Ever since its initial release, I’ve been deeply intrigued by the Kindle. The people who have them swear by them, and I had finally convinced myself that the benefits of being able to carry an entire library on the plane far exceeded my reservations about the conversion.
But then it hit me: for me, books are about more than reading. It’s part of a larger book-related experience. I love to wander through Towne Center Books, the independent bookstore downtown, or the used bookstore that’s just around the corner from my house. I could spend hours in a Borders or Barnes and Noble. The library, with its free exchange of books, is probably the coolest idea ever. If I get a Kindle, all of that would go out the window. I would be reduced to buying Kindle books exclusively online through Amazon because I would feel compelled to use the device for everything in an effort to get the most out of my investment.
That’s not to say that I don’t buy books online. I buy more than my share from Powells or Amazon, and I think that’s fine. But if I had a Kindle, in-person shopping would be out of the question. Once you convert to a $359 electronic device, you’re committing to ebook delivery for the life of the device.
Kindle evangelists argue that the Kindle books are so much cheaper than their paper counterparts, and that’s true. But I would be much more willing to convert if the device were cheaper and pricing on the books was comparable to the paper version, because I would feel like I had an option to go either way, selecting some titles for the Kindle and others for my beloved, overstuffed bookshelf. Being the book and bookstore lover that I am, I just don’t think I’m ready for the big switch.
That being said, I’d love a service where you could rent a Kindle for a trip, just like you can rent a portable DVD player in the airport. Maybe giving the device a trial run for a week or two would be all it would take to change my mind. But for now, I’m going to remain a traditionalist and pack a suitcase full of books for my next trip.