I didn’t think I would like an electronic reader. I love books too much. And I thought it was silly to be dependent on one more electronic device that needs charging.

I succumbed for travel purpose. One skinny, light Kindle is a lot easier to haul around than a stack of books.

But now I love it! Some of the reasons may surprise you!

• It doesn’t close while I am flossing and brushing my teeth.
• I can increase the text size with just a couple of clicks if the light is fading and making it hard to read.
• I can download additional books at the drop of a hat as long as there is a WIFI connection.
• It is really light-weight, balances on one leg easily, and requires barely one knuckle to turn the page.
• It never loses my page, even if I drop it. 
• I never run out of books.
• It doesn’t get ragged from sliding it in and out of my bag repeatedly.
• When I finish a book while traveling, I don’t have to dig out a new one and find a place to stow the completed one.
• I can highlight passages and search text.
• I can carry around oodles of travel books instead of choosing the best.
• When I ask my husband to “get my book too,” I don’t have to worry about him bringing me the wrong book.
• I don’t have to make space before purchasing more books, especially the business books that must fit in my office.
• When I’m hungry for information, I can dig in immediately, not in 2, 3-5, or 7 or more days.
• I don’t have to pay shipping fees.
• Packing up for just a day or several weeks is simpler; I don’t have to decide which book to take with me.
• And, since my husband and I have two Kindles registered to the same account, we can read the same book at the same time instead of vying for first rights following an exciting new purchase.

There is one big disadvantage. Since the cover is not so constantly visible, I am never sure what I am reading and have no idea what my husband is reading. Since we like and read lots of the same books, seeing the cover of the other’s book has often prompted conversation. Furthermore, I can’t readily turn to the front and back covers to examine the picture, description, or testimonials. Perhaps they will remedy that situation. In the meantime, I’ll continue to love my Kindle for all the reasons above.

As more and more of us discover these joys and the word spreads, guess who else is winning?

All those publishers for whom the death knell has been sounding!

My husband and I are buying books faster than ever. Instead of finishing a book and then waiting for the next trip to the bookstore, the UPS truck, or at least a trip upstairs, two clicks gets us to the next opening chapter.

I’ve even bought several Kindle editions of books I already own in hard copy because I want to be able to reference them wherever I am. And just yesterday, debating hard copy vs. Kindle for a business book recommended by a colleague, I opted for Kindle now, because that would be least annoying if I didn’t find the book useful, with the option of hard copy later. If it turns out to be a true winner, especially a lasting reference, I will be happy to pay for a hard copy and won’t be inconvenienced by waiting 2, 3-5, or 7 or more days. Our book bill is rising, admittedly and happily, along with the pleasure, enlightenment, and convenience of e-books.

And we aren’t the only ones. E-book sales are exploding.

Meanwhile, look at those poor publishers. They are increasing sales while also decreasing inventory, printing, freight, and packing. Not a bad deal!

Has prosperity and calm returned for publishers? No way. Nor for authors and book sellers. It never will. Prosperity and calm may never be roommates again. But this is a perfect example of industry-shaking change that dramatically shifts both customer priorities and selling opportunities. When you sense it happening around you, you can react with foreboding and dread, weighed down by the death knell, or you can embrace it and search for the inevitable opportunities.

Meanwhile, if you like to read, treat yourself to a lightweight little e-reader!