Not long ago I wrote a post that discussed books vs. e-books. At that time I was of the opinion that books were the only way to go. I still prefer reading in that format, but I've since seen a side of the e-book craze that is quite positive.
My mother has a form of macular degeneration and her sight has been deteriorating the past couple of years. She has always enjoyed reading good books. She collects books, and it is getting harder for her to savor her favorite tomes. So for Mother's Day this year, my siblings and I gave her a Kindle. At first, she was a bit stand-offish about the whole idea, even after one of my sisters explained that we could enlarge the text of each book added to the Kindle to make it easier for her to read.
One afternoon, I drove her out to my home and we began the process of setting things up for her on the Kindle. Despite her protests about what a waste of time and money it was, she finally sat, enthralled when I began adding books to her Kindle. We were able to find numerous classic novels offered for free on Amazon, several that are some of her favorite books. We added those, as well as others we purchased for a minimal cost and it was reminiscent of watching a kid in a candy store. My mother now has 80 books on her Kindle and she couldn't be happier. We changed the setting to a font size that enables her to read without any problem, and she absolutely loves this new fangled device her children purchased on her behalf.
So I am writing a bit of a retraction. I am seeing that e-books do indeed serve a purpose. I'm even considering the advantages of getting either a Kindle or a Nook for my own personal use someday. I will always love and savor my collection of books, but I'm suspecting that I just might enjoy having e-books on hand as well. I have decided there is room for both in this crazy world.
2 comments:
I was looking at Amazon today drooling over a Kindle. I really, really want one but can't afford it right now. But among all the description of how wonderful they are I came across another feature. The Kindle can read books out loud. As your mother's sight deteriorates further, maybe that will be a real bonus.
That's true, Anna. =) It has a lot of neat features, but it is expensive. I have 3 siblings, and we split the cost four ways. I'm just glad our mother decided she likes it. ;) She takes it with her now whenever she travels. =D
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