Why I Don't Think I'll Get a Kindle

In case you don't know, the Kindle (or Kindle 2 which is currently hitting markets) is an electronic device that allows you to store hundreds of books in a handheld machine that isn't much larger that modern day paperbacks. Invented and marketed by Amazon (the online retail giant) it has recently been making more news as now it seems that the Kindle is set to become the next iPod. Yet despite the hype surrounding the release of the latest (and so far the greatest) version of the Kindle, I myself don't think I'll ever invest in one.

If you read my blogs on a fairly regular basis you'll know that I'm a voracious reader (I think the only time I use the word voracious is when I describe my love of reading). You'd also probably be able to ascertain that I'm an enjoyer of music as well. I have a music collection so extensive that I'm not able to save the whole thing to my iPod. Given that I own an iPod and enjoy every minute of having it (I honestly don't know how I went so long without one) and given that I enjoy reading so much (I almost always have a book with me no matter where I'm going or what I'm doing) that it would make sense for me to want to have an iPod-like device that would give me access to hundreds of books at the twitch of the thumb but I don't want one.

I read an interesting quote from the Roman philosopher Cicero which goes, "A room without books is like a body with no soul." It struck me as a very nice thought. I am a firm believer that reading is one of the most beneficial activities that anyone can do without having to go anywhere or do anything to enjoy it. I have long enjoyed trips to the library or bookstores so that I can browse to my heart's content and find the next 'great adventure' that I'd like to read through or educate myself about. But I think the biggest hurdle facing me at this time regarding the Kindle is the fact that my reading habits are a bit different from my music listening habits.

My music habits are such that in the morning I may want to listen to classical music on the way to work but then in the afternoon I may want to listen to hard rock in order to decompress after long day at work. But with my reading, I tend to stick to the one book or the one subject that I'm reading about until I'm finished with it. I know many people will read various books or various topics at one time (not literally at one time but you know what I mean) but I'm not one of those. I know that the Kindle also allows you to get the latest news from the internet or blogs but after spending whole weekdays staring at the computer I think the last thing I would need is to stare at another type of computer screen. The tactile sensation of reading an actual book is something I enjoy. Using the bookmark I've used on every book I've read since the 7th grade is a simple pleasure that can't be replicated in a virtual environment. Maybe I'm a little old school and maybe the day will come when printing presses do close and the Kindle is the only option. But until then I'd rather hold a book in my hand rather than yet another electronic device.