Technology has an overwhelming role in our everyday lives and curling up with a good book has always equipped me with a sense of nostalgia, as well as an escape from the burdens of electronics. Therefore, when I recently got a Kindle Paperwhite as a birthday gift, I initially felt as if I were the avocado kid from Vine.
Now don’t get me wrong, it was one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received from my family; however, the thought of reading from an electronic device instead of one of my cherished paperback novels seemed daunting. As the girl with a full bookshelf and various piles of books throughout my room, I scoffed at the thought of ever being one of those people that utilized an e-reader. Well, it’s been almost a month since my birthday and I can safely say that as an avid reader, my Kindle has impacted my reading habits in a positive manner.
With a Kindle, a large selection of novels is at your fingertips. Essentially, an e-reader is a portable library, an advantage for travelers or those who prefer to have a wider selection of reading material. Furthermore, buying books on an e-reader often costs less than obtaining a physical copy from most bookstores. As a student on a budget looking for deals on college necessities left and right, the Kindle has proven to be a surprisingly efficient cost-saver. For example, a course I am taking at college this upcoming semester requires me to read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni over the summer. The print list price of this novel is $24.95 but on my Kindle, I was able to purchase it for $9.51, allotting me with over 60% in savings.
Between school, extracurriculars and my social life, it is difficult for me to dedicate time to reading until right before I go to sleep. One of my favorite features of the Kindle is the fact that it emits light, allowing me to read in the dark. Before getting my Kindle, I would have to adjust my phone light constantly as I leafed through the pages of a paperback, a frustrating inconvenience that often hindered me from absorbing the most information possible.
I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of minuscule yet comforting features that e-readers have to offer. While reading, readers are able to highlight passages, type in notes and look up definitions or translations of different words. The Kindle also has a very long battery life, lasting frequent readers at least a month before needing a charge. In the past month, I have read more than I have in recent years. For me, the Kindle is hassle-free and I bring it with me in my purse everywhere I go. My Kindle has provided me with entertainment during the occasional free minute in my very loaded schedule. Although nothing beats the intimacy of getting lost in a paperback novel, an e-reader is a great investment for a keen but busy reader.
