I was a slow convert to the Amazon Kindle and this was largely because I'm old school about reading. I like holding a book in my hand. I even like looking back years later at the mustard stains on page 41 or the receipt from that restaurant in London that I used for a bookmark. Reading is an intensely personal experience for me and I'm picky about how my moments with a book are configured.

Still, the Amazon Kindle has won me. Part of the appeal is certainly that I travel a lot and love having a small device that can hold thousands of books. Part of it is that I like the control the Kindle gives me over the size of the print. And part of it is that I can download most any book in 60 seconds and usually at half or a third of its bookstore price. This means that a friend can recommend a book during a phone conversation and I can aquire the book on my Kindle before that conversation is over. Nice.

Check it out. I'm finding that the Kindle helps me read more, read faster and read more easily. Unfortunately, though, the mustard stains just wipe off. Tragic.