18 Miles of Kindles, Nooks, and Crannies

"The Bridge of Friends"

Photo Credit: Henry Hobbs

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"Even the smallest of creatures carries a sun in its eyes."

Antonio Porchia, translated by W.S. Merwin

as seen on a banner at Central Park

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I've been noticing Kindles on the subway and examining why I prefer the scent of musty books and their delicate crackle as they slide into falling-apart-hood. I watched someone reading his Kindle. I observed how distracting the lights relfected on the screen were and how quickly he put it away. Was he bringing it out just to tell us how up to date, successful, on the beam he was to be able to afford (or get in debt for) a pricey accessory or had it simply tired his eyes? An interview with Stephen King had him giving high praise to eletronica. How curious that he was seated in front of a floor to ceiling shelf of First Editions! My cousin Karen writes: "I love musty old books, but I love being able to read the words a lot more. Luv my kindle for PC!" Kindle in Big Print. I hadn't thought of that. I'm thinking of Cheryl's blog on which she posted an illustration from The Book of Kells. I realize that a Kindle would transform a student's backpack and with textbooks making up a third of a a year's budget, what a great invention these devices are. What seems to worry me, though, is the loss of beauty, of craftsmanship. Emily Dickinson said, "There is no frigate like a book." Frigates have gone out of our lives except in maritime museums. Is this where books are headed? The demise of rotary phones was practically overnight. A Barnes and Noble closed on the West Side. An indicator? There is a stand at the entrance to Central Park for Mark Strand books which proudly proclaims, "18 Miles of Books." I asked the salesperson if Kindles would soon find him out of business. He said no. He said it would be like radio which coexists nicely rather than a complete displacement of product the way the automobile revolutionized horse & carriage world. He said those younger than 45 would embrace the Kindle as quickly as they did the iPod.This was not an ageist issue as he was over 45 himself. He added, "For 'us' it was more a question of nostalgia." Mark Strand Books won't be in trouble as it deals heavily in out of print books. He had a very good line of totes, too. Kindle "wallets" I'm sure will be an industry like cell phone "skins." I asked an 18 year old college student her opinion and she answered unequivocally, "I like to turn pages." My daughter is more concerned about the illiteracy rate in her county than what form the books come in. The rate is up. A traveling friend made this comment: "Kindle/iPad are great if you are traveling and wish not to carry a backpack full of books or magazines/newspapers you wish to read. Truly amazing. I understand that Kindle works much better in the sun and has free access to the Internet. But the look, feel, and experience of a book is still the gold standard." The Merwin quote above is a clue to my feelings. There is something about paper that is part of the natural landscape. There is something about a Kindle that has yet another glossy the-future-has-arrived aspect. There is nothing essentially wrong about this and I'm glad authors will continue to put their thoughts somewhere. I wonder, uneasily, if sacred texts will have their gravitas on a portable toy? Perhaps like the bird on the branch, we can have both the past and the future. A Kindle on the road, a well worn favorite paperback under a lamp at home.

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...may the written word and oral traditions bring you blessings."