# Author Calls Kindle Users Elitist; Wants to Hit One



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

I originally saw this on the amazon forums, and decided to post it, here.

This is an excerpt from the original article, which can be found at this link ; 
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/books/01bea.html 
_
At a panel of authors speaking mainly to independent booksellers, Sherman Alexie, the National Book Award-winning author of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," said he refused to allow his novels to be made available in digital form. He called the expensive reading devices "elitist" and declared that when he saw a woman sitting on the plane with a Kindle on his flight to New York,_ *"I wanted to hit her."
*

Wow. One user on Amazon's thread stated, "I believe i would enjoy it if this kind of person hit me. after my attorney takes all of his future and past earnings and routes them into my account, i could buy kindles for all the illiterate children that cant afford there own. thus creating many more elitist for the world. "

My comment was simply that hating what someone posses won't bring about a redistribution of wealth... 

EDIT: His defense, as posted over at the Amazon forums. Make of it what you will.

Hello, everybody, I am Sherman Alexie. And I figured I should respond here since all of you are so angry (and funny). I'm enjoying the insults and jokes at my expense. The NY Times greatly simplified my stance on EBooks and to some extent, I suppose I simplified myself, too. During the panel, I said, "I have 99 things I want to say, but I'll only say a few because I don't want to dominate the panel." So I'll reiterate some of my points and then you can all disagree with me, and mock and insult and ban me. But realize I don't make my ethical and moral decisions based on economics. I have often made public statements and taken public stances that have hurt my income. But I'm never going to censor myself based on those monetary considerations. But I do hope by responding here that the discussions about the Kindle's implications will become more complicated, and will not just be about my jerkiness. In any case, I grew up very poor on an Indian reservation and did not have access to the current technology of the 60s and 70s, and I worry that the Kindle and its like, and their future incarnations as reading and educational tools, will also not be widely available to poor kids. I have visited many, many schools in this country and the technology disadvantages are still vast. Many schools don't have enough current textbooks, let alone enough computers. So that's one of my great fears about EBooks. I also worry that EBook technology will too greatly influence what books are being published and promoted in any form, print or electronics. So I worry about the capitalistic influence on the availability of certain kinds of art. I worry that the tool itself, an Ebook, will too greatly influence what is on the tool. I am worried about Jeff Bezos' stated desire that he wants to change the way people read and his belief that people's tactile attraction to books is something that needs to be changed (after all, we writers use our hands to write the words, don't we? And aren't folks using their hands to build the Kindles?). So, please, you can keep insulting me, but I'd also love all of you to think about these concerns (which are shared by many people who produce the books you love so much but who weren't foolish and angry enough to be so public about the fears) and discuss them. Ask Amazon about these concerns. Ask each other about these concerns. But one last thing. Have you ever talked to a stranger simply because you noticed the cover of the book they were reading? Have you ever fallen in love with somebody because of the book they were reading? Have you ever felt the awe of walking onto an airplane and seeing that forty or fifty people are reading the same Harry Potter novel? The Kindle, and its lovely but electronically anonymous exterior, eliminates that moment. Unless Amazon puts a view screen on the outside that digitizes cover art...


----------



## vsch (Mar 5, 2009)

If you'll note, he was talking to a group of independant booksellers.....he said what they wanted to hear. The Kindle will hurt their sales with it's popularity.  Wanting to "hit one" was hopefully just to get a laugh.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

I was going to go to all of his books and asking for them to be released on the Kindle accept that his books are already sold on the Kindle.

What a dweeb


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

vsch said:


> If you'll note, he was talking to a group of independant booksellers.....he said what they wanted to hear. The Kindle will hurt their sales with it's popularity. Wanting to "hit one" was hopefully just to get a laugh.


So what do you make of the elitist comment, then? That's a pretty serious word to use, especially considering the last Presidential election.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Actually, only one of his books in on the Kindle. So I am clicking to get them added.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

ProfCrash said:


> Actually, only one of his books in on the Kindle. So I am clicking to get them added.


Lol, that's funny. Did he forget he did that?


