I got a Kindle. Well, I ordered one, but as you can see from the screenshot, it will take a while before I get it. It looks like the current shortages even affect that behemoth called Amazon.
I owned a Kindle in the past and didn't like it. Or rather, I didn't use it. Unlike today, I was not an avid reader back then, and the Kindle didn't change me into one. So I gifted it to a friend. From what I have been told, he still uses it to this day.
Yet, I still got one. Because I am, quite frankly, running out of space.
I love paper books. I love how they feel, what they smell like the first time you open them. I love when covers in a series match and create a complete artwork. I love when an author cared deeply about what typefaces were used, how the letters look on the page, how wide the margins are.
But, unfortunately, my bookshelf is slowly filling up. I have started to choose which books to display and which ones to hide in boxes. Also, I do tend to read a lot in bed. But sharing one with someone usually trying to sleep before you, means neither a reading light nor the light of an iPad screen is tolerated. Which is why I went with the Kindle.
I believe the overall reading experience will suffer in some while increasing in other aspects: The whole tactility, the usage of different senses will be gone, as will be the collector's part of owning books. Also, try to lend an ebook to someone.
On the other hand, the portability and ease of use will increase. I don't have to wait for a book to ship anymore. I don't have to be annoyed that the paperback editions are most often released six months after the vastly inferior hardcover book release. When travelling or commuting, I can carry several books without killing my back.
I still plan to get the paperback editions of the books I especially enjoy. I tend to reread those, and that way, I can technically have the best of both worlds.
However, one question remains: If people can't see the cover of the book I am reading while in public, how do they know I am very intelligent?