After thoroughly enjoying my month of non-fiction self-challenge back in April, I had been toying with the idea of doing a month of e-reading. Several factors came into play when considered to do it this month:
The Why:
- As a fan of the “project memoir” this type of challenge appeals to me. I found that it increased my focus on the books I selected — before, during and after the challenge period — when I set out to read only nonfiction in April. There’s been a similar effect this time, even if it’s for a different reason.
- We are going to be doing some traveling later this month, and there’s nothing more appealing than just grabbing my Kindle and going!
- I found out that June is National Audiobook month, so what better way to indulge my love of the audiobook than to commit to listening more?
- And to cap it all off, the entire 5 Minutes for Books team is going to be checking out the brand new 100 Classic Books cartridge on the new Nintendo DSi XL. This is a great way to get caught up with my commitments for Classics Bookclub. I wanted to read one a quarter, and I did read one last quarter, but if I could read two as this second quarter is closing in, that would be great.
The How:
I have been a member of NetGalley, a service that coordinates publishers and their ARCs with reviewers, but I hadn’t quite taken the time to figure it out. Well now I have. And I’ve loaded up several titles to my Kindle that look great.
I’ve also been browsing the top 100 Free list of Kindle books on amazon over the last several months, and have stored up several titles from that list (which are generally older works from authors who I have wanted to try or know I like).
I’ve already browsed my 100 Classic Books, and though I’ll be fighting my daughter Amanda for it, there are several that I’m quite interested in (I’ll post more specifics about the titles and features tomorrow at 5 Minutes for Mom).
So whether I’m off visiting family or sitting out on my back deck, I’ll be reading either on the Nintendo DSiXL, my Kindle, or using my ipod touch or the car stereo to listen to an audiobook.
The When:
Right now I’m trying to furiously clear off my Nightstand of lovely paper books that I want to read so that I can devote a month to e-reading. I may actually not do a whole month, but I am going to commit to at least 3 full weeks, if not 4 of e-reading this summer. One problem is that the NetGalley titles are mostly fall releases, and so I might get behind on current reviewing, thus limiting it to 3 weeks. We’ll see how that works out.
As before, I will exclude what I am reading to my children from the challenge.
Jennifer Donovan got used to summer driving trips when she spend summers traveling much of the U.S. with her grandparents. She was constantly told to “Put down that book! You can read at home!” She encourages her children to look up and around, but also relishes the quiet that reading in the car brings to a trip.
She blogged at Snapshot about her trips with her grandparents when her grandfather Mac died a few years ago.
Such perfect timing for your traveling– that’s the biggest advantage that I can see to using an e-reader. That, and I found that I can read on my Sony Reader MUCH better on the elliptical than I can a paper book. Good luck, Jennifer!
Yes, Dawn, it’s GREAT for one-handed reading. I actually noticed that I could read it while eating lunch much better than a printed book, and here you are breaking a sweat on the ellipitcal, but yeah, the reasoning is the same.
I have an aversion to e-reading. I love feeling a book in my hand and being able to lay where ever I want and turn the pages. I don’t know if I had a Kindle if that would make me see it differently. I just figured I am on the computer enough as it is and don’t need to read books there as well. Books on Nintendo? Sounds cool. Cant’ wait to see/hear more.
I’ve thought about doing this too. I’ve collected quite a few books on my Kindle that I have not yet read/finished, and it would be good to get through some of them. Maybe in July…