I have been an avid reader my entire life. As a young adult, I would sometimes spend several hours a day reading; I’ve often stayed up past my bedtime to finish a good book; and it’s not uncommon for me to take six or seven books on vacation and read them all. I was very intrigued by the Kindle when it was first released, because the thought of having access to multiple books, newspapers, and magazines in one device was extremely attractive. However, I also have a fondness for reading physical books, especially curling up on the couch with a paper and a cup of coffee. During the winter of 2009-2010, when back-to-back blizzards meant no newspaper delivery for a week, I was bemoaning the lack of the newspaper; my husband pointed out I could read it online, but I’ve tried it and I just don’t enjoy it. Recently, I’ve been diving into the Laws of Success books, and they have been truly enlightening.

When I purchased a Droid 2 last summer, I ignored the Kindle app for a long time.  I finally broke down and purchased a book over the winter, when I needed to read the selection for my book club and hadn’t gotten to the library to get it. It wasn’t a bad experience – I could read a few pages while standing in line someplace, waiting to pick up my daughter, or while outside with the dog, and since I’m never without my phone, I was never without my book.  It still wasn’t the same as sitting down with a book, and I keep a book by my bed to read before I go to sleep at night, but it served its purpose.  Over time, I’ve purchased a few more books, which I’ve read in airplanes, cars, and during the other aforementioned activities.  I like the convenience, but I’m still dissatisfied by the overall experience.  For that reason, I was disappointed to read the following in the morning paper (yes, the printed copy of The Washington Post):

Amazon e-book sales outstrip those for print

Amazon, the largest online retailer, said sales of electronic books have overtaken those of printed versions for the first time, a sign of the growing dominance of its Kindle digital reader.

Amazon now sells 105 electronic books for every 100 printed ones, the Seattle-based company said. The pace of U.S. book sales this year is the fastest the company has seen in more than a decade, Amazon said. Sales of e-books surpassed hardcover titles in July and overtook paperbacks six months later.

Consumers can read Amazon’s e-books on one of its four Kindle readers, priced from $114 to $379, as well as on smartphones, tablets and personal computers.

Amazon may have sold more than 8 million Kindles last year, accounting for about 5 percent of sales, according to Benchmark. Amazon does not disclose Kindle sales figures, other than saying it’s the company’s best-selling product.

I think one of the biggest reasons I dislike e-books, however, is the fact that they can’t easily be shared.  I have several good friends who are also avid readers, and when I’ve read something I’ve really enjoyed, I will often lend it to a friend and tell them they have to read it.  I’ve also borrowed books from friends, and members of my book club will pass books around.  I share a book with someone because I’ve enjoyed it and I want them to have the same pleasure; it’s a way for me to express friendship and share common interests.  I can’t very well hand someone my Droid and say “Here, you have to read this amazing book I just finished, but you have to read it now because I need my phone back”. Sure, I can tell them about the book and recommend they read it, but it’s not the same.  The Nook will let you lend an e-book, but with restrictions: It can only be lent one time, for a 14-day period, and only if the publisher allows it.  It also requires the lendee to own a Nook as well. Amazon allows you to lend a book, with similar restrictions: only for 14 days, only if the publisher allows it, and the lendee must be an Amazon.com member.  Lending a physical book is not limited by technology.

Amazon has announced plans for Kindle  Library Lending later this year, through a partnership with Overdrive, although no specific details have been released.  Maybe I’ll like e-books better if I can borrow them from a library, as opposed to purchasing everything I read; that more closely resembles how I read books now.  I still doubt that anything will replace curling up with a good book, however.