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Anarel said:


> So what do you make of the elitist comment, then? That's a pretty serious word to use, especially considering the last Presidential election.


The hitting comment bothered me a lot more.

CK


----------



## vsch (Mar 5, 2009)

Maybe someone ought to let him know his book Face is on Kindle.

Sherman Alexie
FallsApart Productions
PMB 2294
10002 Aurora Avenue North, #36
Seattle, WA 98133

I think he is being an elitist or book snob in his thinking.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Carolyn Kephart said:


> The hitting comment bothered me a lot more.
> 
> CK


Of course, the threat of physical violence is a lot more troublesome. I've never seen anyone in a Ferrari and wanted to ram my 2 door, '92 Buick Riviera into them.


----------



## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

I count 5 available....Interesting that he will never allow his novels to be made available in digital form and yet here they are!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Anarel said:


> Of course, the threat of physical violence is a lot more troublesome. I've never seen anyone in a Ferrari and wanted to ram my 2 door, '92 Buick Riviera into them.


And now I'm contemplating your avatar.... 

Seriously, what he said was just revolting and small. Makes me glad to be an elitist.

Nice analogy, btw!

CK


----------



## L.Canton (Jan 21, 2009)

I think the author is clearly quite ignorant. I don't think owning a Kindle is elitist by any stretch of the imagination.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Carolyn Kephart said:


> And now I'm contemplating your avatar....
> 
> Seriously, what he said was just revolting and small. Makes me glad to be an elitist.
> 
> ...


Ah, yes. It's not too gory, is it? I do feel it aptly shows my frustration when I can't write for the love of anything.

Lol, instead of, "I'm proud to be an American" it's "I'm proud to be an elitist, 'cause I have a kindle with meeee!"


----------



## MagicalWingLT (May 12, 2009)

It's amazing how he says that and yet he does it anyways... Makes him look like a snob and a idiot... And the two comments he made I find very disturbing...


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

How can it be elitist?  Just because there's a sizable up-front investment? Perhaps he doesn't realize that over a year or two, Kindle-readers who previously bought DTB's will most likely _save_ money.

Or is he seriously suggesting that liking to _read_ is elitist? I've heard that a few times before from non-readers, but surely an author couldn't think that...


----------



## tlshaw (Nov 10, 2008)

If a love of reading makes me an elitist, than I will be one proudly. However, I agree with Jeff and some of the others, the comment about wanting to hit a woman who was reading on a Kindle disturbed me far more. Not only am I opposed to violence, but a gentleman would never even consider hitting a woman. At least that is how I was raised here in the South. I would assume that would apply all over.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Here we have an example of an author who:

(A.) Is a jerk.
(B.) Has found a way to get free publicity.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

I'm so fraking tired of elitist being a bad word. The word also has a positive meaning.

Well if we are just going to threaten people with violence for no good reason:

_Those authors are such elitists, how dare they get published. When I see one, I just want to bash his/her head in._

Lara Amber


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

LaraAmber said:


> I'm so fraking tired of elitist being a bad word. The word also has a positive meaning.
> 
> Well if we are just going to threaten people with violence for no good reason:
> 
> _Those authors are such elitists, how dare they get published. When I see one, I just want to bash his/her head in._


Yikes!


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Anarel said:


> Ah, yes. It's not too gory, is it? I do feel it aptly shows my frustration when I can't write for the love of anything.


I just hit the escape button and stop the animation.
It is funny that Alexie allows his books to be sold on Amazon at all, since their announced goal is to make all books available on the Kindle. Three of his are already Kindlized, I am sure he was against it and probably donates any income from ebook sales to a worth while charity.


----------



## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Meh, I'm not reading too much into it as he was "speaking to the crowd" so to speak, but he isn't going to endear himself to kindle users.

But long-term, independent book sellers and printing companies are going to go by the wayside as the digital age progresses.  They can't be happy about it.


