Amazon is getting ready to announce the launch of the second generation of its popular Kindle e-reader thingy, I don’t care.
I love books. I love newspapers and magazines, too, but books are on a different level. Reading a good book, whether a novel or a work of non-fiction, is such a rewarding experience. Holding a book, smelling a book only makes the experience better.
When I buy books, I intentionally go to a used book store and buy old paperbacks. They’re usually cheaper, they’re cooler and they smell better. Something about old paper makes me happy.
Let’s see how my old books stack up against the Kindle’s big features: E-ink screen? Nope. Gigabytes of on-board storage space? Nay. Extended battery life? Not here. Headphone jack? Not included. EVDO wireless communication? Not a chance.
As I tally the results, it seems the old books are a clear winner.
The photo above is of a few books I picked up at Midway Used & Rare Books at Snelling and University in St. Paul. It’s one of the coolest places in the city. I’m also a huge fan of Sixth Chamber Used Books on Grand Ave. near Hamline.
Do yourself a favor and stop by. And if you’re asking, I’d suggest a nice Hemingway. I had fallen in love with Catherine by the end of A Farewell to Arms.
3 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
Man, I’m right there with you. While the Kindle’s cool, I couldn’t care less about it. I value my shelves full of books, and there’s something very satisfying about turning pages manually and feeling the weight of the volume in your hands.
I’m definitely going to be one of those old fuddy-duddies that doesn’t go 100% digital with the rest of the world. My kids will be embarrassed by me, and I’ll think it’s funny.
I don’t see much of a reason to buy a Kindle either. For me there is nothing more satisfying than pawing through 100s of used books before finding the one that I want to take home with me and proudly display on my bookshelf for years to come.
I just don’t believe I could ever curl up with a good e-book. At least not yet.
Continuing the Discussion