I Miss Books

Kindle and I are over. There is no more fire in my Kindle Fire. I glance resentfully at it wondering why I thought it was such a wonderful gift. When my sister re-gifted it to me, I was sure that my life-long avid reading would go on hyper-drive. Now I would be able to download books at the speed of light (and I have) , but it's finishing and enjoying them that's the problem.  Kindle doesn't excite my love of reading, it dampens it.

You see, a Kindle Tablet is not just an electronic house for books. It's a small tv that always seems to be on and full of commercials. Every time I turn on my Kindle with the intent of reading, an ad for a new gadget, a flash sale, a movie trailer or some other advertisement is there. Rarely, do they even show an advertisement for a book. When I go to download a book, I am bombasted by offers of the movie version, app, or online game.

When I read a book, there are no distractions or attractions. I am pulled into the world of written words and imagination whether it's a beach in Nantucket, 19th century Europe, or a modern romance. Reading has begun to resemble, in some ways, checking email. Sure, I like the convenience of being able to highlight interesting passages with my finger or quickly bookmark a page, but the glow of the "page" doesn't hold the same appeal as reading a book at night, illuminated by low light.

With summer reading season upon me, I remembered a great book I read last year and I missed the feeling of touching the cover, folding the book back, dog-earring the pages, and flipping back to re-read something that amused me. That's what books do. They give you a world you can touch and that touches you. And who can resist the smell of book paper (aka pages)?

I'm  not sure when I'll be turning my Kindle on again. I long to run to Barnes and Noble (last bookstore standing) and buy 2 or 3 heavy books knowing that it will take me a while to get through them. I might forget my place or spill coffee on a page. I'll have to keep a highlighter nearby if I want to mark a provocative paragraph, but that's what I want. To have a book, not a Nook.