You don't need a battery to read a book. That's my mantra.
For now.
I don't know why, but I was startled to learn that one of my book club members -- the president of the club, no less -- is using a Kindle. Kindling is what you use to burns books, not read them.
Then I noticed a young woman in the next row on the plane home from Spain "reading a book" on a Kindle. I guess she was reading. I guess it's a book. But it looked like a dark Etch-a-Sketch with extra buttons.
Confession time: I like the idea of being able to bump up the size of the type. I LIKE THAT A LOT. And I was wowed when I realized you could click to look up a word.
I can't tell you how many times I've come across a word that I meant to look up. I can tell you how many times I've actually gotten off my duff to lug out a dictionary: Almost never.
You can probably also "underline" stuff, which will make it easier to refer to things at book club. Like things about Little Bee's "savior" said made her not so likeable, even though she really did save Little Bee's life. We'll talk about that next week. The club president will no doubt have electronic notations all over the place. Show-off.
I still like the feel of a book.
Besides, a paperback is cheaper to replace than a Kindle when it slips into the tub.
And though I frequently run out of steam when reading at night, a book never, ever needs a battery.