Susan Thomas Springer

Have you heard of Amazon’s Kindle? Touted as a “revolutionary wireless reading device,” it is a paperback-sized $400 gadget on which you can read books, magazines, newspapers, and even blogs. Amazon says it is temporarily sold out due to customer demand. Hhhmmm… maybe I am old-fashioned but I like actual books. Curling up with a plastic device to read a novel? I don’t think so. Even if I could get past the price, the whole concept is unappealing. Amazon markets it as “completely mobile” and “easy to use” for both left and right handed people with a non-glare screen — well, so are real books! Amazon says it is “paper-like” yet I like the feel of real paper made from natural materials like wood or cotton. I like the glossy paper of magazines with their high-quality photos. I like the graphic fonts of newspapers. I even like the smell of books. So while I appreciate technology which brings convenience to my life, when it comes to books, no technical advancement is necessary.