Kindle is an e-book reader from Amazon. It provides us with the facility of reading from a choice of almost 1500 books whenever we want. It was launched not so recently and I wonder is it making waves in India?? I haven't seen anyone using a Kindle yet,but maybe someday soon.As the much lighter and upgraded version of the Kindle has been lodged,there are talks around the corner about is it really lovable? Book lovers of the world.. would you be loving every moment of using Kindle? A book on the move, you can switch anytime,you can save as many,saves you the effort of carrying an actual book in your bag.
You can read a very interesting review of the product at the blog http://anandsathya.blogspot.com/2010/07/amazon-kindle-in-india-review.htmlBut what I want to ask is who will actually love Kindle? Is it the right choice for a vivid book lover? We all have read at least a couple of e-books in the PC, but somehow for me it doesn't give the pleasure of actually reading a book. Strange it may seem to someone who doesn't love books,because be it an e-book or an actual old fashioned book the content of the book would be nevertheless the same. Then why should reading it in digital or print make any difference? Can't a book evoke the same emotions,the same excitement? Kindle actually means evoke. So I would say it is sad that Kindle won't evoke the same emotions as a book to me.I'm sure many of you can relate to me when i say I prefer a book,thank you! :)
I'm a book lover and I can boast of having a mini library at home. I read different genres depending on my mood and maybe it's also a phase. When we are younger and in our teens we believe in love stories and such things excites us more,that was when i used to read classics. Shakespeare,Jane Austin, Louisa May Alcott and such reads.We all have been through the phase of Enid-Blyton,then Nancy Drew,Secret Seven,Famous Five and Hardy boys.Thats how the love for books begun for me. Sure I read a lot of Shakespeare and classics in my early teens.Non-Fiction was something i appreciated only at the end of my teens.Now I carry the love for mystery books for quiet a while now,thanks to Sidney Sheldon. :)
Having said this, can you imagine reading a Sidney Sheldon late nights when everyone at home is sleeping.Sometimes I'm so into the book that i don't feel like putting the book down and I've read till it's just before sunrise. The love of a book!! Just takes you to a different world altogether.No matter how you day was or whats your stand in life now,a book gives you the luxury of forgetting yourself and just immersing in the magical world (like Faraway Tree if u remember).
No,I cannot let anything replace a book.It's just too precious and no e-book can take its place,at least not now.All my books are my treasures and i don't cherish them virtually.
But there are times when I would prefer reading something online rather than buying a book.To give you an example I would recollect what my college librarian told me once. My students were all excited about the robotics project I'd assigned them.That evening I got a call from our librarian requesting me to suggest some books related to robotics.She took me by surprise,then she told me how my entire class has been asking her for robotics books for their project.It took me a while to convince her that buying books are not necessary as they all have access to the biggest source,the internet.Reluctantly she agreed but added "Ma'am the demand for books will diminish because of internet,I'm worried about my library."
So I think that maybe Kindle would do well if it had to deal with more of magazines, some technical books used for reference,newspapers maybe or blogs.Such variety of products which don't require a lot of your time,concentration and most importantly your emotions are a good sell for the Kindle.Because reading a book you cherish is also like a relationship,it is no fun virtually!! It needs physical presence for it to be worth the experience.. :)
