During the dog days of August, I hear and see a lot about folks going on vacation with their books. Many of them will take along their favorite e-book reader. Mine happens to be the Kindle Basic (pictured here). But if I'm going to the beach or swimming pool, I have serious reservations about taking along my Kindle.

It gets babied. Probably too much. It's become a prized possession, an essential. I even bought a carrying case to keep it tucked inside. I'm something of a klutz. I have this nightmare of dropping my Kindle into the pool or losing my Kindle in the beach sand. Or perhaps getting suntan lotion all over my Kindle will ruin it.

Okay, so I exaggerate, but I'd rather take along a used paperback. A fifty cent paperback is a lot cheaper to replace than whatever the going price is now for the Kindle. I see you can buy used ones on eBay and online. H'm. I keep hoping the prices for e-readers will very soon come down to a level that make them affordable for a lot more folks' budgets in lean times.

Happy reading to you and yours!