A Kindle Lover's Tale

I love books. I've been an avid reader since the age of four, and I count my books among my most treasured possessions, much to the chagrin of the friends and family that have helped me move over the years! When Kindles came on the market, I sniffed in disapproval, thinking that nothing would ever replace the feel and the smell of new book.

But as airline baggage fees increased, the idea of a Kindle suddenly seemed much more practical. Why pay extra to pack ten books in your suitcase when you could have all that and more in a Kindle? This Christmas I was presented with a Kindle of my very own. It was love at first sight! Light as a feather, easy to operate, and no back lighting means no eye strain. No need to travel to the book store when I was in need of a fix. I began to wonder why I waited so long.

Please note that in the short list of the best Kindle features, the text to speech function does not make the list. For me, it doesn't really merit consideration. This added to my complete surprise in reading of the concerns of the Authors Guild, and their assertion that TTS represents an infringement on an authors rights to publish their books in audio form.

With all due respect to Mr. Blount, the TTS function on my Kindle is not comparable to an audio book. You see, as a lover of books in ALL their forms, I also have a large number of audio books on my iPod, all of which cost me more than a paperback copy of the same book. The reason I am willing to buy audio books at a premium is because of the amazing talent that goes into creating these individual pieces.

Often, these books are read by only one actor, who has the challenge of bringing distinct and separate characters to life for the listener. In his Op Ed piece, Mr. Blount references the incredible Jim Dale, who gave such life to the Harry Potter books that when I read the text, it's his voices I hear, because they are just spot on. In addition to the voice talent, there are sound editors and directors and mixers that all contribute to the final product. These craftsmen and artists work together to deliver a product that can stand alone, and that many folks purchase at a premium.

By contrast, the TTS function is a computerized, delivering the text in a flat, inflectionless voice. There is no artistic interpretation, no craftsmanship. I actually find it a frustrating way to try and hear books this way, as everyone's "voice" sounds the same. Exciting, action filled passages are read at the same pace as quiet, introspective ones. If authors tried to save money on creating their audio books and just sold an audio file of a compterized voice reading their work, a la Kindle, they would soon find the lucrative business of audio books decimated.

Ultimately, in addition to being completely frivolous and slightly greedy, Mr. Blount's Op Ed piece represents a tremendous insult to the talented teams that create the audio books!