Amazon planned the release of Kindle 2 just for my birthday.  I’ve been talking about one for a while and emailing pictures and links as hints for a birthday present.  It worked!!    Thanks Mom and Dad!

I LOVE my new Kindle.  It’s sleak, light, well designed, and in it’s new red leather case, quite stylish.  I’ve already downloaded several books and even finished one in just two days.  (That might also have something to do with the fact that I’m still unemployed and can stay wrapped up in a book until 3am.)

So many people question whether the Kindle, or any eBook reader, will be as comfortable to read and practical as a regular bound book, and I assure you it is.  It’s no different than holding a book between your hands, then just pressing a button rather than flipping a page.  The screen is very easy on the eyes, as well, very similar to reading off a printed page.  There are also so many book options on Amazon and other sites that you’re sure to find something you’re interested in.  However, I certainly hope more and more publishers will jump on the eBook bandwagon soon.  While I’ve only had my Kindle for two weeks, it feels so antiquated (and heavy) to pick up an actual hardback, and I’m definitely more likely to start reading something that I can download in less than a minute than something that requires a trip to the bookstore or several days wait to arrive in the mail.

I’m particularly impressed with Thomas Nelson’s recently released strategy of one price for mutiple formats (PW article – http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6641258.html?q=nelsonfree).  This gives readers the greatest freedom, and you won’t feel like you’re wasting money on the same book over and over again, just because you need to or like to have it in several formats.

My new Kindle is certainly not helping with my productivity this week (see previous note about staying up until 3am), but I still love it.  Really, can you ever read too much?