I Hate Books

I know that it is social unacceptable to say it, but I hate books. I don’t hate reading, I just hate the medium. They are bulky, difficult to hold with one hand and after spending most of the day looking at a computer screen, I find it hard to focus on the type. Since it is hard to read without the medium, I tend to not read as many books as I would like (which seems like a common goal).

I don’t have the same nostalgia for physical books as most people. I don’t feel like I need to display what I read on a bookcase as badges of honor to my intellect. After I’ve read a book, it just becomes “stuff.”

So I’ve found myself more and more interested in Amazon’s Kindle which is small, lightweight, can increase the type size for late night reading, it sounds perfect! I’ve just been on the fence as I wanted to see if E-Ink is as easy to read as people say. I want to see it in action before paying the high price tag (the last thing I need is another computer screen to stare at).

So last night as I was lying in bed reading, I got so frustrated tossing and turning with each page that I reached over for my iPhone to buy a Kindle right then and there. But they were SOLD OUT! Apparently I’m not as much in the minority as I thought I was. I took it as a sign to think about it more. I ended up reading a lot of the user reviews (on my iPhone which was much easier to hold than my paperback, just harder on the eyes), after reading most of the pros and cons I went from impulse buy to eagerly awaiting one.

So I will have to wait and see if the Kindle is a dream come true for the medium conflicted reader such as myself, or if it just become the worst kind of “stuff” in my life—another gadget. Due to high demand, at least I know I will be able to sell it easily if I don’t like it.