----------



## Kind (Jan 28, 2009)

MAGreen said:


> I count 5 available....Interesting that he will never allow his novels to be made available in digital form and yet here they are!


haha, he wasn't thinking right.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

tlshaw *Padded Cell 511* said:


> If a love of reading makes me an elitist, than I will be one proudly. However, I agree with Jeff and some of the others, the comment about wanting to hit a woman who was reading on a Kindle disturbed me far more. Not only am I opposed to violence, but a gentleman would never even consider hitting a woman. At least that is how I was raised here in the South. I would assume that would apply all over.


"A woman should not be struck, even with a flower." ~old Hindu saying

CK


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

LaraAmber said:


> I'm so fraking tired of elitist being a bad word. The word also has a positive meaning.
> 
> Well if we are just going to threaten people with violence for no good reason:
> 
> ...


I know it's not a bad word, but thanks to the Pres. election, the bad connotation is what comes to mind when people hear the word, which is why I said he shouldn't have used that one.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

LaraAmber said:


> I'm so fraking tired of elitist being a bad word. The word also has a positive meaning.
> Lara Amber


I hope people start accentuating that positive. I've spent my whole life in a search for the best of everything, and what I put into my head matters most of all.

CK


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Carolyn Kephart said:


> "A woman should not be struck, even with a flower."


Except perhaps, by desire.


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

You have such a way with words, Jeff.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> You have such a way with words, Jeff.


A dubious talent which promises to get my head bashed by Lara Amber.


----------



## tlshaw (Nov 10, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Except perhaps, by desire.


You always know just what to say.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

Well Jeff, you've heard of protection money right?

It would be a shame if something happened to you, but for just $25 month in Amazon gift cards, we can protect you from any adverse actions. <Pushes over pile of papers and holds magnet threateningly near harddrive.>

Lara Amber


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

LaraAmber said:


> Well Jeff, you've heard of protection money right?


The check is in the mail.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Jeff said:


> Except perhaps, by desire.


Sometimes a rose isn't a rose isn't a rose.

CK


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

The elitist idea bothered me from the standpoint of deciding that much about a person from their choice of reading material, she could have been reading one of the three books he has available for download at Amazon. The idea of wanting to hit anyone over their choice to read an ebook, especially a man wanting to hit a woman, upsets me greatly.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Sometimes a rose isn't a rose isn't a rose.


That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Jeff said:


> That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.


Well, all the perfumes of Arabia still won't sweeten what that guy said!

CK


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I still love my K no matter what other people think.
deb


----------



## JA Konrath (Apr 2, 2009)

Back in the Middle Ages wasn't reading considered elitist?


----------



## KimmyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Apparently the comment about hitting a woman was a joke. Doesn't explain why he has books in kindle format though.

quote from his website:

_This is a New York Times article that is, in part, about my participation on a panel at BookExpo America in New York last Thursday: nytimes.com. Motoko Rich, the journalist, vastly simplified what I said during the panel. That's how journalism can sometimes work. I'm a big boy. I can deal with it. But I did want to clarify one point. I made a dumb joke about seeing a woman on my flight into New York and how I wanted to hit her because she was reading a Kindle. Though the joke got big laughs from the crowd (primarily made up of female independent booksellers, by the way), I should have edited myself. I should have said, "I saw a man on the airplane reading a Kindle and I wanted to hit him." In this way, my joke becomes about my true object of fear, distrust, and anger---the Kindle---and not about the gender of the person reading the Kindle. If I had said I wanted to hit a man for reading a Kindle, I doubt that faux-warrior quote would have made the papers. After I told my bad joke, I detailed, in a three or four-minute statement, exactly why I'm wary of the Kindle, but Motoko Rich reduced my worries to just one word: "elitist." Though I would like to complain that she has also done me the slight injustice by reducing my statement to one word, it is a fairly accurate if condescending one-word summation. This isn't the first time I've said something humorous that allowed journalists to take me less than seriously. And it won't be the last time. I'm funny that way. But I want to make one thing clear. I did not mean to tell a misogynistic joke. I meant to tell an anti-Kindle joke. And I'm sorry for my macho bullshit error. _

website address
http://www.fallsapart.com/


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

So he thinks that he was promoting violence against a women that got him in trouble? That I would have been less offended that he wanted to hit a man with a Kindle? How about not hitting anyone no mater how they are reading a book.

