As long as I can remember, I have loved to read. In third grade, I remember my parents coming home from the annual parent-teacher conference to tell me that while they admired my love of books, I had to stop reading while the teacher was talking. (Soon after, a “stop” sign was taped to my desk so when I looked down to sneak out my library book, I would be reminded that now is not the time to read.) I’m so grateful that my parents always encouraged my reading, bringing me to my local library and the local Borders (R.I.P. Borders) to pick out anything and everything that piqued my interest. When the very first Kindle came out in 2007, my grandma—another big reader—purchased me one.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
I don’t want to be melodramatic, but in the nearly two decades since, the Kindle has been my constant companion. I’ve gone through a few iterations of the e-reader, but the newest version—the Kindle Paperwhite, the 12th generation model released this past fall—is far and away my favorite yet.
The Kindle doesn’t replace a real book, and I don’t think it’s meant to. Rather, it’s ideal to slip into my bag for my commute, to bring on vacation with me (I used to pack like 10 books, now I just pack my kindle), to read while I’m waiting for my friends at dinner when I’m inevitably the first one to arrive to the restaurant, and honestly, to read as much as I can.
I love the Kindle Paperwhite for many reasons, but a few key ones: It is light and compact—the Kindle barely weighs anything, and can fit easily into most of my bags. Longtime Kindle users may be familiar with how the pages used to flash when you clicked to turn the page. The new Kindle Paperwhite does not flash (gasp, I know!) and is so responsive. Plus, the 7 inch screen is glare-free, and you can adjust its brightness into “warm” mode, or dark mode when you’re reading at night. The Kindle also now comes with a USB-C charging cable, so you can use the same cord you charge your iPhone to charge the Kindle (and the battery life lasts weeks).
If you’re debating different Kindle versions, I like the Paperwhite because it has a larger screen than the basic Kindle, and the performance is slightly faster. It also comes in different colorways (jade green and raspberry pink), though I have the basic black.
There’s many advantages to the e-reader outside of the physicality of it—I can take out books from my library on the Kindle (shout-out to Libby), and I can read advance copies of books to work on Town & Country’s seasonal book previews. And, when I’m obsessively reading a romantasy series, the second I finish one installment, I can immediately begin reading the next one. I read over 100 books every year (be my friend on Bookworm Reads, where I track my reading!), I know my Kindle is the reason why.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.