The Book of Dreams, by Martha Thomases – Brilliant Disguise

April 25, 2009 Martha Thomases 5 Comments

According to the conventional wisdom, age brings a sense of proportion, and an increased awareness of our spiritual values.  Those of us on the other side of youth are supposed to understand that materialism is a trap, that beauty and relationships and experiences are what makes life worth living.

Yeah, sure.

My constant pimping of Kindle.

I never thought I’d like it.  I mean, I love books.  I even love damp and moldy old books.  I love their smell.  I love different kinds of paper.  I love different fonts.  I love page design.  I like the weight of a book on my lap, sitting under a tree on a beautiful summer’s day.

As a result, I didn’t think I’d need a machine for my reading.  And, when the computer showed me how to do a lot of my newspaper and magazine browsing online, I didn’t think I needed another machine for books.

I was wrong.

Being a mother, I’m not usually wrong, and, when I am, it usually takes me a while to figure it out.  In this case, I had to be eased into it.  My Kindle Adventure started when I first heard about the Kindle App for iPhone.  It was free, so I could download it without any risk.  However, although the app was free, I still had to pay for books.  And, as someone who supports the concept of writers getting paid, I was happy to do so.  But what did I want to read? And what would it be like on a little iPhone screen?

There was a Stephen King story written especially for the Kindle.  It was only $2.99.  Perfect.

The real test came when I took a long bus ride.  I usually can’t read in a car or a bus, so I bring knitting and music to while away the hours on the road.  The lure of a new King story was so tempting that I had to try it.  I figured if it bothered me, I’d stop reading, but at  least I’d have something spooky to occupy my brain while sitting in New York traffic.

Three hours later, I looked up and saw I was nearly at my destination.  I wasn’t even a little bit queasy.  And, while in transit, I downloaded another book.

The iPhone app is also great for the subway.  While everyone else is looking at their phones for e-mail or text messages, I can read my book.  Unless you’re looking over my shoulder, you don’t know that I’m not a person with lots of pressing engagements and responsibilities.  I’m looking at my screen and flipping through pages just as if many, many potential employers were competing to see who could pay me the most money.

When I go on a trip, I often fret about what I’ll do if I get stuck somewhere.  Will I have enough knitting?  Will I have enough to read?  What if I get insomnia and it’s two in the morning and I’ve read all my books?  With my Kindle, that’s not an issue.  Having a Kindle is like being given an anti-gravity extra suitcase for which the airlines won’t charge extra.

The actual Kindle (as opposed to just the iPhone app) is sleek and smooth and silent.  It’s easy to turn the page, and there is a dictionary included, so if you come across a word you don’t know, looking it up is just a click away.  If you have both a Kindle and an iPhone, they will sync so that you can continue reading on whichever device you pick up, from the last page you read, no matter what machine.

You can also  subscribe to various newspapers, magazines and blogs, but I haven’t done any of that yet.  As a result, I don’t know how it handles illustrated text.  Color is not an option.

Shopping for books on the Kindle is a lot like shopping for music or video on iTunes.  It’s very easy to shop for something if you already know what you want.  Browsing is less fun.  In this way, the bookstore (or record store) experience is still a more complete sensual experience.  You can look at the jacket copy.  You can see if the item next to what you think you want is actually more fun.  You can still succumb to the impulse purchase online, but it is less immediately gratifying.

So far, I’ve read five books on my Kindle.  I haven’t read anything very challenging, but that’s not what I tend to take with me on trips, or in the subway.  It may be that for heavy concepts, I’d like a heavy book in my lap.  I don’t think it’s a good way to read comics, at least not yet.  It’s not a high-def device.  It’s probably great for cooking unless you get grease on it.

Is it for you?  That depends on what you like to read, and when.  Amazon certainly wants you to want one.  They’ve arranged all sorts of events where you can see one in action.

Kindles (and other kinds of e-books) may be bad for bookstores.  I’d hate this, because bookstores are among my favorite places.  If I have a few hours between appointments, I’ll often peruse the aisles of a bookstore instead of going home.  I like independent bookstores and chain bookstores, mystery bookstores and travel bookstores, used bookstores and antiquarian bookstores.  I love having shelves full of books.

Now I can carry bunches of them with me all the time in my purse.
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Media Goddess Martha Thomases thinks knitting patterns on a Kindle would also be an awesome subscription model.