Amazon Kindle

As a bibliophile, I'm always interested in new ways to read books. I tried books on CD, but my mind wanders when I'm driving and that's really the only time I can just listen to something uninterrupted. My eyes seem to work best with my brain, rather than my ears. And my mouth definitely runs way faster than those poor ears.

Anyhow. Many years ago, I met a prolific science fiction author named Ben Bova. He autographed a book for me called "Cyber Books." It was kind of cute, about how in the future, books would be electronic and the paper industry would be greatly reduced. A sub plot featured environmentalists secretly sabotaging the cyber book industry, because their "cause" (and source of money!) would end.

Which brings me to the new Amazon Kindle. Has anyone tried this? I've been looking at it at the bookstore and wondering how it compares. I mean, it can't have the same smell as a wonderful paper-filled book. . . and you can't turn the pages by hand. .. and how do you make notes in the margins? What about dog earing the pages? Or reading until you fall asleep and the book NEVER runs out of batteries?

This amazon.com link seems to answer many of my questions: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015T963C?ref_=pe_68080_13745980

It looks really clever. I do think it should come with a credit to put some books on it, however. Maybe I'd even try listening again, only this time, while knitting instead of driving!

Perhaps I'll ask for this for Christmas. . . .