Books versus Kindle?

I have to start this post with a shout out to my eldest Broseph. He and his lovely wife gave me this fantastic pressie on my last birthday. Actually before my last birthday. As a surprise. Which led to appreciative tears in the Post Office car park and consequent mortification, but we won’t go into that.

So 6 months on what say I? 
There are very few places I go now without this piece of kit. It fits perfectly into any handbag and the battery life means I’m rarely searching for the charger. Friends have been spared my wrath for being late to meetups or colleagues to meetings because that’s now valuable reading time. (The final in the series of Song and Ice and Fire at present seen as we’re sharing). The fact that it boasts free 3G also means that as soon as a book is recommended or a review is posted I can download a sample free of charge. No more draft texts or scrawled notes of Author or title reminders. If the book is not available yet I can pre order as I did with the current book and on the morning of release it pops up, ready for attention. No camping outside Waterstone’s for me. No, Siree.

'Well, I'm Team Jacob, Mary, you?'

The rate at which I go through books has, in the past, led to explosions of paperbacks all over the house. Having enjoyed the book too much to give to charity, though it will never be read again or having been too averse to public transport to re gift it to a fellow passenger as the Book Crossing movement suggests. The Kindle has sorted that. I can still loan books to anyone that has a Kindle, which I have done with d’Mammy. A fantastic feature. And the house is now clutter free (ish).

I’ve always read in bed or while stretched on a sun lounger on holliers, larger books lead to arm ache and constant turning to get comfortable, resulting of course with your best crocodile death roll in the sheets or not a scrap of sun on your fizzog. Changing pages on the kindle is a one touch button which can be held in one hand. Genius.

You may have gleaned from the above that, I’m a fan, a huge fan. There are, however, one or two niggles. The majority of Kindle books are counted in percentages and not page numbers, this isn’t a huge deal but when I’m reading I prefer to judge whether or not to finish a chapter or to gauge my progress. One book can end on 88% while another will go to 99%. This only dawned on me while wondering why it took 2 weeks, full pelt, to read the first 3 books in a series only to see them on the shelf of Eason’s and realise they were Monsters! The only other issue being, when I’m reading a book I sometimes like to flick back. To reread a paragraph or clarify a point, that’s not so easy when every page looks exactly the same. Again, this is a personal thing, not everyone has weird reading habits as I do and this could go unnoticed.

All in all, I wouldn’t be without the Kindle. I recommend it with a genuine passion to all that will listen. While I love it for books and blogs alike there are also those who use it to read graphic novels. The technology is versatile and constantly improving.

Also, anything that means you never have to lick your thumb again has to be a good thing, right?

You Can't Beat a Good Read. Usually.

Mostly

Do you prefer the spoken or written word when it comes to entertainment?

I’ve been a little single minded in the past when it comes to reading versus the silver screen or telly box. Greeting TV or film re-enactments of favourite books with a resounding ‘Pish!’, Think Steig Larrson’s words trounced upon when Lisbeth Salander came to life in movie form. But I’ve seen several instalments lately that have made me question my flippancy.

My usual reaction when someone recommends a film or TV show is ‘Oh, have you read the book?’, when Sky Atlantic showed the first episode of Game of Thrones, an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice & Fire series, my kindle couldn’t download them fast enough for me. Cue inhalation of 4 x 1000+ page books. Granted that didn’t stop me watching the series, nor waiting with bated breath to see casting decisions or Producers’ renditions of George’s stellar tales & characters in series 2.

That wasn’t the first instance though, when True Blood started from episode 1 I was hooked. I read every word of Charlaine Harris’ books before the series was even halfway through. Now well into series 4 online I have to hand it to Alan Ball. While he has stayed true to the book, his character departures and visual mastery (Oh, Lord the visual mastery) have set his rendition on a par with if not better than the preceding books.

I have only once seen a film that, in my opinion, far outclassed the novel. Limitless starring Bradley Ridey* Cooper was based on an Irish Author Alan Glynn’s Dark Fields. Had I read the novel first I might be of another opinion, I’d also like to think that it wasn’t just the visuals that swayed my favour to the silver screen adaptation but the movie far outweighed the book. Start to finish. So it can be done.

There are of course examples of talent that transcend all media, take my favourite Director/Author/Producer/Genius Guierllmo del Toro. Pan’s Labyrinth, la Orfanato, Hellboy & even Blade. Beautiful, scaredy and just awesome. His book, The Strain, is the only book that truly terrified me. An amazingly engrossing and frightfully ‘realistic’ insight into the dark life of ruthless vampires. Picture Joey in Friends hiding The Shining in the freezer when he was too scared? I was worse.

On the whole I’m a words person, despite any misconceptions this post might leave you with. That’s not to say I don’t thoroughly enjoy a great movie. This year will also see the movie adaptation of The Help and One Day, two stand out novels that I’ve read in the past year. I‘ll await them with an open mind safe in the knowledge that Limitless has set a precedent that proves novels can translate and if not? Well there’s always the popcorn.

*not his actual middle name.

Pic Credit: Wackatee.com