It all started when I moved from the US to Montreal. I had to sell my book collection for next-to-nothing – my favorites and the ones I promised that one day I would have the time to read. You know what I am talking about, those books you buy on a whim, thinking sure, I will read every night before going to bed. Yup, I had tons of those. But most books I did read, and I loved seeing them on display on my bookshelves.
I went to Montreal with five boxes of books, the best of the best. I knew that I would not be living forever in Montreal so I hesitated from buying more books. Then I came across one of Amazon’s advertisements for its Kindle. I read reviews and found out that Barnes & Noble was about to release the Nook, and there were rumors about Apple coming out with an e-reader. I stuck with the Kindle because it had awesome reviews, and it has been tried, tested. My husband and mother bought it for me for Christmas, with other members of my family getting me gift certificates to Amazon to buy books for it. Yeah, that was a good year.
That is when I truly began reading every day. I took it with me on my 45 bus and metro commute to work each day, plus whenever I left for the park, camping, and hiking. I had an entire library at my fingertips that was smaller and lighter than a single book. It was on the 3G network, so I could browse and download new book anywhere.
I did not realize my dependence on my Kindle until a couple weekends ago. We decided to take Juliana to the pool for the first time, and of course, I took my Kindle. While he finished up some laps in the pool, I sat with Juliana reading on a bench. When he was done, we wanted to cross a small pool of water to the grassy picnic area to dry off and lay for a while before going home. He picked up the front of the stroller, I picked up the back, and my Kindle slid out into the pool of water. I gasped in shock before rescuing it, watching the black text fade into white. Seeing the panic in my eyes, my husband quickly said he would buy me a new one right away, not to worry. We left it on a table to dry while we laid in the grass, watching Juliana discover the world of dirt.
I was happy to see that the price had gone down, but the cheap models didn’t include 3G. I would have to stop somewhere with WiFi whenever I wanted to get a new book. I couldn’t imagine searching for WiFi when at the beach or at a cafĂ©. Of course, I could plan beforehand if I know I am almost done with a book, but then again, sometimes I get bored of a book and want to start a new one right away.
Right after I hit the “order” button for the expensive 3G with a case that has a built in light, my old Kindle starting working again. I cancelled my order and welcomed my digital baby back! Of course, then I had to order the light attachment for my old case – what a cool idea! Now I can read while putting my daughter to sleep, or after my husband sleeps.
Here are are the reasons why I LOVE my Kindle as a traveler:
1. Always have a book on-hand that matches my mood. Sometimes when I set off, I think I will want to read a nonfiction book about marketing marketing, but then when I get to the destination, all I want is a good fiction novel.
2. My collection is not reduced each time I move. It doesn’t matter where I move to, my entire book collection gets to come with me. So no more sad farewells and regrets for getting rid of a book before reading it. I even had to repurchase a few books that I missed too much.
3. Easy to order new books wherever I am. I have access to the Amazon bookstore wherever I am, so I can read reviews, download a sample chapter, and purchase the book without having to go to a computer.
4. Trying it before I buy. It’s difficult ordering a book without flipping through the pages first, so I love that with the Kindle, you can download the first chapter for free. If you like it, you can order it at a click of a button, and then it magically appears a minute later. This feature has encouraged me to download books I normally would not try, helping me explore new authors and genres.
5. It is so easy to carry around. It is so light and thin, it fits in all my purses without a problem. I purchased a leather cover for only $30 and it protects it wonderfully. It looks like I am reading a journal when I am out, so not calling attention to myself. They are not very common in France, so when someone notices that I have an e-reader, a bunch of questions usually follow. I found that doctors at the hospital are especially curious and interested in it.
There are time when I miss holding a traditional paperback book. I ordered a paperback last week because it is not available for Kindles, and it feels good between my fingers. However, I do not mind trading the feeling for all the reasons listed above. What’s good about having bookshelves full of books that I never get to, and selling them before I get a chance to read them. I have never read so much as after buying this device… a purchase that now ranks equal for me as having a cell phone. Thank you, Amazon!
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