How many times have you said, or heard, the words “I don’t want a Kindle, I don’t want to read on a screen,”? Or “I like to feel the book in my hands, I can’t get that with a Kindle,”?

To be honest, I was one of those people! I was a strictly paper-and-ink book reader for the majority of my life, and that has only recently changed. After I graduated college and got a job as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, I started noticing how many people owned a Nook (basically B&N’s version of a Kindle) and Kindles. I learned all about the devices, and while I watched people enjoy their reading devices, I admittedly felt slightly superior to them. I read real books; I didn’t need to destroy my eyes with a screen! I needed that real book smell, and the satisfaction of turning the pages! Plus, I collect books! What would fill my shelves and give me that rush of pride and joy when I looked at my bookcases? I am well aware of all the pompous thoughts and silly reasonings that readers (including me) have voiced concerning the ownership of a digital reading device. So, trust me when I tell you that if you are thinking of getting a Kindle, my advice is DO IT!

So, what are the main concerns and complaints that we often hear/voice when talking about getting a kindle as an avid traditional book reader?

1. Fear of eye strain because of the screen.

2. Less of a tactile/sensory experience.

Let’s first acknowledge the fact that this list is quite small. Small enough that I even had to do some research to see if there are really any other complaints about using a kindle- and guess what- not really! That’s pretty much it! Let’s discuss the small list regardless.

Number 1, fear of eye strain, stems from the idea that the screen on a kindle emits blue light which can be hard on the eyes. However, there are multiple measures that have been/can be taken to minimize this concern! Kindle actually uses something called e-ink; a type of paper display technology that imitates ink on a page. The use of the e-ink technology protects the reader’s eyes from being strained better than other screen types, like LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens.

One could argue that it is still blue light and could still cause strain. But there are hacks for that too! One helpful solution is to have blue light blocking glasses. While this is not automatically added to your glasses when you get them, you can request the blue light protection filter on the lenses easily! Another easy hack to avoid eye strain when reading on a kindle: just lower the brightness a bit! I personally find the kindle screens to be very glare-free and easy to read in any lighting because of this, and lowering the brightness often does not even make much of a noticeable difference in the visibility of the screen, but it does help to reduce blue light emissions! In addition to these suggestions, I would also prompt anyone worried about the eye strain to turn their kindle to dark mode. This will limit the amount of white light on your screen, which will be kinder to your eyes.

Number 2: Using a kindle doesn’t give you the tactile/sensory experience of smelling and feeling the book in your hands. A lot of people complain that reading on a screen feels too modern or takes away the magical aspect of reading a physical book. This is the complaint that I often held fast to, and thus the one I relate to the most. I was scared to lose the feeling of running my hand over a book cover and hearing the pages rustle as I flipped them. But do you know what no one told me?

You don’t have to stop reading physical books just because you own a kindle!

You don’t have to give up that experience once you have a kindle, and in fact, you actually get more variety in your reading experiences!

I was very kindly gifted my kindle by my partner’s mom (if you are reading this, thank you!!), and she honestly was the first person to show me that you can absolutely have both reading experiences at the same time.

I basically use my kindle as a little library. Through the app Libby, you can sign into any library you have a card for and order books from libraries directly to your kindle! I use my kindle for the books that I stumble across when I’m perusing the library, the books I can’t find in stores, and the books that I would maybe be a little embarrassed to carry around with the cover facing out, if you know what I mean…

And all the while, as I am enjoying such books on my kindle, I can still go to the brick-and-mortar bookshops and run my hands along the spines. I can still purchase physical books whether they are copies of ones I read and loved on the kindle or new books that I plan to read physically. If you are someone that reads multiple books at once, I only see the kindle as an easy way to add onto my currently reading list! And if you only read one book at a time, it’s easy to switch off between using a kindle and reading a physical copy every so often.

So, while people are correct in thinking the kindle does not provide the same tactile experience as a physical book, it is just limiting your access to literature to think that once you get a kindle you can never have that sensory reading experience again! BOTH are possible and BOTH are awesome ways to devour literature!

Now that we have explored the cons, let’s move on to the pros.

1. Kindles are small (also vary in size) and portable.

2. Kindles offer a wide variety of reading material, just like a library or store.

3. Getting a book on the Kindle is fast and easy.

4. Gadgets!!

We can already see that this list is far longer than the list of downsides. That’s off to a great start if you ask me!

So, first on the list: size and portability. A normal Kindle is designed to easily fit into a purse or knapsack while taking up minimal space. I know many people that have a normal sized Kindle and carry it with them everywhere easily! I personally have a Kindle Kids version, so it is slightly smaller in width and height than a normal Kindle. I actually love this version, because I can fit it into any bag easily! I can carry it around in my fanny pack with a wallet, phone, journal, and a few other things without a problem! If you worry about it being too big to carry around, the Kindle Kids version is a great option, and the font size can be enlarged as much as you need it to be, so the screen size will not hinder the visibility.

Numbers 2 and 3 on our pros list kind of go hand in hand, so I will combine them here. Kindles offer just as much (if not more at times) variety of reading material as a library or bookstore. Using apps like Amazon and Libby to search through your local libraries, whether you are looking for a specific book or something new to jump out and catch your eye, browsing is easy and fun! It is a different experience than shopping in a store, but it also allows you to lay in bed, finish a book, and go straight to the library app and download a new read as soon as possible! All without leaving the comfort of your blankets! It’s quick, fun, and easy!

Now, reason number 4 is my absolute favorite pro to owning a Kindle. It opens a whole new world of gadgets and gizmos (aplenty)! There are so many cute Kindle cases and covers, dust plug charms, and even page turning devices so you can use it hands-free! There are Kindle case inserts and stickers just waiting to adorn your new device. Just to prove it, I went onto Etsy and found a few cute accessories to entice you! I will leave some links and photos at the bottom of this blog post!

We’ve now explored the pros and cons of owning a Kindle. It took me a long time to branch out and try something new, but I am so glad I did. My reading experience has only been elevated by owning a Kindle. I swear this isn’t an ad, I just truly love it and cannot believe I ever poo-pooed it! So, if you’re on the fence about purchasing a Kindle or you just started thinking about it, let my personal account and my lists be your deciding factor! Branch out, try something new, and always keep reading!

Photos and Links to Kindle Accessories on Etsy:

Kindle Charms on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1779997813/kindle-charm-phone-charm-usb-c-charm