Why I just bought a Kindle Paperwhite on Prime Day, even if I still love paper books
I saved $55 and stopped pretending e-books were shameful
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When someone mentions an e-book, I’ll inevitably start rambling about how good paper feels to hold, or how reading print books improves retention, or some other grumbling comment about e-books. And as someone who once worked in book publishing, my feelings aboutAmazonare complicated, to say the least.
Despite all of that, today I gave in to the inevitable and bought aKindle Paperwhite, which is currently at an all-time low of$55 offforPrime Day.KindlePrime Day deals offered an opportunity I couldn’t refuse; and I’m here to give you (fellow print book nerd) permission to have an open relationship with e-booksandprint books, so to speak.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (32GB):$159.99$104.99 at AmazonSave $55 -Get the higher capacity version of Amazon’s waterproof e-reader at a steep discount for Prime Day 2021. This beats the previous best price by $5, and the weeks-long battery life should ensure you get all the reading time you need from this one.
I brought hundreds of novels across the country when I moved to California, nearly injuring the poor movers that had to carry bins full of them up three flights of stairs. I’m not giving up on print books.
But somehow, when it comes to picking something new to read, I have to stop myself from buying evenmorebooks. I’m like the meme of the sleazy boyfriend, checking out the attractive new books while my TBR pile stares in shock.
So I reluctantly turned to borrowing and buying Kindle e-books, and was immediately annoyed at how convenient they were. I could sneak peeks at new books during lunch breaks, or snag daily deals of great books for a buck or two. I’m more ahead on my Goodreads Challenge than ever before.
I also realized that, even if I end up skimming more while reading e-books than print books, that’s fine: I don’t have enough time to read all of George RR Martin’s descriptions of food or Robert Jordan’s five thousand braid-tugging scenes anyway. Better to get the gist than not read at all.
My new e-book binge has slowly started destroying my eyes, though. I already stare at screens 9 hours a day for work – it’s what made it hard for my brain to step away from screens and stare at a book without getting distracted and antsy. Reading e-books on my computer or my newFire HD 10meant they never got a screen break from morning to night.
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That’s why I jumped on this Kindle Prime Day deal. The Paperwhite’s e-ink and 300ppi, anti-glare screen will give me access to my cheap e-books, borrowed library books, and Audible audiobooks on a device – without giving me stress headaches, tempting me with video streaming apps, or requiring daily recharges.
I considered theKindle Oasis– currently$65 off– for its adaptive light and better lighting for eye strain. But my colleagues who reviewed both e-readers said the Paperwhite was plenty comfortable on the eyes, and it let me save a ton of money for buying more e-books. No regrets!
I still plan to buy physical books from my favorite authors. I’m even hoping that reading more regularly on my Paperwhite will make my brain more patient with long stretches of print reading again. But I’m done acting as if reading e-books somehow makes me less of a ‘real’ reader. I’m getting too old for that hipster crap.
Today’s Kindle Paperwhite deals in the US and UK
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (8GB):$129.99$79.99 at AmazonSave $50 -For Prime Day 2021, you can score a massive $50 price cut on the Kindle Paperwhite. That’s the best price we’ve found for the waterproof e-reader, which features a glare-free display and provides a single battery charge that lasts for weeks.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (32GB):$159.99$104.99 at AmazonSave $55 -Get the higher capacity version of Amazon’s waterproof e-reader at a steep discount for Prime Day 2021. This beats the previous best price by $5, and the weeks-long battery life should ensure you get all the reading time you need from this one.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (8GB):£119.99£79.99 at AmazonSave £40 -Enjoy a massive £40 price cut on the Kindle Paperwhite. That’s the best price we’ve found for the waterproof e-reader, which features a glare-free display and provides a single battery charge that lasts for weeks.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (8GB) Essentials Bundle:£172.97£122.97 at AmazonSave £50 -This bundle gives you an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite as well as a leather case and power adaptor, giving you all the extras you need to properly enjoy the tablet experience.
More Amazon Kindle deals
No matter where you live, you’ll find all the lowest prices for the Amazon Kindle models from around the web right here, with offers available in your region.
You might also want to check outAmazon Prime Day Kindle deals.
More Amazon Prime Day deals
Michael Hicks began his freelance writing career with TechRadar in 2016, covering emerging tech like VR and self-driving cars. Nowadays, he works as a staff editor for Android Central, but still writes occasional TR reviews, how-tos and explainers on phones, tablets, smart home devices, and other tech.
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