....technology.

I've seen and heard of the Amazon Kindle for some time now, but I have to admit that I am a tad weary of it. Although I suppose it is a great solution to deforestation and may contribute to an overall "greener" environment, the idea of replacing my entire library (personal and, *eek* public) with a 7"x5.5" electronic piece of plastic completely kills one of the best parts of a book...

But of course, I must digress. For those who are unfamiliar with the Kindle, Amazon.com ,the online book and now- everything-else store, released this early in 2008 declaring a "revolution" to book reading in the form of "electronic paper display". Basically, instead of purchasing a traditional print and bound book, many titles are now litterally "at the fingertips" to those who are willing to fork over around $350 for the Kindle. The 6" screen displays text of the chosen media just as it would read on paper, without the sometimes blurry nature of a typical computer screen. It can hold up to 200 "books" in its memory, along with newspapers, blogs, and most other traditionally printed media.

Call me a cynic, but this just plain depresses me. Books and the physical nature they represent of the written word, of language itself, are and always have been coveted by bookworms and laymen alike. Yes, they are bulky, often heavy in quantity, perhaps awkward to carry, but that's what makes them books! NOT just text! I would never trade that sore back I had for a few hours while I lugged my backpack around campus--some of those books still reside on my shelves and will until I decide to donate or loan them, not DELETE them! While I suppose I see the practiacality of the Kindle, I know that my absent-minded nature would certainly prove to be very costly for me. What if I lost my Kindle? Not only would I be down $350 for the machine itself, but how many books, at about $10 a pop, would I have on it? 30? 100? And be out about $1500? Thanks, but no. As much as I love technology and what it has to offer these days, I'm clutching my smelly, awkward, beat up books as close to my heart as possible.