ETA: I went to his website to find an email address to send him a comment about his statement and wouldn't you know, he does not have an email address to send mail to. I wonder if he still uses a type writer to write his book.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

We should be proud he has a website.  Oh who are we kidding, his 12 year old nephew set it up.

Lara Amber


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

KimmyA said:


> In this way, my _joke_ becomes about my true object of fear, distrust, and anger---the Kindle---and not about the gender of the person reading the Kindle.


Is there anything in human nature more dismally reliable than Fear Of The New?

CK


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Right, it was a joke   His stupidity apparently knows no bounds.


----------



## KimmyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> Right, it was a joke  His stupidity apparently knows no bounds.


And he didn't use the word elitist. The journalist did. I'm sure what he actually said was much more eloquent. Bad bad journalist.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

He did say that the journalist summed up his three to four minute long statement into one word, elitist, and that elitist work. Perhaps he should think about his own word selection.


----------



## r0b0d0c (Feb 16, 2009)

KimmyA said:


> Apparently the comment about hitting a woman was a joke. Doesn't explain why he has books in kindle format though.
> 
> quote from his website:
> 
> ...


He's still a moron.

Although I hadn't heard of him before, he's now added to my "won't read" list of authors.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It boggles my mind that, after thinking it over, he realized the joke about hitting a woman was in poor taste, but decided that if he'd said a man instead, it would have been o.k.

I think he really DID see a woman, really DID have a visceral reaction, and it wasn't a joke at all, just relaying his personal experience.

I need to go write down his name so I can scratch him off my list.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It boggles my mind that, after thinking it over, he realized the joke about hitting a woman was in poor taste, but decided that if he'd said a man instead, it would have been o.k.


Yeah, that torqued me all the more. 

CK


----------



## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Wow. I've never been an elitist before.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I was an elitist before elitism was cool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . wait?  Is that a good thing?


----------



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

This seems to be really the only e-mail address avaiable from his website:
You are welcome to contact Sherman's office directly for any request, query or purpose that doesn't fit in any other contact category that's more efficient. 

Christy Cox
[email protected]

I say we all shoot him an email telling him violence against ANYONE is not ok, and that his books are already available in Kindle format.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Hitting anyone was really the problem with me; and his anti-kindle sentiment makes absolutely no sense, considering he has a few books available for the Kindle. What, so he'll take our money but call us elitist? I also don't see that apology as anything worth reading; he didn't mean a damn word of it.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

I just looked at his kindle editions of his books.  The "jerk" tag has been added to them.  LOL.  

I don't think there is an apology I'd care to hear.

Lara Amber


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

LaraAmber said:


> I just looked at his kindle editions of his books. The "jerk" tag has been added to them. LOL.


Well, but that's not admirable behavior either. I shall just note his name and be sure to not buy his books. Ever.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

Well at least they aren't putting in fake reviews and pulling down his rating.  If the worst they do is attach "jerk" tags to his books, they are being remarkably restrained for Amazon board gremlins.  

Lara Amber


----------



## Greg Banks (May 2, 2009)

I read one of Alexie's books years ago and I was (emphasis on "was") a fan, although I can remember thinking even then (from something I must have seen or read about him) that he wasn't the most pleasant sort of person you could find. I'm thinking about blogging an open letter to him in response to this.


----------



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Greg Banks said:


> I read one of Alexie's books years ago and I was (emphasis on "was") a fan, although I can remember thinking even then (from something I must have seen or read about him) that he wasn't the most pleasant sort of person you could find. I'm thinking about blogging an open letter to him in response to this.


That would certainly be more constructive than all of us "preaching to the choir" here. 

Here's something to consider for inclusion: if everyone who reads e-books on a Kindle (or any device) is an elitist, is everyone out there listening to MP3 music files on an IPod or other digital music device instead of buying it on CD (or better yet, on vinyl) also an elitist? How about everyone who watches a movie at home on a DVD player instead of going to the movie theater: are they elitist?

