Digital reading

Screenshot from my iPhone Kindle app.

Since the previous post I have found a new way to read books. You may argue that I have had time to find quite a few new ways, possibly even invent some, but there is only the one. And it is the kindle app on my phone. I started out thinking the tiny phone screen would not do, so I installed the app on my iPad mini instead. It is, after all, book sized. But guess what? It only comes along with me when I remember to bring it, much like an ordinary, old fashioned, non digital, paper book. My phone, on the other hand, is never far from my grasp. So it follows that it was not long before I installed the app there too, and that is where I have been using it. It supplies its own very adjustable reading light in tunnels and in bed, and I can customize letter size and line spacing to make reading easier or page turning less frequent.

Facebook - useful for
finding new and interesting literature.

All the books in my kindle library have something in common. I have decided to read them after reading about them on the internet. The wonderful The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian I wanted more of after reading an excerpt from ndla.no (teaching resource for Norwegian high school), the First law trilogy I read about on my local newspaper online (adressa.no), The Phantom Tollbooth and Walk two moons were in an article shared on Facebook (and apparently impossible to find again) showing what adult books might suit you based on your favorite children's/young adult books, and the absolutely lovely The ocean at the end of the lane was picked up after a colleague posted about it on Facebook. The graveyard book I found all by myself on Amazon after having finished The ocean at the end of the lane. 

The genius of digital reading is that my book is always at hand, it weighs nothing extra, adds no handbag bulk (I use lipstick for that), and I actually find it quite pleasant reading on my phone screen. If you have read my post about audio books, you know that I like to feel and smell my books. This of course is a missing element also with Kindle books, and is a small drawback. (But my phone feels nice. And it is pink. And green. Which always helps.) The major drawback, however, is that none of these books are "lending enabled", so I can only talk about them with my friends, not actually hand them over for them to enjoy. And I paid for them. I own them. I should be allowed to do with them whatever I damn well please! Shame on you, Amazon. 

(Note: This post is apparently in English. I assume that is because all of the books I have read on my Kindle app are in English. I have not checked the selection of Norwegian language books for it.)