Can Kindles replace books?

When I talk to some of my younger relatives I keep hearing them refer to their Kindles. Of course I don't want to appear out of date, so I mention that I haven't gotten one of them yet, but would like to know why they like them so much. My ruse worked. I discovered that a Kindle is an electronic device that lets you read a book, a newspaper or any printed material on a little framed machine small enough to carry in your purse or attaché case.

Further conversation let me know that you could buy a book through something like Amazon.com that could stay permanently on your Kindle. Not only that, you can put a whole library on this one little gadget and have hundreds of books to read any time, wherever you are, if you have brought your Kindle along.

The frequent travelers in the group mentioned that they have reading material for the plane, the hotel rooms, or the waiting time in the terminals. I began to think it might really be a good thing to have, so I decided to write an article about the Kindle. I got so much information from the Internet that I could have written many articles. Except for one problem. I couldn't understand what the Internet was telling me. There was lots of information about the first generation, the second generation and different models mentioned with technological talk about the advantages of each generation.

Well those of us that are middle age plus know all about generations. Oh sometimes we get mixed up on which youngster is in which generation, but we know that we are probably the oldest generation. But what that has to do with this electronic gismo baffles me.

So I decided I had better not write an article about the Kindle. You are supposed to know what you are talking about in an article. I thought I would put it in my column. In a column you can just say what you think and not have to back it up with any research or statistics.

So, what do I think? I think the Kindle will never replace books. Think how hard interior decorating would be without a bookcase full of colorful books besides the fireplace, or by the cozy chair.

Also, how could you impress your neighbors if you are reading "War and Peace" on a Kindle? No one knows what you are reading. They just see printed words. But if you have a nice fat book with the title and author on the front you can leave it on the coffee table and anyone who drops by will be impressed with your literary taste.

Picture taking would be very hard also, especially for people in academic professions or politicians. If you can't pose for your portrait in front of a bookcase full of important books about your expertise, how will people know that you have all that knowledge tucked away on this little 5 by 7 machine in your pocket?

Can you imagine an ad about a lawyer that doesn't have shelf after shelf of legal documents as a background? Maybe a picture with the attorney holding up a Kindle would pass, but it wouldn't have the same effect.

Also, if the books are all hidden away in this handy battery operated frame, where can the authors sign autographs? That really convinced me. Since there is very little profit from writing books, signing them is the best reward. I don't want a Kindle to rob me of that pleasure.