Oh well, the guy writes poetry, not mathematical proofs.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

(oops, sorry, someone already posted this earlier in the thread... ah well, might as well leave it.)

Ok, over on the Amazon forum this guy up and decided to defend himself... (basically, deflecting from the issue with something totally random that had nothing to do with what he's getting flamed for....)

Hello, everybody, I am Sherman Alexie. And I figured I should respond here since all of you are so angry (and funny). I'm enjoying the insults and jokes at my expense. The NY Times greatly simplified my stance on EBooks and to some extent, I suppose I simplified myself, too. During the panel, I said, "I have 99 things I want to say, but I'll only say a few because I don't want to dominate the panel." So I'll reiterate some of my points and then you can all disagree with me, and mock and insult and ban me. But realize I don't make my ethical and moral decisions based on economics. I have often made public statements and taken public stances that have hurt my income. But I'm never going to censor myself based on those monetary considerations. But I do hope by responding here that the discussions about the Kindle's implications will become more complicated, and will not just be about my jerkiness. In any case, I grew up very poor on an Indian reservation and did not have access to the current technology of the 60s and 70s, and I worry that the Kindle and its like, and their future incarnations as reading and educational tools, will also not be widely available to poor kids. I have visited many, many schools in this country and the technology disadvantages are still vast. Many schools don't have enough current textbooks, let alone enough computers. So that's one of my great fears about EBooks. I also worry that EBook technology will too greatly influence what books are being published and promoted in any form, print or electronics. So I worry about the capitalistic influence on the availability of certain kinds of art. I worry that the tool itself, an Ebook, will too greatly influence what is on the tool. I am worried about Jeff Bezos' stated desire that he wants to change the way people read and his belief that people's tactile attraction to books is something that needs to be changed (after all, we writers use our hands to write the words, don't we? And aren't folks using their hands to build the Kindles?). So, please, you can keep insulting me, but I'd also love all of you to think about these concerns (which are shared by many people who produce the books you love so much but who weren't foolish and angry enough to be so public about the fears) and discuss them. Ask Amazon about these concerns. Ask each other about these concerns. But one last thing. Have you ever talked to a stranger simply because you noticed the cover of the book they were reading? Have you ever fallen in love with somebody because of the book they were reading? Have you ever felt the awe of walking onto an airplane and seeing that forty or fifty people are reading the same Harry Potter novel? The Kindle, and its lovely but electronically anonymous exterior, eliminates that moment. Unless Amazon puts a view screen on the outside that digitizes cover art...


It's quite funny actually, it's a lion's den over there and he's on the menu. I still don't like this guy.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Anarel said:


> It's quite funny actually, it's a lion's den over there and he's on the menu.


He put his head in there willingly.



Anarel said:


> I still don't like this guy.


What's to like? He doesn't make any sense.


----------



## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

It seems more like a "here's something completely unrelated to why you're upset".  People are upset because a. we were insulted and b. he condoned violence.  

If he wanted to talk about the possibility of ereaders furthering the technology gap, and that society needs to consider how to close that gap, that should have been his topic in the first place or he could have published an article about it.  Instead he calls us "elitist" for having one.

Lara AMber


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

LaraAmber said:


> It seems more like a "here's something completely unrelated to why you're upset". People are upset because a. we were insulted and b. he condoned violence.
> 
> If he wanted to talk about the possibility of ereaders furthering the technology gap, and that society needs to consider how to close that gap, that should have been his topic in the first place or he could have published an article about it. Instead he calls us "elitist" for having one.
> 
> Lara AMber


Go bash him.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

Anarel said:


> Mr. Alexie asked: Have you ever talked to a stranger simply because you noticed the cover of the book they were reading? Have you ever fallen in love with somebody because of the book they were reading?


Or have you ever wanted to _slug_ someone? Hmm, Mr. A.? A Kindle is a book, y'know.

CK


----------



## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

Jeff said:


> Here we have an example of an author who:
> 
> (A.) Is a jerk.
> (B.) Has found a way to get free publicity.


