Because I am a glutton for exploitation, I bought another Kindle. The tiny entry level model, unlike the Scribe I currently have.

I really like the bigger screen of the Scribe, but it’s large enough that it doesn’t fit in a pocket, and right now it’s cold enough I need to keep my hands in my pockets, so the Scribe requires a bag, which I don’t always feel like carrying around. But since getting the Scribe, I’ve been reading a lot more, and I’d like to keep reading, hence the tiny Kindle. It’s not just cargo pocket small, but back pocket small. The book you have with you is always better than the book you don’t.

For any larger device, I’ve always recommended a case, just to make it easier to hold. Plastic is too slippery, but the felt lining of a case when flipped around gives it a good grip, either to hold or rest on one’s leg. And especially with the Scribe, where the case folds around to make a portrait stand. I can prop it up, sit back and read, the way I’ve always wished I could do with a book. For the smallest Kindle, though, I can easily palm it without a case.

devices

I started with the unlit Kindle 2 and Kindle 3; no wifi, just vaccine free 3G, but still exciting. All these books, right here, right now. Then the Paperwhite came out and it was a revelation. Finally I could read in the dark. Followed by a series of iPad minis and Android tablets and flippable Chromebooks and giant slab Chromebooks. And a Surface even at some point. I’ve tried it all. I finally landed back in the Kindle family with the Scribe.

Part of that is just gadget fever, and some is unhappiness with some particular compromise. I think I can confidently say that I’m happy now with both a large and small Kindle for nonfiction and fiction, respectively. And an iPad for reading comics. And an OLED Android for reading in the really dark. And paper books so people known I’m a sophisticated bibliophile.

The Scribe is (within the Kindle family) my ideal device for sitting on the couch and reading a book. Or maybe for a long afternoon at the cat pet cafe. I think they finally nailed the book replacement concept. But despite that, I’m even more impressed with the entry level model. It’s such a complete evolution of the original read anywhere concept.

econ

I have a mental spreadsheet of all the ebooks I’ve had to repurchase because Jeff Amazon deleted them from my account and all the paper books I’ve had to repurchase because I moved or misplaced them or they grew beautiful book wings and flew away. And so far the ebooks are coming out pretty far ahead.

This doesn’t account for the investment in Kindle hardware, which is actually kinda substantial now that I think about it. About what I spent shipping all the books I really, really needed to keep across the country, only to leave them in my parents’ house anyway.

I keep a wishlist of the books I want to read, and sporadically check it, and whenever the sale price is down to $3, which seems to happen inevitably, I buy it. Paper books never seem to get discounted at the same rate.

paper

Incidentally, I did start reading paper books, too. I was inspired by a YouTube video to check out a used book store, and then pick up some paper books. Experience that old time vintage page turning feel. This was cool for a few books, but now I’ve got stacks of them in the house again, and I don’t like it. Also discovered that it’s hard to read a book in dim light. I’m just so used to being able to read in any light I honestly hadn’t considered that.

Incidentally, I found Goodwill is a great place for book shopping. They have a small enough selection that you can browse the whole thing without being overwhelmed. The books are really cheap, and it’s for a good cause or whatever. So whenever I find myself nearby a new Goodwill store, I check it out. I discovered a few books there that I’ve really enjoyed. I think it helps that the books were, for the most part, good enough that somebody else decided to buy them. Works as a sort of filter. And then they got rid of them, so not that great maybe, but I’ve never been disappointed.

ads

I know some people are worried about the capitalism mind virus, but the current set of ads on the latest Kindle are really innocuous. Here are the best sellers of 2024. Which I barely even look at before unlocking. I had to consciously check a few ads out just to tell you they’re not that bad. I’ve seen paper covers that were far more distracting or disturbing. I was reading Forge of God and had a woman give me a look like I was reading Dianetics.