Reading in the Electronic Age
Lexington Mom Fires Up
Her Reading Habit With Kindle

 

By Jenny Sallee

A while back I came across a friend’s Facebook update that mentioned how much she “loved her Kindle.”

Kindle? What’s that?

So, I did a little research and discovered that a Kindle is an electronic device used for reading.

It’s thin -- about the size of many books (around 5 inches by 8 inches).

You can download all kinds of books and publications to your computer or directly to your Kindle.

The Kindle is sold by Amazon for about $300 and up (there are several versions). Book offerings from Amazon include a variety of genres. Books cost about $10, and many are free.

I mentioned the Kindle to my electronic-gadget-loving husband and lo and behold (sometimes he listens!) I got a new Kindle for Mother’s Day.

When I got my Kindle, I discovered it does more than I realized.

You can take notes as you read the book and keep them saved in a “clippings” file. 

You can look up the definition of any word as you read with the push of a button.

And you can get much more than just books for download (like newspapers). 

I have not used any of these features on my Kindle, but I’m sure they would be a benefit to many readers.

In fact, my mom recently purchased a Kindle and uses the clippings regularly.
(By the way, she really loves her Kindle!)

Because I mostly read fiction and routinely check out books from the library for free,

I was not totally sold on the Kindle idea from the beginning. 

I am a 41-year-old mom of two teenagers, and I tend to shy away from electronics.
Plus, it seemed like a lot of money to spend.

However, I have totally enjoyed my Kindle now that I have it.

Even though I am not much of an electronics person, I find it easy to use.

The page reads just like a book, and pages are turned with the push of a button.  I can hold it in one hand, which makes for more comfortable reading. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the difference between reading or not reading.

For example, being able to read in bed without taking both hands out from under the covers is awesome and means I often read at night instead of watching TV.

Or, if I am sitting on my back deck having a snack, I can prop the Kindle (with its case) on the table and basically read hands-free.

E-books are easy to download, and there are many choices for the books I love to read -- many of which are free.

I recently finished “The Help,” a novel by Kathryn Stocket ($9.99) and have downloaded “The Little Women” series by Louisa May Alcott for free.

I have read several books by Karen Kingsbury, Tracie Peterson and Lori Copeland, who mostly write Christian fiction. I have paid anywhere from $3.96 to $9.99 for those books. 

I love having my Kindle on vacation, sitting in a waiting room or in the car waiting on my children.  In the summer, it was nice to carry in my pool bag.

It is virtually like carrying a library with me wherever I choose to take it!

If I finish a book or it gets boring, I can download a new one within minutes right from my Kindle. 

On vacation, I didn’t have to haul four or five books with me like I normally would. I just took my Kindle!

Also, I do not have books stacked up all over the house because I can keep my e-books all in this in one convenient, handy place.

If you buy a Kindle, I recommend purchasing a case, too.

The case protects the Kindle and makes for easier handling, especially when I want to throw it in my purse or pool bag. 

I did go to the library the other day and check out some “real” books because I was close by and didn’t want to pay for any reading material.

I’m sure I will continue to do this from time to time.

But I am happy to have received the Kindle as a gift. It has been and will continue to be used for many hours.