If you recall, several months ago, I took a leap and decided to order an Amazon Kindle
I’m not normally one to buy first generation products. However, one of our most missed items while living in China these past four years is English reading material. All that’s available here in English are condensed versions of classic literature: Sherlock Holmes, Mark Twain and so on. Occasionally some good soul would send a recent magazine or book our way, which would be devoured like hungry dogs over a sirloin.
So, in the interest of our sanity and intellectual integrity, I soon found a refurbished Kindle in my hands. Yes, it is pricey. However, for people like us it is worth every penny. Here’s a rundown of features while you watch me unbox it.
A big reason why I chose the Kindle over several other eBook readers: content. Amazon can’t be beat as far as how much they offer in titles. A new release is typically $9.99 in Kindle format, regardless of how much the new hardback costs. Older books are usually less expensive.
In the States, as soon as you order the book, it is transmitted wirelessly (and cost free) to the Kindle. The transfer takes less than a minute. If you’re not in range of a Sprint cell-tower (or live overseas), you can download the book to your computer and transfer it to the Kindle using a usb cable.
But let’s not be limited by the 230,000+ titles available on Amazon. You can download some 23,000+ books for free from Manybooks.net. These are books that are now open domain, including the aforementioned classics.
Allow me list a few of my favorites: All the works by Tolstoy, The Motor Boys Series by Clarence Young, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, all of Jane Austen’s works (ok, so this is Sandra’s favorite), Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and so on. More being added every day!
I can send my own documents to read on the Kindle. Maybe some ebook that I bought on road bike riding? No problem. Recipes? Yup. You name it. It can probably be converted to read on the Kindle.
It’s lightweight. Listen: Being limited to 50lbs per bag to carry back overseas, we didn’t have the luxury of hauling that weight in books. I estimate I saved at least 75lbs in weight with the Kindle.
It’s small.
It turns pages fast. I actually read faster with the Kindle, because it takes me less time to click a button than turn a real page.
It’s easy to read. The font adjusts. It marks the page where you last read…in every book you are reading. (I’m reading five books at once.) You can highlight passages and type in notes. It’s as easy on the eyes as a regular book is.
Sandra adds: I was leery about the Kindle because I thought it would be like reading a computer screen for hours on end, but it is not at all like a computer screen. On the eyes, it definitely feels more like a book.
In short, I have a library in my pocket. One of the best purchases we’ve made this year! (Aside from our Cheese-making kit and a Mac laptop…but more on those later!)
So, if you don’t have access to a library or live overseas where new books cost a fortune, I’d highly recommend the Amazon Kindle
PS. They just came out with the next generation Kindle, which is even lighter and faster. A good gift for that spouse of yours!
PPS. Buy a Kindle from the link on this post and you’ll give me three books! Us dogs would be much obliged.
Ah the Kindle! I just learned of this amazing creature at Christmas time this year. I think it is an AWESOME invention. I may have to look into one myself. I guess to justify it I would need to read the pile of books beside my bed first.
Happy reading!!
That is sooo awesome! Check out http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/ there are lots of free downloadable books that are in pdf format, so i don’t know if that will work. They have lots of silly, funky, vintage and out of print books and all manner of print media. Subscribe and you get a preview each week. We had fun with…Hand shadow books, 1930′s radio theatre, historical stories of courage, etc
Okay, I want a Kindle, but Ryan will really want the cheese making kit! Oh, and I made yogurt in the crock pot and it was a complete sucess!
How ironic. I just made yogurt in the crockpot for the first time a couple days ago. I’ll post about it soon. Wow! Isn’t it so much tastier than the store bought version?
how fun! Those things look cool but I had never met anyone that had one – thanks for the review! I always thought it would be like looking at a computer screen – it really seems cool!
Hey – I have been thinking of buying a kindle. Thanks for this post! I wasn’t quite sure how it would work overseas. So, you just download to a file in your computer and upload via usb cable? Any other helpful hints? I will probably get one in the next 2-3 months.
Yup. I go to Amazon, buy the book, go to my kindle management page, find the book I just bought, select “download file to computer” and transfer it via usb cable. Pretty simple! I’m going to do some Kindle reading before bed now!
I remembered that you now had a Kindle when I came across this tidbit:
ESV Available for Free on Amazon’s Kindle
Coinciding with Amazon’s release of the Kindle 2 , we are pleased to announce free access to the ESV text for all Kindle or Kindle 2 users.
So, after a few more months of use, do you still highly recommend the Kindle?
We love it! It’s perfect for the expat! And we have the 1st generation. I’m quite sure the 2nd generation and the new Kindle DX are even better and faster. The only drawback is that we can’t share books with someone else. Well, without loaning them the Kindle…;)