A couple of weeks ago Amazon released its new e-book reader, the Kindle II. Reviews have been what I would describe as cautiously optimistic, with people applauding its features and capabilities but distancing themselves from commenting definitively on the still young e-book industry. I’m only 23 and a member of what people consider the tech-savvy generation, but even I haven’t been able to get into e-books. I have a free e-book reader application installed on my iPhone and I never use it. (On a side note, Amazon has a free Kindle application available for download on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This is either such a genius marketing scheme that I can’t hope to understand it or a really dumb move – basically forfeiting any revenue they had hoped to gain from iPhone owners who, I don’t need to add, are a large group.)

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully embrace e-books. Not being able to feel the paper pages on your fingertips? No more new book smell? No hearing the crisp cracking of the spine on its first open? Call me nostalgic, but how can that be satisfying? Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, had Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on to talk about the Kindle II and addressed this feeling. “It just doesn’t feel like the kind of thing you want to fall asleep with on your chest,” he said. On the other hand, the idea of being a college student and not having to haul massive, fifteen pound books to class is quite appealing. It would at least cut back on chiropractor costs.

I’m not saying I’ll never own e-books, since I have what I hope to be a long life ahead of me with undoubtedly great technological leaps in store. But there’s something elemental, something intrinsically endearing about the book format that I don’t think will ever go away.

Here are some Kindle II reviews. Feel free to add your opinions to the comments section.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/26/amazon-kindle-2-review/

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/02/amazon-unveils.html

http://gizmodo.com/5159749/gizmodos-amazon-kindle-2-review-matrix

http://www.pcworld.com/article/139829/amazon_kindle_review_igniting_interest_in_ebooks.html

http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/review-kindle-2-2009034/

Here is another interesting story that I found on marketplace.org that discovers the rising cost of textbooks. I found this story particularly interesting because it talks about the reason that textbook prices are rising, and interviews a publishing executive. Very enlightening.

I was recently browsing archives of marketplace, a show on National Public Radio (NPR) that I try to listen to, and I ran into a few broadcasts that talk about textbooks, college bookstores and the like. This particular one covers the topic of college bookstores, used books, and textbook affordability. Enjoy!