Kindler, Gentler World

Kindle 3G 

I made the trip to eReaderville a few months ago and I'm still awed that my approach to reading could change to this extent.

I am a book snob. I adore the scent and crisp feel of a newly pressed book but the advantages of paperless perusal are many. I checked out the NOOK in the B&N bookstore and researched Amazon's Kindle online. I chose the Kindle based on the many thousands of 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon and the overall cost.


A few of the issues I grappled with before buying a Kindle and my thoughts since which might assist a potential buyer:

Cost of reader

I paid the extra $50 for the 3G model instead of it's WiFi- only counterpart. In the short time I've had it, 3G rode to the rescue when I needed to Google-map a thruway entrance point while in an unfamiliar part of the city. That occasion alone had me pleased that I chose this model. The browser is way clumsy and not what a Kindle is intended for, but it worked in a pinch when I was in need. My earlier inclination for 3G was influenced by the fact that I live in an area that is prone to power outages during bad weather. I *gulp* wouldn't want to be without capability to get new reading material without the electricity-driven WiFi connection . Anyway, it's a one time fee for connectivity that will last the life of the Kindle and I do recommend it.

Reading material

Easy to download and surprisingly reasonable in price. Like, free even. The most I've paid for a Kindle book yet is $9.99. Two of those are the novels New York: The Novel and Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, both of which I plan to read over the summer. The rest of the books I've downloaded were either free or in the 0.99 to $5.99 range, a fraction of paperback or hardcover editions. I haven't subscribed to any newspaper or magazine yet, but I have gotten a couple of Kindle Singles ; short stories and quickie reads.


In a nutshell, the turning point came for me when I was transferring the contents of my previous car trunk to my new one. What a persistent little clutter problem I'd developed, books being the main culprit. I wound up throwing many, many books into a nearby trash can because I couldn't bear the thought of riding around with them in the trunk for a few more years only to find their way into my next car. The trip to the used bookstore that I've been meaning to make for oh, about 15 years that never seems to materialize is now a vexation of the past and I can finally move forward without guilt or trunk bedlam to slow me down.