Marilynne's World

I no longer need stacks of books

I’ve owned my Kindle for about a month now.  It has more than 20 books on it and room for lots more.  I thought I’d write about what’s good and bad about my Kindle.

I bought the 6-inch model, Kindle 2.  Initially I just bought the Kindle, but after using it a few days I bought the super-expensive book cover for it, which was worth every cent I paid.

I like

• My Kindle knows it belongs to me
• The page turns quickly, more quickly than I do when I read a paperback.  I’ve learned not to hit the button until I’ve read every word on the page.
• The book I’m reading now is at the top of the book list
• I can sample a book if I’m not sure I want to buy
• Most of my favorite authors offer a Kindle version of  their books
• I save money.  Even if I buy the hottest new book, I save money
• My bookshelf is beginning to look roomy.  (My Kindle has its own place on the bookshelf.)
• The book cover locks onto the Kindle.  There’s little chance the Kindle is going to fall out of it.  I also like the strong elastic that holds the “book” closed and I like the feel of it in my hands – especially when I’m reading.  (I bought the $35 dollar cover from Amazon.com.)
• How quickly a book downloads to my Kindle once I’ve chosen it.
• When I travel I can load my Kindle with books to read.  If none of those suit me at the moment, I can usually download something else right then.

I wish they’d improve by

• Making the page turn buttons so I can change pages with the edge of my thumbs.  Right now, I need to click it like I’m clicking my computer keys now.
• Put the page turn buttons at a comfortable spot for my hands.  I’ve tried it in all directions, and the page buttons are awkward no matter what.
• Make it easier for me to go back to my book once I’ve explored something else on my Kindle.   After loosing my place a few times, I’ve taken to leaving a bookmark when I close the book.  (I keep forgetting to delete them, my books are going to be full of no-longer-needed bookmarks.)
• I never remember what’s going to happen when I push the Menu button or the Home button.  They don’t make logical sense to me.
• Somehow marking a book “read.”  After a while, I’m not going to remember the titles of something I’ve read.  The books I’ve read and the books that I haven’t read will eventually accumulate at the bottom of my list in random order.
• I wish they could turn on a GPS finder if I’ve lost my Kindle.  I wish they could lock it if I reported it lost.  As it is, someone could keep it and continue reading and charging new books to my account until I realized it was gone and closed my account.

I’m getting used to

• The tiny keyboard.  After a lifetime of touch typing, I’m learning to type with two fingers.
• Using the very useful aA button.  This button doesn’t seem logical, but it changes the size of the type and the orientation of my reading screen.   If I’m reading lying down, it’s more comfortable to read it landscape.  If I’m sitting up, I like the standard book format.
• Adding a note to the first page once I finish the book.  (See above.)
• The difference in turning it off for just a few minutes and turning it off all the way so it can sit on the shelf.

I miss

• Browsing the bookstore for a new read
• Sharing my books with friends – even leaving it behind in the restaurant for people to find
• Being able to drop a book on the table at Starbucks to save the table until I return.  I am not about to leave the Kindle lying there.

So, there you are.  I love my Kindle.

Marilynne

Order has been restored with my Kindle