Over the summer I took a trip to Vancouver, Canada. Plane rides, for a huge reader like me, are the perfect setting to get some solid reading done. But as I made my way to my seat with my book in hand I began noticing the large amount of people using Kindles and Ipads to read. For me there is nothing better than cuddling up with an actual book, a cup of tea, and sitting down to enjoy a good read. However, with the release of new technology for reading such as Kindles and Ipads, book stores are losing business and more people are turning to technology to do their reading. In my opinion Kindles take away book stores' business and they don't give the full effect of enjoying and connecting with a good book.
Over the summer Border Books announced it was going out of business, so Borders Books everywhere began having sales and putting up closing signs. The closing of Borders makes me wonder if it's at all related to the rise in popularity of Kindles or if Borders just demonstrated bad business. I think that their closing is somewhat related to the popularity of Kindles. Kindles have grown in their technology standards, they can bookmark pages, look up the definition of words, highlight specific passages, and have a special screen that makes it look like an actual book page. All of these new improvements make people rush to the stores to purchase them so they can have the newest technology and the latest trend. As much as I love technology I just don't think that Kindles can ever replace the feeling of making a crease in the corner of my book to save my spot and getting out my pen to highlight a passage that is significant. Another reason people are drawn to Kindles is the amount of books that they can "hold". On every channel I see the infamous Kindle commercial, the one where the woman has her big purse and is talking about how many different books it can hold. The guy with the Kindle looks at her in dismay and brags about the 1,000s of books his small little Kindle can hold. Honestly though who really needs to have that many books in their back pocket? Unless your going on a super long vacation where carrying five or so books would weigh your luggage down, the average reader doesn't need to have that many books at the touch of their hands. If I had that many books available to me at one time I would get anxious about what book to read next and would spend all my time scrolling through my lists of books instead of beginning to read one.
At the end of the day the main reason I'm against Kindles is that they don't provide the attachment and feeling of connection with a book as an actual book does. When I open a book I become engrossed in the pages and get a thrill whenever I turn to the next page, wondering whats going to happen next. I feel connected with my book and love opening to the place I bookmarked and becoming enthralled in the story again. Sitting on my bed and getting cozy while I read adds to the overall enjoyment of reading a book. And as much as people say Kindles are read just like real books and have the same "feel", I don't think you can cuddle up with a Kindle.
I agree. I think Kindles are especially popular right now because their new. Whenever the newest technology comes out everyone wants to have it. I am not a huge reader, but whenever I do read a book I like having the actual book in my hands and seeing how much of the book I have left to read. Personally, I feel that reading a book on a Kindle or Ipad defeats the purpose because it takes the connection away from the reader and the book. When children are reading books its important for them to be able to flip through the pages and decide how they want to read the book. On a Kindle you are unable to flip back and fourth easily. As the Kindle becomes more popular and book stores are closing, books will become harder to get. Although it is nice to have the option of reading a book electronically, the Kindle is changing the simple pleasure of reading into something much more complex than it actually is.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting to me. Yesterday, my friend and I were discussing how so many bookstores are going out of business. We came to the conclusion that it is because people are now using kindles and also purchasing books from Amazon. You can find just about any book on Amazon and they are much cheaper than buying them from a store, but I have a problem with this.
ReplyDeleteNot only are kindles taking over, but replacing books with kindles and having access to buying any book online takes away the fun in actually going to a bookstore, browsing through the books, and picking out one that interest you. This bothers me because I love going inside of a bookstore and browsing around. Also, my younger brother enjoys taking a trip to a bookstore to find a book that interest him so I fear that his love for reading will decrease due to the closure of bookstores and technology.
I think it is very sad that all the Border’s will be closing down due to the technology of Amazon, and the Kindle. Although many adults find the Kindle to be useful, I do not think a teenager or child would be too interested in picking up a Kindle to read. So, even though the Kindle may intrigue most adults, I think it could harm children’s and adolescent’s interest in reading. Going to the bookstore provides entertainment for kids when selecting a book that interests them. I think having the opportunity to go the bookstore is important for kids, and it is unfortunate that the new technology may cause it to not be an option for them. It’s exciting for kids to go the bookstore, and see all the different books with different titles and covers. I think kids physically being able to touch books is a lot of the fun, and encourages reading.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you, there is nothing better than curling up with a good book. I was shocked when I found out that Border's was closing. I had always known them a "well off" bookstore. I can recall on countless occasions going there to purchase books, magazines etc. Going to the bookstore is like shopping, you get to look around, read the back covers, sit and perhaps read the beginning to see if it is a good "fit". Online shopping is taking over, and so is the Kindle. Where is the fun and experience in that? I can think back to childhood and remember my favorite book, the pages were worn from all of the reading, and that brings a smile to my face. I don't want my children to grow up with only digital books. There is something satisfying about turning a page, that I would miss if I read a book off of a Kindle.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with everything you said. I was glad to find a post like this because I was actually thinking about writing on the same topic. When I first heard Borders was going out of business, it broke my heart because I use to go there once every two weeks with my mom to find a new book to read. I think kindles take away the whole reading experience. Last spring break my roommate brought her kindle with her and I didn't understand how she was able to read on it. I'm not sure about anyone else, but reading on a computer is very difficult to me and I feel like that is the same thing. I don't think it will help children with their reading. What I'm confused about is how can a kindle be a good source for picture books. I've never used one so maybe they do allow illustrations, but even so, I still think that holding a book and flipping a page is what makes reading fun. As a kid, I use to find excitement in seeing how much of the book I have left. It made me feel proud that I could read that much in a short time. It let me start creating goals for myself. With a kindle, that is impossible.
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