In Mourning for my Kindle

 

And now it is time to sing sad songs of the death of Kindles.....

I got my Kindle a few years ago, when a Chinese businessman who was a friend of my late father gave the family quite a large sum of money. Mother shared it out with family members and I got a Kindle with my share.

I loved it. Unlike trying to read an ebook on my computer, reading it on Kindle was a lot like reading a real book. Plus I could enlarge the print size to something comfortable.

I took advantage of the many opportunities open to Kindle owners to save money on books. I went to ManyBooks.net and downloaded free ebooks. I also picked up many books that were only temporarily free. I got new stuff to read at a time when I thought poverty was going to condemn me to nothing more than rereading what books I already owned, and reading the few interesting books in the local library.

But the problem with poor people and gadgets is that the gadgets always die, and the cost of replacing them is high.

My Kindle cost about $200-250 when new. I despaired at the thought of ever replacing that. And at the thought of the Kindle books I had bought--- often for 99 cents, but it was money all the same--- and could now never read.

I checked on the Amazon.com web site and found they had a Kindle model for $69 dollars. Not quite so far out of reach. I thought of crowdsourcing it. If 35 people each gave $2--- but I don't know ANY people I could hit up for money, especially for something non-essential. (And as for those people that I know a little, I don't really want the relationship to be changed/warped forever into that of pauper and benefactor.)

I then thought of offering to write reviews on Amazon.com of people's books in exchange for a little money. And then kicked myself in the butt (or tried to) for not remembering that I couldn't accept ebooks for review until I had a new Kindle to read them on. Besides which, I don't like writing reviews because I suspect I'm not very good at it (though I'm sure there are many people who would take any Amazon review they could get and be glad of it.)

I know that of course one can read ebooks on a computer. I downloaded the software. I just can't imagine sitting down to read a book off my computer. I read a few chapters from Caleb-Seven this afternoon, but even though I rather like the book I can't really see myself finishing it reading off my laptop. 

Let's face it, I need a new Kindle. Only I DON'T really need a new Kindle. Or a computer or a television or an internet connection or indoor plumbing and central heating and all the many other things Third-World people do without every day. I know that if I were a better person I would just look at the problem of my dead Kindle and just 'offer it up' to God for the salvation of poor people in real need. Only I'm not there yet, and I want me a new Kindle. *sigh*

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