Kindles, Books and Reading

Old books are like old friends. They love to be revisited. They stick around to give advice. They remind you of days gone by. Books, like friends, hang around. - Kevin DeYoung

Being a theological bibliophile I was attracted to Kevin DeYoung's post from which the above comment is taken.  No, there is nothing like holding that book in your hands and delving into the riches of it's pages. Nothing like it at all. If I have an earthly attachment to any possession it is my books. Some of those old books have been pulled off the shelf numerous times to remind me of the pleasures inside.  But unlike Kevin, my devotion is now split between books and the Kindle. I know it doesn't have the same appeal, the same feel, the same look or even the same smell. But it does have a convenience factor I can't deny. Its great to head off to worship or Bible study and have four translations of Scripture, the Hebrew OT, the Greek NT and dozens of other reference works all in one hand. And, let's not forget, these same works are usually less expensive than their real life counterparts. So, I'm not quite ready to throw away the virtual book for the actual book. I've found friends in both worlds and I think they'll both hang around for some time.