As I was writing my book review yesterday, I almost went on a tangent about how I’d read the book. I didn’t, because I called it a mini book review and still kept rambling. Still, I wanted to talk about it, because it’s something I struggle with and not in an existential way.
I used to only read books in their physical form. I like the way they feel, the ability to slide back up and over sentences from earlier on the page, the weight of the remaining pages in my right hand balanced out by the read pages in my left. At one point I tried audiobooks, possibly while training for some sort of race I could never run anymore. I didn’t have the patience to train my brain to actually listen to the story. It became background noise, and I would have to stop and restart so many times I gave up on that type of reading.
The concept of a Kindle didn’t appeal, until I realized it literally changed the way I could read while traveling. I didn’t have to rush to finish something before we left or decide between books to pack or leave a book behind because my bag got too heavy. I loved the idea that I could have more than enough books queued up for an entire vacation. I’m an overpacked and want options for my clothes, and a Kindle meant I could have them for my books, too.
I still read paper books most of the time, though I went through phases of Kindle worship, when there were so many unread books on it, and it was so easy to carry, that I rarely left home without it. All of that use, though, means it’s not working as well as it used to. Sometimes it won’t charge. Other times it seems like it should be charged, and it won’t turn on.
These are not actual problems in life, and I’m getting better about not hyper focusing on those, especially since my Kindle is…aged, and I don’t want to budget for one right now.
Consequently, I started reading on my phone. Like so many people, I have a hard time separating myself from the social media scroll, and I thought having my books in my already occupied hand would help me use my time in better ways. In some ways, it has made a difference. My Kindle was working for part of my recent trip to Boston, and then it wasn’t, so I finished The Waters on my phone.
The covers look better (I have a Paperwhite, so everything is black and white and gray), but the screen does tire my eyes in a way the Kindle doesn’t. Also, and this is what led to my almost-tangent yesterday and this musing of a post today, I didn’t get the normal feeling of being “finished” with the book when I was, indeed, finished. I didn’t immediately click on Instagram or check texts, but I did eventually pick up my phone and do something on it that wasn’t reading. With a book, I set it aside, the cover reminding me of what I liked or didn’t like and that I really, truly should add it to my reading log so I don’t forget to do that. Even with my Kindle, the device is only used for reading, so when I’m done, I let it go. My phone, we all know, doesn’t truly get let go.
I’m not really sure what I meant to accomplish by thinking so much about these different ways of consuming the words I’m reading. I do know it’s part of the reason I bought a bigger purse for the summer, now that I’m not using my work bag frequently. I like having a book with me, a paper one whose pages I can turn and sometimes write on if we’re talking about something I own. A Kindle is an acceptable substitute, but I’m not sure my phone is. I mean, I’m going on read on it again. Sometimes it’s the only option I have.
I’m glad, though, that I have a big purse.
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