One of the core pursuits of the Mindful Stoic Blog is to provide practical advice for living in harmony with one’s values. One of my core values is honesty, so I’d like to be transparent and honest with the primary motivation for writing this Kindle FAQ piece. We wrote this piece to help anyone who is undecided about purchasing a Kindle make a decision either way. We may earn small commissions if you navigate to Amazon from the affiliate links on this site and complete a purchase there. This helps us offset the costs of running this part-time two-man blog and keeps those annoying popup ads off our site.
The following is equally true: Kindle is a product that I honestly love and that I believe promotes the healthy practice of reading. I’m nearly positive that purchasing a Kindle will naturally motivate you to read more, just like it did for me, for the reasons I will describe later in this article. I believe reading is inherent to a balanced well-being regime, because the act of reading itself is relaxing and, in the case of non-fiction, it helps us discover new ideas to make us stronger.
Here are some reasons why I personally love my Kindle Paperwhite. These are advantages that aren’t apparent or often written about, but that developed with time as I continued to use my Kindle.
Take your entire library anywhere and download books on the go
I first came to realize this as a great advantage once while reading on the beach during a vacation in Nice, France. I was there to relax and unwind. I was reading 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. The book is rich in interesting insights about interpersonal interaction and tension. But it’s for this very reason that it was making me think about work. Not exactly the mental association I wanted to have on my relaxing vacation. So, I simply connected to wifi, purchased and downloaded How To Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh. Within two minutes I was reading a book more conducive to my mood and setting.
Kindle versions of books are almost always cheaper than the paper version
There are some exceptions, but I’ve rarely encountered a Kindle version of a book that was more expensive than its paper counterpart. To illustrate, at the time of writing, if we were to purchase the four top rated books on Stoicism from our blog’s books pages in Kindle format, it would cost $38.40. If we were to purchase the same four books in paper format, it would cost $64.48, without considering delivery fees. Of course, Kindle versions never have delivery fees.
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The battery lasts weeks
This is a feature that’s quite well known about Kindles, but it’s one that I didn’t truly believe until I experienced it myself. I’ve not measured or tracked it closely, but I would estimate that one charge lasts me about two months. Of course, it depends on how much you use the device, but even if you were to read all day, I believe it would still last weeks.
The screen
Kindle screens are not glass like your phone or tablet. They use a special technology called EINK that is designed to mimic ink on paper. This means that there is no glare when reading in direct sunlight, so it’s perfect for reading outdoors. I also like to dim the light quite low and enable the dark mode to reduce my exposure to light while reading in bed to promote better sleep. This is great, too, because unlike a bedside lamp, the low light doesn’t bother my wife while she’s trying to sleep.
Reduce clutter in your home
I love to read physical books. I used to like how they looked on the shelf, sitting there, inviting me to open one and rediscover their stories or teachings. Then I moved to a different continent. Then I moved intercontinentally again, and again once more. After three big moves, I realized physical books are a giant pain in the ass. They’re heavy and they take up a lot of space. I’ve since embraced a minimalist approach to my bookshelf. Now, I only have a few, truly cherished books in hardcover. These are the types of books I know I’m going to pick up a few times a year. The other thing about physical books taking up space in your house is that it’s often for nothing, because with many of these paper-bound dust traps, we read them only once.
No distractions
Unlike your phone or tablet, Kindles are designed for one purpose: reading. There are no notifications or tempting apps. You can connect to wifi, but it’s just to purchase and download a new book.
Pages Remaining on or off
I don’t read a lot of fiction, but the last fiction book I read was a thriller that captivated me entirely. I couldn’t wait to get to the resolution, yet I never wanted it to end. With a paper book, however, you can unavoidably tell when the book is about to end because you can see and feel that there are only a few pages left. With Kindle you can turn off the reading progress so you effectively have no idea when the book will end, at least not based on how many pages remain. I think this is great with fiction. Reading progress can be easily turned on or off depending on your preference. There are multiple settings to let you know the percentage of the book remaining or even an estimate of time required to finish the book.
Taking notes
This is my favorite feature of my Kindle E-reader. I read a lot of non-fiction and I do it because I want to learn. This means taking notes and reviewing them later. It’s incredibly easy to highlight a bit of text on the screen. You can simply highlight it, color code it if you like, and save it for later. You can also type notes for each highlight. The best part is it’s incredibly easy to read the notes later. You can read them directly on the Kindle, but I personally prefer to export them. You can export all your notes for a particular book in several citation style guides (e.g. APA, MLA, and Chicago) and have them sent to your email address with one click to review them later on your phone or computer.
On September 28, 2022, note-taking with Kindle took a giant leap forward with the release of their new writing tablet-e-reader hybrid: Kindle Scribe. Check out our article Kindle Scribe: The All-New Kindle Writing Tablet for a peak at its features and a comparison with another established writing tablet on the market.
For even more on note taking with Kindle, check out our short article Kindle Notes and Highlights.
Kindle FAQ
Here’s a little Kindle FAQ section where I’ll answer some of the internet’s most frequently asked questions about Kindle.
Do you have to pay for books on Kindle?
Yes. You simply search for any book title on Amazon, just like you would with any book. Almost all books on Amazon have several options, one of which is the Kindle version. As mentioned earlier in this article, Kindle versions are usually cheaper than paper versions. If you’re logged in with your Amazon account, you can purchase the Kindle version with one click (no need to go through a checkout process). Then, the next time you open your Kindle, the new book will be waiting for you. You can also purchase books directly from your Kindle with a wifi connection.
Is Kindle better for your eyes
Kindle E-readers use a special paper display technology called EINK, which makes your reading experience more like ink on a page. EINK displays are better for your eyes than LCD screens because unlike the latter they don’t lower your blink rate, thereby reducing strain on the eyes.
Kindle FAQ : Can you read Kindle in the dark?
Yes. Kindles have an adjustable light setting that enables you to read in the dark. You can also enable dark mode and turn down the brightness to reduce the total amount of light to promote better sleep.
Kindle FAQ : How many books can a Kindle hold?
All Kindles come with a built-in storage capacity of at least 8GB, which can hold 2-3 thousand books. The Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis models have 16GB and 32GB options as well.
Kindle FAQ : Can I use Kindle without a subscription?
Yes. You can purchase and download any single book you want, anytime. There is no subscription involved. Some people think you need a Prime membership or a Kindle Unlimited subscription, but this is not true.
Kindle FAQ : What is Kindle Unlimited?
Kindle Unlimited is Amazon’s subscription service for unlimited access to millions of book titles, magazines, and audiobooks. It does not include virtually every book sold on Amazon, but a very healthy selection of bestsellers are included. Click here to learn more about Kindle Unlimited.
Is Kindle really waterproof?
It depends on the model. The classic Kindle, the least expensive model, is not. The Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, and Kindle Oasis are all fully waterproof. You can read by the pool or in the bath worry free. Even an accidental immersion in water is not going to ruin the device.
Can you get Kindle books from the library?
Yes. Eligible library books are available in the United States using your public library’s OverDrive system. You simply go to your library’s website, search for “Kindle books” or “ebooks”, select the book to borrow, and then download the book onto your device. Click here for detailed instructions on how to borrow Kindle books from your library.
I hope this article helped you make a decision on whether or not to get a Kindle. If you would like to purchase a Kindle, we would greatly appreciate it if you would navigate to Amazon via any of the Kindle links on this site. These small commissions help us offset the costs of running this blog to maintain our mission of making mindfulness and Stoicism accessible and practical.
Click here to navigate to Amazon to learn more about each Kindle model.