I'm going to admit something here: I'm a book lover. Duh, right? I'd even go so far as to say I'm a book snob, which in my case only means that if I see a lot of books lying around your house, I automatically like you better. Also, I hate the Kindle and other products why. I think I have justification for it though. Want to see? Here are 7 reasons I'll never own a Kindle.
I'm particular about the things on which I spend money, and I wouldn't spend it on a Kindle. I just couldn't justify the purchase. I wouldn't let anyone else buy it for me either. If I want something, if I really, really want it, no problem, I'm no miser. But I probably wouldn't buy a Kindle even if the price came down to $50.
I get that it's easy to buy books, and I get that the books themselves are comparably cheaper. I understand the idea that the Kindle ultimately pays for itself. But you know, I already have to basically have my PC, my laptop, my cell phone, and my iPod attached to me with an IV, I don't want some other technological wonder to cart around. I don't need something else to charge up all the time. A book will fit in my purse better anyway.
One of the things I love best about books is their texture. I love the way the pages feel beneath my fingers. That goes double for older books and for old hardbacks especially, with their thick pages and uneven edges. No matter what, I could never get that with a Kindle, and I know if I read a book on one, the pleasure of reading would be damped by the lack.
This is the other thing I love best about books. I love the way they smell. If I could, I would bottle the scent of old books, of bookstores, and of libraries. This is the same reason I prefer local bookshops to Barnes and Noble. The smell is divine, it's like aromatherapy to me. Unless the Kindle gets itself an app that somehow makes it smell like an old hardback book, I ain't buying.
I know a lot of people probably buy Kindles so they can get rid of their book clutter, and that's cool – for them. However, my book clutter is one of my favorite things about my place. There are books everywhere, the shelves are full of them, and that's part of my version of home décor: I want people to feel like they can browse and read as soon as they step in the doorway.
I have horrible vision. In about 3-5 years, I probably really will be wearing glasses as thick as the bottoms of glass Coke bottles. I don't think squinting at a Kindle would be the best thing for me – although yes, I am prejudiced and will ruin my eyes with a book. Plus, and I may be wrong here so please correct me if I am, is this not like trying to read on the computer? Where the screen makes minute jumps and isn't quite steady, so it's a strain on your eyes?
When I'm reading a book I particularly like, I often underline passages and make notations in the margins. Arguably, with a Kindle, I could just do it with a separate notebook, but well … no, I don't want to!
Basically, I like the tactile qualities of real books. I like the way they feed the senses. I get why other people like Kindles and similar products, I just don't think they're for me. Is anybody with me on this?
Top Photo Credit: *pele* - no me pidan que mire fotos