Monday, April 11, 2011

Compact The Magic of Books

              Problem: (The Average American's Perspective) Alright! I am so ready for a vacation! Like O-M-G, teachers are so annoying. I do my homework, then instead of rewarding me with a break, they just pile on more homework. Well it's spring break, and it's time to party! First thing's first, I've got to pack. I'll be gone for 7 nights and 8 days...so I'll pack sixteen outfits...just to be safe. Toothbrush, hairbrush, makeup brushes, sunblock, snorkel. What am I forgetting...? Oh! Books for the airplane and lounging on the beach! Hmm...I'll want the new Stephen King *carry on is halfway full*. But what if I get bored of that? I should pack in there a couple of my favorite Harry Potters *carry on is 3/4 of the way full*, but then again, I do want to read something new. Ahh a new Nicolas Sparks book, that'll work *carry on is 5/6 of the way full). Then of course the essential: Twilight (duh!) *stuff, stuff, stuff,* Ugh! It won't fit!!!
               Next Day: At The Airport
               "Carry on has exceeded the weight limit."
               Dangit
               Solution: E-Reading!
               I've ranted and raved about how much I adore reading; now for how I adore reading. My parents forced reading upon me from the first time I started understanding what a book was. As I said in earlier posts, I hated it at first. But at twelve years old with the reading of Twilight came a passion for reading. I wanted to read anything I could get my hands on. When the Kindle was launched as the first e-reading system to debut in 2007, my parents jumped at the chance to invest in the e-reading industry. Soon enough, my whole family was hooked. So I've been a devoted Kindle user for the past several years. And now, I can't even fathom going back to reading actual books.
              There are the obvious reasons why e-reading's so great: books are cheaper, the system's lighter, saves paper, etc. But there are hidden reasons beyond all of the superficial statistics. I think that with the purchase of my Kindle came a whole new kind of motivation to read. It's hard to explain. But a deal breaker for a lot of people with e-reading is that they'll miss the feel of a real book: the pages, and the feeling of accomplishment when closing the book with a hearty slam. However, with the Kindle, each percentage point I gain in a book feels like a mini accomplishment in itself. Then there's the prospect of free books. There are over 1.8 million free books available for download on amazon.com for the Kindle. Among these are old classics, and new books written by independent authors who chose to publish solely on Amazon as an e-book. When I read one of these independent books, I feel like I may be reading the next Harry Potter or Twilight, and I'm one of the first ones reading it.
              I could rant about e-reading for hours upon hours on end. It just so happened to be in my mind today because I gave a speech on the topic in my English class today. My advice to you: if you have the opportunity or desire to get an e-reader: DO IT! You will NOT regret it! I suggest the Kindle, I love it! $149 for the Wi-Fi version, $189 for 3G, there are a million reasons why I recommend it over the Nook, iPad, or Sony Reader, if you have any questions as to why, feel free to ask!

P.S. A shout out to whoever is reading my blog in Singapore, I've noticed that's the one country other than the U.S. that consistently reads my blog about weekly.

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