Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Deacon's Bench

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Me and my Kindle

Me and my Kindle

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 5:31 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Me and my Kindle 2015-03-13T17:31:51-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When it comes to reading electronic books, or e-books, I was an agnostic.

All that changed over the holidays.

Now, I’m a believer. I have seen the light. It emanates from a little grey pad of plastic called a Kindle.

My in-laws gave me a Kindle (Amazon’s version of an e-reader) for Christmas. Minutes after unpacking it from the box, I was downloading books, excerpts, free samples, games, magazines, newspapers, you name it.

I have to confess: I am in love with this thing. (Don’t tell my wife.)

It’s ridiculous, I know. But it’s just so darn…cool. I am still in awe of the fact that I could potentially carry 3,000 books in something that could fit inside a manila envelope. I stare at the wall of books lining our apartment and think: “You guys could be history.”

I think of all the money we could have saved on shelving.

The sociological impact of this tiny device cannot be underestimated. I’m seeing it on the subway when I travel to work – more people are carrying it instead of a newspaper or book to read on the way. (Can you download Sodoku? I wonder….) This means a tremendous saving of space (thank God) but it also means, sadly, that the great art of How To Fold A Newspaper Into Quarters To Read on the Train will soon be gone – becoming as primitive and exotic as origami.

I first latched on to the possibilities of electronic reading over the summer, when I managed to download a version of the Liturgy of the Hours onto my iPod. I also have a copy of the daily missal on it – which means I have every reading for mass, plus every reading for the Liturgy of the Hours, forever, in a metal and plastic box only slightly larger than a credit card.

I feel like George Jetson.

The electronic revolution in reading is undeniably convenient, portable, user-friendly, accessible and fun.

But – and this is not insignificant — it’s also just a little bit unsatisfying.

I’ve discovered that, as much as I love my new 21st century toys, there is a lot to be said for actually holding a book in your hands, feeling its heft, turning its pages, seeing the dog-ears left behind and the pencil marks in the margins. There is the moving of ribbons, the inserting of a bookmark, the hushed sound of a two- pound tome being returned to its place on the shelf.

What I’m talking about, I think, is something that can only be called the Reading Experience – the sensual contact of finger to paper, the faint smell of the ink and glue and binding, the sound of a page as it turns, the comforting appearance of Times Roman type. Reading a newspaper on an e-reader isn’t the same as holding it in your hands, damp after it was left on your doorstep in the rain, and seeing the words bleed into one another, and breathing deep of the aroma of information, as newsprint and ink and advertising leave stains on your fingertips. This is the way so many people read about Gettysburg, and the Armistice, and Pearl Harbor and Watergate. It’s woven, somehow, into our DNA.

Don’t get me wrong. I love what I’m able to do with my Kindle and iPod, and can’t wait to see what the wizards at Apple and Amazon will come up with next. But I’ve also been reminded that reading is more than just words on a page. It is, truly, an experience. It would be a tragedy for us to lose that experience, for the sake of being modern or efficient.

Not long ago, I read about an Italian priest who developed an application that would make it possible to celebrate mass from an iPad. It will be the same mass. The words and prayers and effects – consecration of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ – will all be the same.

But will it be the same experience? Will the priest perceive what he is doing differently? Will the “cool” medium of an iPad be different from the “hot” medium of an open book? Will it affect the celebrant somehow? Will people perceive any difference?

I hope not. But I have to wonder.

P.S. For those who have asked: the first book I downloaded was “Can You Drink the Cup?” by Henri Nouwen, with a forward by (Deacon) Ron Hansen. I’m curious: if you have an e-reader, what was your first book??

Media

My world and welcome to it

Amazon

e-books

Kindle

Previous Post

December 29, 2010

Watch this with your kids. Now.

Next Post

December 30, 2010 Quote of the day

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV uncategorized Uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which letter contains a hymn about Christ emptying Himself and being exalted?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Romans Philippians Titus Ephesians

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »