Heya, book fans! Aja, here, weighing in on the Kindle vs Real Book debate. Personally, I can see the appeal of both sides. I have recently acquired a Blackberry which has a downloadable book application. I can buy a book from, say, Amazon, and then read it wherever I am. I imagine this would be good for any students who forgot to buy Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston for their Asian American literature class. (In this imaginary scenario the bookstore is sold-out and/or they have three hours to hit the highlights but not enough time to drive somewhere for a physical copy.) Outside of students I cannot imagine another book emergency.
Rarely is our reading defined by emergencies, actually. Unless you are studying, researching, or are in a McGuyver-type jam - chances are you are reading for pleasure. If the story is all you are going for than by all means, the Kindle could be your answer. If space is an issue, the Kindle is like a mini-miracle in your hands. Additionally, some books might not have a huge press-run, in which case having an electronic copy would increase sales, widen access to the material, and could reach readers in far-away locales. These are all major pluses.
There are some detractors from the Kindle. Most notably, Amazon, can and has deleted books from the device remotely. The quote that best sums this point up for me comes from a different New York Times article, by Brad Stone. He quotes Holmes Winston, of the Free Software Foundation, who said, "As long as Amazon maintains control of the device it will have this ability to remove books and that means they will be tempted to use it or they will be forced to it."
Short of a police raid, books I physically own will remain under my control. More importantly, to me at least, is seeing the spines, titles, and art of the books I have read. They are familiar doors to visiting friends. Open this one and you are walking with Anne of Green Gables. Turn to this one and you are babysitting with Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne. The story is important but so is the experience of curling up with a book.
Most people don't think of book reading as a social activity, yet by thinking on it further, you can see that it very much is so. How many people have you told about this, "Really great!" book and lend them a copy? We have book groups, class discussions, and locally the One Book One Lincoln program. To a lesser extent, there have often been times when a book has inspired us to think more intensely about a topic, only to help us with our arguments later when the topic is brought up. I not only talk about books but I also push them into the hands of friends promising to change their lives. I honestly cannot count the number of times this book has somehow been vampire related.
This part of the conversation, the passing of the torch, is only possible with physical books. I guess I could be talked into lending out a Kindle for a few weeks. (Not the Blackberry.) I just cannot imagine it being the same. There are a few people who agree with me over at The Green Apple Core.
Note: If you ARE ever in a McGuyver-type jam, I suggest googling a quicker answer.
Thanks for hearing me out, Indigoers!
-Aja