I agree


----------



## marbues (May 23, 2009)

"In this way, my joke becomes about my true object of fear, distrust, and anger---the Kindle---and not about the gender of the person reading the Kindle."


I think it's fairly naive of him to think that his public response to his 'fear, distrust, and anger' of the Kindle is going to make a difference.  Considering the swiftness of the advances in technology, someday very soon, he will be considered the 'elitest' for not embracing the present.


----------



## Diana (Nov 9, 2008)

He reminds me of these celebrities who do off the wall things to garner the attention.  Just because he is an author, doesn't make him intelligent--by far I think he is rather ignorant.  I would rather be elitist, than ignorant.


----------



## jesspark (Jan 12, 2009)

Apparently, Alexie is now meeting with Amazon.

From http://www.fallsapart.com:



> Sherman's message in response to a _New York Times_ article that is, in part, about his participation on a panel at *BookExpo America* in New York last Thursday and his joke about *Kindle*: _In the aftermath of my recent public comments about my fear and loathing of Kindle and its kind, I have received a few dozen amazing, passionate, and compelling emails about the power and beauty of electronic books (and many more hilarious ones questioning my sanity, my morality, my anger management ability, and my writing skills). I have been especially humbled by those Kindle readers who, because of various physical issues, can only read with the machines. While I still have serious qualms about the technology, I have been challenged and emotionally moved enough to take a long-requested meeting with the folks at Amazon and Kindle and listen to their arguments for the machines. I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically, so now, thanks to the beautiful emails I received, I will do my best to enter the meeting with an open mind. And I definitely promise that I will not beat up anybody at Amazon or Kindle._


Mm. We'll see about this.


----------



## ElLector (Feb 13, 2009)

"In any case, I grew up very poor on an Indian reservation and did not have access to the current technology of the 60s and 70s, and I worry that the Kindle and its like, and their future incarnations as reading and educational tools, will also not be widely available to poor kids. I have visited many, many schools in this country and the technology disadvantages are still vast. Many schools don't have enough current textbooks, let alone enough computers." - Sherman Alexie

After carefully reading this passage, I seriously had to question his motives. Although I understand what he's trying to say and the point he's trying to bring across, I can't see the connection between owning a Kindle and saving the worldwide educational system.

It's a simple word, and it's called innovation. Innovation will not stop until we all cease to exist. How in the world did he even manage to _type_ his thoughts? I'm assuming he used a computer and NOT papyrus. Whether he wants to accept it or not, he cannot eschew himself from technology. It's one thing to call someone an elitist and another to be downright arrogant.

Yes, he's right. Many schools don't have enough up-to-date textbooks and computers, but does that make the individual that owns a Kindle, an IPhone, or a Blackberry any more of an elitist? I'm sorry, but that does not make any sense to me.

He also mentioned how he worries "that the Kindle and its like, and their future incarnations as reading and educational tools, will also not be widely available to poor kids." What?!? I'm sorry, but that has NOTHING to do with a Kindle. If children couldn't get textbooks and computers in the past, what makes owning a Kindle any worse? I'm trying to piece the puzzle in my head, but I can't because there is no foundation to start with.

His rant only tells me that he's angry; he's angry about something that he believes he has no control of, although he wishes he did.

Mr. Alexie, a word of advice: If you can't find a solution to a problem, or even propose one, I would highly recommend you keep your opinions to yourself.


----------



## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

The foot of the author S.A. just keeps going further and further into his mouth.  What did he write?  Never mind.


----------



## Cammie (Nov 15, 2008)

Just a personal feeling...the entire episode seems contrived:

Step One:  An author makes an outrageous statement about wanting to hit a woman reading a Kindle

Step Two:  Same author responds to negative comments on a Kindle message board and on his website

Step Three: Author now claims he was challenged and emotionally moved by the missives he received and is willing to meet with Amazon

At this point, I don't really care whether or not this author decides to embrace ebook technology.  I frankly had not heard of him before Step One and, after Step One, I'll make a conscious effort not to learn more about him.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Hmm. Anybody have an idea of something outrageous that I might say so that I can garner some national attention?


