The Kindle e-reader has been by my side for over two years. Now it lies quietly in the drawer of my desk, having fulfilled its mission.
In 2022, I spent over RMB500 yuan to buy it and bring it home. Every tiny scratch on its screen records the nearly two years we spent together - on the subway during commutes, in the coffee shops during breaks, and countless times before bedtime.
However, in June 2023, it finally ended its companionship with me. Not because the hardware broke down, but because the soul-imbuing entity - the Kindle e-book store of Amazon China - officially closed down.
At that moment, I felt that my reading life was cut off.
1、 From "Infinite Library" to "Survival on an Isolated Island"
During the days when I had a Kindle, reading was a kind of "instant gratification". As an idea flashed through my mind, I wanted to read a certain book. Within a minute, it was already quietly waiting for me on my device, ready to be opened. That feeling was like having a magical library that I could carry with me at all times and never closed.
After the store closed, I tried to return to paper books. But soon, those "reading pain points" that had been cured by Kindle came back with great force again:
- The books one wants to read are not available at hand: One suddenly wants to re-read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" late at night, but can only place an order online and wait for two or three days in anticipation. By the time the urge to read has dissipated, it's too late.
- The burden of going out has increased: When on a business trip or traveling, stuffing a thick book into one's bag has become a delightful burden. I miss the Kindle that weighed only as much as a small notebook but could hold the entire library.
- Most importantly, the positive pressure that "forces you to read" has vanished.
2、 What I miss deeply is that "reading manager"
Many people say that Kindle is used for "buying books", but for me, it is more like an efficient "reading manager". Especially the Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscription service has completely transformed my reading habits.
KU is like a self-disciplined librarian. It allows you to borrow more than ten books at the same time, but there is a rule: when the library is full, you must return one book before you can download a new one.
This seemingly simple rule creates a magical "reading flow". It gently urges me: "Hey, you still have so many unread good books at hand. Digest them first, then look for new ones."
This perfectly cures the common problem of modern people "buying books like a mountain of them, but reading them like extracting silk".
My reading is no longer scattered impulses, but a continuous and coherent process.
Now, without this system, my reading rhythm has become more scattered. The purchased paper books pile up on the bookshelf, and instead, they have become a silent burden - not only occupying physical space, but also weighing on the heart.
3、 Can that "leg" be reconnected?
For a period of time, I almost gave up regular reading.
It was like a person who was accustomed to running suddenly losing their running shoes, and their steps became hesitant and cumbersome.
I also tried some domestic e-book platforms, but they always felt a bit lacking.
What was lacking was not the hardware, but the feeling of seamlessly connecting with a vast, standardized, and full of surprises global library.
That feeling was what Kindle uniquely bestowed upon me.
Now, when I look at the "asleep" Kindle in the drawer, I feel regretful but also more grateful.
It made me clearly understand that an ideal reading state should be like this: it should be convenient, economical, and self-driven.
This experience also made me realize that what I miss is not just an electronic ink screen. What I miss is a complete ecosystem specially designed for readers, where reading returns to its purest form.
Postscript：
As I wrote this, I suddenly thought of a book friend in Canada. Recently, he was still excitedly sharing with me the best-selling books he had just borrowed using KU.
What I have lost is exactly what they are enjoying right now.
Isn't this a reminder? Perhaps, that seemingly lost "leg" can indeed be retrieved.
For readers in many parts of the world, that perfect reading experience has never left.
(Perhaps, it's time for my reading life to seek a new "leg".)
Dear book lovers, don't miss the opportunity to have Kindle by your side. You won't realize how regretful you are until you lose it!
Act now and get yourself a convenient electronic reader-Kindle！
Regarding reading and books, please refer to my previous two articles.
1、In the world, there are two magical things: one is the Money, and the other is books.
2、It is only when one reaches middle age that they realize: books are the most nourishing.