bookstore, latest novel in hand, eyes glazed-over and spittle forming at the corners of my mouth. Bookstore clerks would be my new BFF's, and new bookshelves would have to be erected in our home to store "my precious." He refers to my novels as my "boyfriends," and jokes that if we're ever hit by a tornado, they'll be able to find our house by the remaining pile of books. That's why I was shocked two years ago at Christmas when he bought me the latest e-reader, the Amazon Kindle.
To be perfectly honest, I was skeptical about the Kindle. I'm a real "book-lover." It's not just the stories that I desire - it's the actual book. I love the smell of book glue, the crisp feel of the pages between my fingers, and the weight of the book in my hands. I relish the excitement of coming home, new book in hand, admiring the cover, and the anticipation of where the story will take me. I take pride in my vast personal library - a collection of books started when I was only fourteen! Could I really give all that up to read books electronically??....
Absolutely. I love my Kindle!! I honestly think it's the best gift my husband has ever given me, and I am constantly telling people how great it is. Personally, I think Amazon should put me on their payroll or give me a percentage of the sales, because I'm pretty sure I've convinced several doubtful people to purchase the Kindle in the past year or two!
One of the main reasons the Kindle is so fabulous is because Kindle books are actually cheaper than the hard copies. For example, my book club is preparing to read the novel Room by Emma Donoghue. The Kindle version of the novel is priced at $9.99 (no shipping/handling necessary). As a new release, the hard copy ran $24.99 on Amazon.com, and that is before shipping and handling!! On this one book alone, a reader can save over $15!! Of course, you have to consider the purchase price of the device ($139.00). At this rate, the Kindle pays for itself after the purchase of about ten newly released novels, and then actual savings on the novels begins.
For me, the best thing about the Kindle is that I have access to novels INSTANTLY!! I am a true night owl and something of an insomniac, so it's not unusual to find me up at two in the morning finishing my newest book. If this particular book happens to be part of a series, I want the sequel now! I live in a small town in northwest Oklahoma, so unless Wal-Mart happens to have it (and they usually don't), I'd have to order the book online and then wait on the USPS (aka the slowest delivery service known to mankind). With the Kindle, I simply access the Amazon store, select the book, and BOOM - there it is!! No postage, no waiting, no wasted gasoline, and I can buy the books without ever changing out of my pajamas or brushing my teeth!! Could anything be more perfect???
The Kindle also gives me the advantage of having a new release the minute it drops. Last year, I pre-ordered Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I anxiously waited up the night of it's release and at midnight - SHAZAM!! There it was on my Kindle, ready to be devoured!! I had read the entire book by 5am, while my non-Kindle owning friends sadly waited nearly a week for their hard copies to be delivered (and they paid more than I did!) With the Kindle, gone are the days of hovering around the front of Wal-Mart in the middle of the night, waiting for the newest Harry Potter book, shoving-away small children, and visciously fighting the crowds just to get a copy!
For Kindle owners, there are no lines, no snotty bookstore clerks telling you the book you want is old and out-of-stock, no waiting for packages that take an eternity to arrive, and no need to drive two hours to the closest bookstore!
Of course, there are still those who argue that traditional books are better, and that is fine with me. Let them continue to enjoy their old-fashioned, hard copy books and their eight-track players.
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