As an obsessive reader, what really intrigues me is how the phenomenon of reading has changed with the times. These days, reading has taken on an almost banal characteristic; it is something that one does not for the sheer joy of it, but because of how convenient it has become.
It’s fascinating to see how even reading has transformed with the convenience of technology. I myself find it easier to whiz through eBooks when I’m commuting to work, as opposed to savouring a nice and hefty paperback page by page. The reason for that is easy: when I’m reading on a device (one that doesn’t have the glare of my smartphone!), the book isn’t in danger of falling, being jostled, or even stepped on.
It is anything but cumbersome to read on my Kindle; on the contrary, I revel in the realisation that – according to the tracker on the bottom left corner of my Kindle – I can finish a 500-page tome in less than ten hours. Granted, I can’t make physical notes, but I can save my highlights so that I have easy access to them. I can carry my entire eBook library with me wherever I go, giving me the liberty to switch between books at a mere touch of the screen. And perhaps the biggest perk of all that comes with owning an e-reader is this: that I can read in the dark, snuggled under the covers!
For those with weak eyesight, reading on a Kindle permits you to adjust the font size and the brightness. A Kindle is designed for the sole purpose of reading; unlike, say, a tablet – which has the harsh glare that’s so inimical to the eyes. Reading thick books (upwards of 500 pages) becomes infinitely easier, simply by virtue of the fact that there’s no added weight on my shoulders (or in my hands, for that matter). In all honesty, my Kindle is the only device that I don’t prefix with the adjective “infernal” – because at the end of the day, it helps me become a better reader than ever before.
Having said all that, though, I will always have an insatiable obsession with buying, collecting, and hoarding physical books. If nothing else, I use them to build my literary Christmas tree every year.