My Kindle

In September, I gave myself a birthday present: a new Kindle e-reader.  I love it!

I've been a devoted book lover for years.  I'm not a particularly fast reader, but I have always enjoyed reading.  I'm not one to read a wide range of books, but as with many other people I have a well-defined list of authors and genre that I especially enjoy.

I am a devoted history buff, especially American Revolution, early 19th Century American history, American Civil War, World War II, and most biographies of military and political leaders.  I am a huge fan of Winston Churchill and a collector of books by and about the great British Prime Minister.  I have always claimed that I could never be comfortable with an e-reader: I love the tactile feel of a book and the physical turning of a page.

Well, I was wrong.  As goes the old expression, the Kindle is better than sliced bread. 

I will probably not purchase many non-fiction books, especially not any Churchill books, as I will remain an avid collector of such works.  My existing library is rather large and I know that I will continue to add to it.  But for fiction works (John Grisham, Allen Furst, David Baldacci, are just 3 of my favorite authors), you cannot beat the Kindle.  It's easy and quick to download the latest productions of your favorite authors, and they're priced right.  The Kindle is light weight, convenient, and easy to carry around the house or anywhere you care to go.  And all of your current reading is at your finger tips.  When you shut it off or go to something else, it automatically saves your place so you can go back and easily pick up where you left off.

What's really wild about the Kindle are the newspapers and magazines that are available, either singly or by subscription.  I have always loved the New York Times, and now I receive it early every morning, seven days a week.  I don't have to worry that the carrier has skipped my house, or that someone has stolen my paper, or that it is soggy or covered in a foot of snow.  I don't even have to get out of bed to retrieve my paper.  I don't get pictures, but I'm old fashioned: I never subscribed to a newspaper for the pictures.  That's why I deplore the way many papers today (e.g., Chicago Tribune and Washington Post) are seeking to make themselves into another version of USA Today.

An added bonus is that I also get the Irish Times on a daily basis (except Sundays).  My wife is from Dublin and this enables us to stay abreast of news and developments in her home country.  And it's only $5.99 per month.

I love my Kindle and recommend it to everyone.