Adam Shields – Page 198

Thoughts on the Kindle Touch

September 29, 2011 by Adam Shields

The new Kindle Touch is what I would purchase right now if I were buying my first kindle. I strongly prefer reading on an eink screen (instead of an LCD screen, like what is on the Kindle Fire, the iPad or many computer screens). The touch uses the same 6 inch Pearl screen that the current Kindle uses. So there is not an upgrade to the actual screen, but there is an upgrade to the processor and software, so the page turns are supposed to be faster. At this point, I do not think that faster page turns matter, until the brief flash is eliminated. Page turns are basically instant now.

Thoughts on the Kindle Fire

September 29, 2011 by Adam Shields

Many have probably already heard about the new line of kindles. I am not going to give a full description, but just comments on them.

Kindle Fire

The Fire has received most of the attention. It is a 7 inch tablet. It has an LCD screen and is running a customized version of Android. It should be great for video, music and magazines. Amazon has its own streaming video service (similar to Netflix) that will be available on the Kindle.

I have not used many 7 inch tablets. It is a bit on the small side for web browsing, but is large enough for personal video and probably better for reading than the 8.9 inch screen of the iPad. The screen resolution is as good as the iPad (widescreen instead of 4:3).

Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander (Book 3 of Chronicles of Prydain)

September 29, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: Part of growing up is realizing the role of romantic love.

Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition

The Castle of Llyr is the most romantically focused of the Pyrdain Chronicles. Taran is charged with accompanying Princess Eilonwy to her relatives so that she might learn how to be a princess (and not a scullery maid as she has been doing at Caer Dalben). As Eilonwy prepares to leave Taran realizes that he does not want her to go.

Once again there is another foil of about Taran’s age that helps Taran understand how to grow up in a different way. Prince Rhun is very nice, very honorable, but incapable of doing anything correctly. He bumbles everything. And Taran learns that Rhun’s father wants to marry him to Eilonwy.

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

September 28, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: The bad things we do, can often be seen better through others. Or, I never noticed how annoying that thing I do was, until I saw you do it.

The Black Cauldron may be the best known book of the Prydian Chronicles because of the Disney movie. But I have never seen it. As I was glancing around I saw that a 25th anniversary edition of the movie was released last year. That makes me feel old. I am pretty sure I was reading this series before the movie was released and just never saw it. My memory is that most people did not think it was all that good. But maybe I will watch now.

This book picks up fairly soon after the Book of Three lets off. Taran and Eilonw are at Caer Dalben and have settled into their routine. Prince Gwydion (the crown prince and war leader for Prydain) has called a council to solve the problem of the Cauldron born (basically zombies). They are going to go into the heart of Annuvin to steal and destroy the Black Cauldron to prevent Arawn (the bad guy’s leader) from being able to create any more of these zombie soldiers.

How To Check Out A Library Book on a Kindle

September 27, 2011 by Adam Shields

In 2011 Amazon started working with Overdrive to allow Amazon Kindle users to check books out of the library to be read on their Kindle devices. Any Kindle or Kindle App can now check out books from your local library. Approximately 11,000 libraries in the US allow users to check ebooks out using Amazon.

The main complain that I hear about OverDrive is that there are not enough books or the wait is too long. And that complaint is all about funding. Your local library system as part of their agreement with OverDrive, chooses the mix and number of books. My local library, Cobb County Library, went from about 800 ebooks in 2011 to about 8600 today. Most of those books only have one or two copies. As I was browsing, there were a few that had more, but Cobb County has chosen to have more books, rather than more copies. If you want more books in your system, then tell your local library, and comment to your local government about the funding. You are paying for these books, it is just that you are not paying for them directly, but through your tax dollars.

How to Check Out a Book

Reading Slumps

September 26, 2011 by Adam Shields

Everyone that reads, especially if you blog about your reading, hits a reading slump. I seems to hit a slump of one variety or another about once every three or four months. Sometimes the slump expresses itself as a lack of desire to read. But more often the slump is expressed by extreme ADD reading. Nothing seems to satisfy, nothing seems interesting.

I have tried a variety of methods. First, and I think most important, it to remove obligation from your reading if at all possible. This is the main point of Alan Jacobs’ recent book The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. If you are a student, obligation is a part of reading. But throwing in the occasional book for pleasure is important to keep yourself balanced. As a book blogger, I have cut back the number of books I review for publishers and primarily blog about books that I choose. That means that I have to buy them myself and they are often, not the newest books on the market, but reading on ‘Whim’ (to use Jacobs’ word) creates a happier reader.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

September 26, 2011 by Adam Shields

The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1) Summary: A teen leaves home to fix a problem he created and stumbles of a task to save the kingdom from a great evil.

This blog is not going to become a young adult fantasy book review blog. But I am enjoying re-reading some of the books of my childhood. There will be some more weighty books reviewed later this week.

The cover of The Book of Three shown is the cover of the copy that I had when I first read the book. It has been updated, but I still like this cover. It shows well Taran, the main character and the Horned King, the expression of evil for this book.

The Monster at the End of the Book (iPad App Book Review)

September 23, 2011 by Adam Shields

Summary: My favorite of the iPad books

Purchase links: iTunes, Print Book from Amazon

Regular readers of this blog know that I am a nanny for my two nieces. They have just turned 4 and 2.5. I bought an iPad right after it came out and they have been the largest users of it.

We play lots of games on it, and the 2.5 year old really likes to read books on it. But I rarely actually read books with her. Usually she read parts of them herself. She knows how to turn on the narration and turn the pages. But at 2.5 she rarely finishes a whole book. The four year old also rarely finishes a book, but she is more interested in the games than the books.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle

September 22, 2011 by Adam Shields

Takeaway: About 25 years after first reading it, this is still one of my favorite novels.

Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition

I am not sure why I have always been so drawn to A Swiftly Tilting Planet. It has been one of my favorite books since I first read it. I have read it at least a half-dozen times now, although it has been since high school since I last read it.

I was trying to figure out why this is my favorite book of the series. Partially I think it is because it is focused on Charles Wallace. I have always been particularly drawn to ‘special children’. As an adult, I appreciate even more that what he wants to do is take charge and solve problems and use the skills and brain power he has. But as with many of the books, really what is needed is not to take charge and solve problems, but to just be the person that you were created to be. Charles Wallace was created for this problem, and he does not need to work to solve it as much as just be Charles Wallace and allow The Wind (or God) to place him where he need to be.

Kindle Library Lending Support is Announced

September 21, 2011 by Adam Shields

Cover of "Kindle Wireless Reading Device,... — Cover via Amazon

Several days ago Amazon announced that Seattle Library would be testing their new kindle library lending. Evidently it went very well and Amazon announced the roll out today. I have not had a chance to try it out. My local library is part of the Overdrive Library system, which is what Amazon is supporting, but my library (Cobb County GA) says “coming soon.”. I will add a new post once I am have been able to try it out.

Here is the press release:

Amazon today announced Kindle Library Lending, a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States. Kindle Library Lending will be available for all generations of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.

“We’re excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries,” said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. “Customers tell us they love Kindle for its Pearl e-ink display that is easy to read even in bright sunlight, up to a month of battery life, and Whispersync technology that synchronizes notes, highlights and last page read between their Kindle and free Kindle apps.”

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