Kindle guilt

[sunshineandkindle]

Now this could be my anxiety but I am feeling very guilty for not buying my books from bookshops anymore and instead using my kindle. I find holding a book painful (i have fibromyalgia) and have 100s of paperbacks some of which i will unlikely read now since using a kindle makes it painless as I have it hands free.
I realise writing this I do sound a little nuts. I just prided myself on buying books from my local independent bookshop and feel very guilty. Is anyone else in a similar situation?

I've not bought a physical book for years. I absolutely love my Kindle. I feel no guilt over it at all. How far could you go thinking like that? Should we all use the local farm for milk? Local greengrocer and butchers instead of supermarkets? Never buy anything online, all furniture from local stores instead of big chains? Holiday at a local caravan park or air B&B?

I know what you mean OP. My book reading is mostly on Kindle. Still, I have a very slight but unshakeable feeling of guilt that I’m not reading print.

I try to remind myself that 99% of books published every year are crap and that they’re no longer the relatively expensive things they were when I was a child. I can’t quite escape the irrational respect for paper though!

Don't worry, my dc's obsession with dogman will outweigh your kindle use.

I went from books to kindle to audio books (I have a reason). Not that it matters. A book is a book. Least your reading.

Team kindle here too! I prefer the feel of it in my hand and saves me cluttering my house up with books. Also we're saving the trees surely by not buying paper books? 😂

I buy ebooks for my kindle and just read them, every single thing a human do they can spend their life being guilty about, why? how does it help anyone?

I resisted buying a Kindle for a long time but I love it... I read a LOT and we're running out of space to store all my books. It's especially useful on holiday if I've not had time to plan my reading, I can just buy books there and then and they don't take up space in my suitcase. I still buy paper books, but not as many.

The trouble is there are so many shite books published. DK I'm looking at you. That if you paid full price for them you'd be gutted. I've got Kindle unlimited so I can borrow a book and have to say I am lucky if I finish one in ten of them. I'm a member of our library and that has more books that people have ordered in to read than books on the actual shelves it seems.
If I like an author I will buy the physical book... Harlen Coburn is a recent discovery

Requested and received a Kindle for Christmas. I asked for one because I cannot store real life books anymore. I love a real book, and I know they can be passed on, but I'm looking forward to not having to find new homes for paperbacks.

I feel the same but my eyes are fucked so I’m kindle all the way.

However, I use my independent bookshop a lot. If there is a book I love I will buy a ‘souvenir’ copy, often independent bookshops have limited editions or signed copies.

I also always buy children books as gifts from the bookshop- all my nieces and nephews.

And I go to events when they put them on.

so I support the bookshop whilst not actually reading the books.

If you buy books or ebooks from Hive.co.uk they will give a percentage of each purchase to a local independent bookshop of your choice.

I’m another one with awful eyesight, Kindle is just so much easier to read. I miss real books though but in my defence I’ve got hundreds that I’ve bought/read in the past. I also still buy non-fiction ‘coffee table’ type books as they’re nicer than electronic versions and buy a fair few books as presents. I can’t resist a second hand bookshop either as you often find things that wouldn’t be on Kindle.

The kindle app on my iPad was a godsend when I had cataract surgery recently, I’ve gone from being shortsighted to being normal sighted but needing reading glasses, but had to wait several weeks for my eyes to heal. I was able to expand the text on the iPad. . Normally though I prefer real books. Browsing the bookshelves in second hand shops and charity shops is a great joy.

I love my kindle as I can make the text big enough for me to read.
I also have too many books for the amount of storage room I have, so I am taking some of them to charity shops.

Thank you everyone appreciate it. I am veggie so no free range chicken for me either!

I'm on my 4th kindle and read way into the night. The thing is I love bookshops and one of my favourite things to do is spending time in bookshops. I do have 100s of books and will often yearn for the physical sensation of reading an actual book. On those occasions I will have a proper book on the go as well as my kindle book for night time reading.

I love my Kindle. I'm lucky to be able to get Kindle books through my library though, so I don't feel at all guilty. My husband and daughter prefer real books and they borrow books from the library. Yes, independent bookshops are important, but so are libraries, and we are happy to be library users.

I've been using audible for years - listen to a book being read whilst I do a little colouring in bed - relaxes me for a good sleep.

I have zero guilt. I find reading so much easier on a Kindle. I still buy the odd book from bookstores (typically non-fiction.)

I feel the same as I mainly listen on audible now. However, if I particular enjoy something I always buy it for my bookshelf as I love physical books and it's nice to flip through and see the words written down after I've listened to the audiobook. Perhaps you could do this OP?

That said I usually buy the books pre loved so I'm not really supporting bookshops anyway but if I'm out and about I would buy from bookshops as I love them.

If physical bookshops had books on display and you could browse and then take it to the cash desk to get the kindle download I would be so happy

Do you want to know the best thing I bought for my Kindle? A holder that attaches to the headboard. I have a page turner and a clicker so it turns the pages for me.

I can swing the Kindle holder like a dentist swings the light into place so it isn't in the way all the time over my head. This isn't clear from the link but it does pivot. I can then snuggle down in bed with my hands under the covers and read, effortlessly.

Now I do love the feel of a book but this is the game changer for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09ZY5W4QV?ref=ppxyo2ovdtbfedasintitle

I'd love it if you could get a package deal where buying the paperback also got you the Kindle book for no or minimal extra cost

The book shop's business is not your responsibility. People just like to feel nostalgic over them, they are just the same any normal business. If there is demand for what they supply they'll be fine, if not they won't, the onus is not on the local population to purchase from them out of guilt. If it's cheaper and more convenient elsewhere, that's where it will come from in our house!
You paying double the price of Amazon (triple when there are deals on kindle) to put money in to someone else's pocket is bonkers. Just enjoy your kindle and leave business owners to worry about their profits!

If you genuinely feel guilt about only using Amazon then you can easily 'jailbreak' your kindle by searching on YouTube, so you can buy from other sellers, and also get loads of other use from your kindle.