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Hmm. Anybody have an idea of something outrageous that I might say so that I can garner some national attention?


Or maybe a free Kindle.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Jeff said:


> Hmm. Anybody have an idea of something outrageous that I might say so that I can garner some national attention?


Lol. To the additional info already posted a few posts up (shown below) Here are a few, selected things with it that bother me;

"my recent public comments about my fear and loathing of Kindle and its kind..." (You shouldn't fear/loath an inanimate object)

" I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically" (Uhh, some of his work is)

"While I still have serious qualms about the technology," (Oh, so just the Kindle? Technology in general? What about Computers, Laptops, Cellphones, Smartboards and all other things technological that aren't available to children in need?)

".. meeting with the folks at Amazon and Kindle and listen to their arguments for the machines." (Don't "listen" to an argument, hold a kindle. Read a few books on one.)

Sherman's message in response to a New York Times article that is, in part, about his participation on a panel at BookExpo America in New York last Thursday and his joke about Kindle: In the aftermath of my recent public comments about my fear and loathing of Kindle and its kind, I have received a few dozen amazing, passionate, and compelling emails about the power and beauty of electronic books (and many more hilarious ones questioning my sanity, my morality, my anger management ability, and my writing skills). I have been especially humbled by those Kindle readers who, because of various physical issues, can only read with the machines. While I still have serious qualms about the technology, I have been challenged and emotionally moved enough to take a long-requested meeting with the folks at Amazon and Kindle and listen to their arguments for the machines. I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically, so now, thanks to the beautiful emails I received, I will do my best to enter the meeting with an open mind. And I definitely promise that I will not beat up anybody at Amazon or Kindle.


----------



## Ethan (Dec 6, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Hmm. Anybody have an idea of something outrageous that I might say so that I can garner some national attention?


I could come up with something, but then you would just be another Rush and I know you aren't that.

It's funny that the people who say outrageous things and get attention (i.e., politicians, actors, etc.) have spent no time in the trenches and that they somehow think they have a point of view that anyone gives a damn about. Just remember that old Arab proverb that while the dog may bark, the caravan passes.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Ethan said:


> I could come up with something, but then you would just be another Rush and I know you aren't that.


Oh come on, Ethan, give it a shot. Being rich might be fun, and if it's not, I'll bet we could give the money away real fast.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Anarel said:


> "my recent public comments about my fear and loathing of Kindle and its kind..." (You shouldn't fear/loath an inanimate object)


Weeellllllll. . . . . .many here love and adore their Kindles. . . . .so. . . . while I am sorry he feels that way and think he's misguided. . . . .I don't have a problem with his words.


----------



## Ethan (Dec 6, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Oh come on, Ethan, give it a shot. Being rich might be fun, and if it's not, I'll bet we could give the money away real fast.


Nah. I've had money before and it is not what it is cracked up to be. For my part, I would love to just live happily a trailer, driving a s--tbox car at 30 miles an hour down the passing lane of the local interstate, sucking on my jug of Thunderbird wine (when I was stopped, of course). Oh, and perusing the latest on my Kindle!


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

_>>I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically<<_

Does anyone besides me think this is BS? 
(I mean, apart from the fact that his stuff IS available. But _most-requested_??)


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> _>>I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically<<_
> 
> Does anyone besides me think this is BS?
> (I mean, apart from the fact that his stuff IS available. But _most-requested_??)


How many Kindle owners who were offended by his comments decided to click the "I want this on Kindle" button?


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Jeff said:


> How many Kindle owners who were offended by his comments decided to click the "I want this on Kindle" button?


Hmmm.... amusing to think that he would interpret a gesture meant to annoy as a compliment to his writing.

But the timing's a bit unclear; he may not have seen an increase in clicks before making that statement, in which case it would really be just tremendous conceit.

Come to think of it, it's conceit either way.


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Or greed.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Jeff said:


> How many Kindle owners who were offended by his comments decided to click the "I want this on Kindle" button?


heheheh I did.


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Me too, never thought about it feeding his ego.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Hn, I wonder if there's a way to take back a "I want to read this on the kindle" request.


