But what I've discovered is that I should not be reading this on my beloved Kindle. I love my Kindle because it's easy on my arthritic thumbs. I no longer have thumbs of steel, capable of holding open even the newest, unbroken-spine book. But after reading 40 pages on my Kindle and only advancing 1%, I got discouraged. Was this book 4,000 pages long? Was the book getting longer? There seemed no end in sight. I need more encouragement than that.
So I went to my favorite used book store, The Book Trader, and found a wonderfully floppy Modern Library paperback of The Count of Monte Cristo. The book lies in my lap like a happy cat. No need to hold it open with my sad thumbs. Better yet, after reading, I move my bookmark farther into the book. Yes, I am actually making progress! I'm clearly a donkey and carrot kind of person. I'm now 989 pages into the 1,462 page book.
No longer will I torture myself reading chunksters on my Kindle. My Kindle's great for normal size books, for reading in bed, for taking along on vacations or while waiting for appointments.
But, as far as reading on my Kindle, size matters. At least for me.
I agree with you about big books on the Kindle. I like to have a physical copy as well so I have some idea where I am in the book. It's even worse with the Delphi ebook complete editions of classic authors. I love them but when I'm reading a Trollope, I have no idea how big the book is because they're not individually paginated. Still, the convenience & the weight factor is a big advantage to the Kindle. I'm glad you're enjoying the Count, it's a wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteAh, now that's an idea I hadn't thought of. I had noticed the same problem with complete editions of authors, but I hadn't thought of following along with a 'real' book. I will definitely try that after I finish with The Count and tackle my next chunkster. Thanks, Lyn.
DeleteIt is a bit dispiriting when you click and clck on a Kindle but don't seem to be making any headway. Like you I try to keep the spines of books intact and I really like those floopy ones whcih are so easy to hold. I never thought of them as being like a happy cat on my lap though, a nice image - I think!
ReplyDeleteIt's just so uncomfortable holding stiff books open. I've begun to look for beat up old copies rather than nice new ones. I understand the Penguin Delux Classics have pliable spines, so I'll keep my eyes open for them.
DeleteWow, over a 1,000 pages! I don't know if I would even start one like that!. I like to see how far I have gotten each time I lay the book down too. I prefer paperbacks for just the reason you stated. congrats on reading such a huge book!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that it's challenging to read books this long. Honestly, my attention span isn't always up to it. Maybe we should get medals if we finish them? I haven't made much progress over the last few days. I've been trying to give my eyes a bit of a rest.
Delete"The book lies in my lap like a happy cat" love it! We are just the opposite. I like reading long books on my kindle because it takes away the physical intimidation factor. I know a slow moving percentage bar can be discouraging but I have discovered that they aren't always accurate.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd enjoy reading long books on my Kindle because I wouldn't have to struggle with holding a big book. But I apparently need more motivation. I really felt I was treading water while reading The Count. After buying the paperback, I was so happy to discover that I was much farther than I thought I was.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete