Kindle or Kindling?

Yes, we own a Kindle. (Rather, I own a Kindle. Stef refuses to look at it.) No doubt almost everyone has heard about this amazing device by now. In this technologically infused age it only makes sense that Amazon’s Kindle is paving the way for the future of reading. Electronic book readers, or “e-book” for short, are not a new concept, though they have only recently begun to catch on in popularity. However, as it is with anything new and trendy that attempts to build upon the seemingly perfect, e-books are bound to meet with resistance. Is this resistance necessary, or can both paper and plastic coexist?

Our bookshelves are lined with hundreds of books, covering everything from Fantasy/Sci-fi, to butterfly field guides. We love our books, though we have far too many to display and keep at our fingertips. The more books we accumulate, the more we have to reorganize. Reference books must always stay out, so there goes fifty percent of our space. But what about those fiction titles? Classics books are right up there with reference guides, but those impulse buys have to go into storage…or to Half Price Books. But what happens when there’s still no space and new titles are squeezed into ever-tightening slots?

Abracadabra! Amazon’s Kindle!

(Insert infomercial here.) Seriously, Kindle to the rescue…for me, at least. What’s not to love? The device—which is in its 2nd incarnation—can hold 1,500 e-books, downloads e-books wirelessly anywhere, and weighs as much as a paperback. The screen looks just like paper and won’t irritate your eyes, and the device just looks cool. And if that isn’t enough to persuade people, then it should be known that over a quarter million titles are already available for $10 or less. That includes #1 best-sellers as well as titles only available on Kindle. There are also plenty of FREE, yes free, e-books there for the taking. And last, but certainly not least, self-published authors—like ourselves—can sell their expensive novels for as low as 99 cents. Kindle is becoming so popular that there is talk of it replacing traditional books.

But that won’t ever happen.

There is still something to be said for holding and physically turning the pages of a hardback/paperback book. The feel of the paper’s grain and the telltale scent of vintage paper lend to the experience of reading. Books are definitely more durable and assume a certain characteristic quality as they age. That spaghetti sauce stain might be a reminder of when your father picked up your novel to admire it. Sauce stains on Kindle will probably short circuit it. Also, Kindle e-books feel cold and aren’t always inviting to the old fashioned, avid reader.

Paper vs. plastic will always be a topic of discussion, though one thing is clear: e-books aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Does that mean it’s time for a bonfire? Absolutely not! Do what feels right. I still prefer the feel of a real book compared to a hunk of plastic, but my eyes have been opened to the future. And if there is one thing that is certain, it is that the future of books is bright.

-Matt