Why I Love My Kindle

My BIL, Matt, is a huge reader and
loves his Kindle too.

When I was a little kid I loved to read. I have vivid memories of participating in the library’s summer reading program and checking out stacks and stacks of books every week, then carefully writing their titles in the big paper log book. (No computers back then!) My mom has always been a pretty big reader too and she ensured we had lots of books around our house. Then in high school I mostly lost interest in reading anything for fun…I contend that in those days there was a major shortage of decent books written for teens. Engineering school effectively killed my ABILITY to read for pleasure. After college whenever I would attempt to read a real book, I would find myself reading the same page three and four times…the slow and laborious process I learned from studying engineering books full of formulas and equations.

It wasn’t until after my first baby that I rediscovered a love (and ability) of reading for fun…I credit the entire chick lit genre with that. The Nanny Diaries was the first book I picked up and read so fast and laughed so hard that I finished it in just a few days and immediately went in search of more books like it. I found Jennifer  Weiner’s Little Earthquakes, and as a new mom I was thrilled to read something moving and funny that I could relate so closely to. I discovered authors like Jane Green and Sophie Kinsella and promptly checked out every book they ever wrote from the library, filling my maternity leave with laughter.

Over time life got busier and the internet rapidly blew up with awesome blogs and news articles that were worth reading. I was still feeding my brain but my interest in novels dropped off and my attention span for books waned. My eyes became accustomed to reading on a computer screen and picking up an actual book was something I only did when there was no computer or phone around.

When the Kindle first came out, I didn’t get the concept. I didn’t think I read enough books to make an expensive gadget like that worth it. I didn’t see myself toting an extra gadget around. But people I knew raved about them. The price of a Kindle plummeted as competing models were launched. My husband asked for one for Christmas last year and got it, so when we needed to buy The Hole in Our Gospel for our church small group, he simply downloaded the Kindle version. No waiting for it in the mail or driving to the store for it, and since it’s a thick book carrying the Kindle around was much easier for reading it on the fly. I started using his Kindle and I loved it! I loved the larger print (I swear I’m old) and shorter pages and I loved the page turning buttons.

So my husband bought me my own Kindle for Mother’s Day. After all, now they are only about $115. It slips so neatly into my handbag and goes with me almost everywhere. I love that books are so much cheaper for the Kindle, and they don’t clutter up house! My first major test of how much I liked the Kindle was on this past vacation. I used it on the plane and on the beach. In two flights and a tiny bit of beach time I read Seth Godin’s book Graceful all the way through and got halfway through Stephen Pressfield’s The War of Art. Both are GREAT BOOKS!

So I’m actually making a dent in my summer reading list and I feel smarter. I strive to be a continuous learner, always improving the way I live and interact in this world. I believe reading is vital to success in life and the most intelligent and insightful people I know are voracious readers. I want to be like that and I love my Kindle because it is definitely encouraging me in that direction.

So do you have a Kindle or other e-reader? Do you prefer paper books? 

Author: Sarah

Mom of three. Triathlete.

15 thoughts on “Why I Love My Kindle”

  1. I love my Kindle. I wasn’t sure I was ready to give up the paper book but after reading a few books, I grew to love the convenience. Getting free or almost free books also makes my scottish knees weak! When going to work, it was always a hassle to hold open a book, lose bookmarks and hang on to a pole. The kindle is convenient to hold even through the most crowded train. Another conveneince is I can carry as many books as I want so I always have something to read. If I hate my current selection, I can simply delete it and start the next one. If I dont feel like reading, I can play a game. Its AWESOME!

  2. I love my Kindle. I wasn’t sure I was ready to give up the paper book but after reading a few books, I grew to love the convenience. Getting free or almost free books also makes my scottish knees weak! When going to work, it was always a hassle to hold open a book, lose bookmarks and hang on to a pole. The kindle is convenient to hold even through the most crowded train. Another conveneince is I can carry as many books as I want so I always have something to read. If I hate my current selection, I can simply delete it and start the next one. If I dont feel like reading, I can play a game. Its AWESOME!

  3. I actually have both a Kindle and a NOOK, as well as the apps for both on my iPad. Which one I use depends on what I am reading. I love the e-Ink screens, but if photos/drawings are involved the iPad makes more sense to me.

    I just wish I had had one of these available when I was flying like every month!

    ~EdT.

  4. I actually have both a Kindle and a NOOK, as well as the apps for both on my iPad. Which one I use depends on what I am reading. I love the e-Ink screens, but if photos/drawings are involved the iPad makes more sense to me.

    I just wish I had had one of these available when I was flying like every month!

    ~EdT.

  14. I don’t HAVE a kindle… but I do have a book out on Kindle, lol.  I’m like you, never thought I’d need one.  But opening my closet and seeing the stack of books?  Might come in handy!

  15. I don’t HAVE a kindle… but I do have a book out on Kindle, lol.  I’m like you, never thought I’d need one.  But opening my closet and seeing the stack of books?  Might come in handy!

Comments are closed.