I have a Kindle. The electronic book reader. If I lived in the US I may never had bought one, but it is so nice to have instant access to so many books in English, here in Zurich. Parenting books, self-help (you're not surprised by that one, I'm sure), novels, something I just heard about on NPR.
These days, instead of roaming the aisles of a Borders' store, I roam the book pages of my favorite magazines to see the recommendations, with my Kindle next to me. And the best part is that I can download all sorts of book samples for free. I don't need to read the first 10 pages of every book I find interesting in one trip to the store. I can download them to the reader and then on a night I'm having trouble sleeping, pull one up.
And perhaps most important, baby A has not yet figured out how to turn on my Kindle. That day is coming, I know, but for now it is a boring static image. She presses a few letter keys, nothing happens, she moves along to find my iPhone or the remote control. Something more rewarding of her efforts.
At this point I have some 30 books on my reader, and just downloaded a sample of a book about adult LEGO builders. I probably won't buy the book, based on the writing, but it is nice to have a chance to browse this way.
Sure, paper books are still nice, but they get less so when you already lug a diaper bag around or have to pack for a long trip with a toddler. Or move across an ocean to a smaller living space. It is much less disappointing to not read any of 10 books when they are all in one light piece of plastic than it is to not read 10 paper books. Think of the shoes I could have packed instead!
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