----------



## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

I am not worried about feeding his ego. I want his books available on the Kindle so I can refuse to buy them in the only format I read on because he is an asshat.


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Can I call him a pompous


Spoiler



ass


here? 

Most requested authors my rear end.

He doesn't even realize his books are already available on Kindle. He needs to pay much more attention to his career obviously.


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

ProfCrash said:


> I am not worried about feeding his ego. I want his books available on the Kindle so I can refuse to buy them in the only format I read on because he is an asshat.


True that


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> Can I call him a pompous
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


Sure thing! (But I put in a spoiler block just to be safe.  )


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Thanks Ann LOL


----------



## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I can understand that fact that he geared his speech to his audience. That happens all of the time. That said, I don't feel like an elitist at all. I feel extremely lucky that I have my favorite books, as well as my "to read" list with me nearly all of the time. I never know when I'll find a bit of free time, and now I won't find myself wishing I had my book(s) with me. 

As for the comment about poor schools, I've been teaching reading in a very small, rural, and poor school for 25 years, and we have lots of computers. We've managed to snag donations wherever possible, and the other tech and I have worked our tails off getting the computers into working order and maintaining them. 

I can't imagine not have any DTB on my shelves, but my Kindle 2 will allow me to pass a lot of my less-favored books on to others who will read them. There are some classics (in my opinion, anyway) that I'll have for the rest of my life. 

It is pretty funny about the author not knowing that he has e-books available. I'd think he'd be glad to pocket the money from book sales of various formats. 

I don't like the comment that he made about wanting to hit the woman. That, to me, is the most important issue in this debate. For that comment alone, I'll not be spending any of my hard-earned money on his books.


----------



## Danariel (Apr 30, 2009)

Here's my email to the only email address I could find. I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, but this also contains my sales pitch for a Kindle.



> Christy,
> 
> Sorry to target your email inbox with this, but your email address appears to be the only one I can find on FallsApart.com. So, I guess that means you're the only avenue I have to address my concerns. If you'd like to forward this to Mr. Alexie, that would be great.
> 
> ...


----------



## RamTheHammer (Apr 17, 2009)

WOW Danariel that was a very well worded and thought out e-mail! Thank you for posting it.

Richard


----------



## Danariel (Apr 30, 2009)

Thanks, Richard!

If anyone wants to use the text for anything (oh, like persuading a spouse to let you have a Kindle, or arguments why a reader in your life might need one, too) feel free to use it. No attribution necessary.


----------



## Varin (May 12, 2009)

RamTheHammer said:


> WOW Danariel that was a very well worded and thought out e-mail! Thank you for posting it.
> 
> Richard


I second that.


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

much nicer than I would have been.


----------



## Danariel (Apr 30, 2009)

I figure the rants get tossed aside as "Ah, just another rant." But the more well-thought-out and reasonable I am, the more likely he (or someone, anyway) will read it.


----------



## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Danariel said:


> I figure the rants get tossed aside as "Ah, just another rant." But the more well-thought-out and reasonable I am, the more likely he (or someone, anyway) will read it.


Be interesting to see if you get any sort of response.

Very well thought out and extremely well put.

Thanks for posting it.


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Please let us know if you get a response to your well written and very accurate email.


----------



## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Anarel said:


> I also worry that EBook technology will too greatly influence what books are being published and promoted in any form, print or electronics. So I worry about the capitalistic influence on the availability of certain kinds of art. I worry that the tool itself, an Ebook, will too greatly influence what is on the tool.


hmmmm...
My experience with the Kindle seems to imply the exact oppposite. Pre-K only the "elite"  authors could get published at all and the rest were banned from the group. Pre-K I would never have come across great books like "In Her Name".

Do the authors here think Ebooks are decreasing the availability?

Just because you're a Luddite doesn't mean you make sense...


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> My experience with the Kindle seems to imply the exact oppposite. Pre-K only the "elite" authors could get published at all and the rest were banned from the group. Pre-K I would never have come across great books like "In Her Name".


You are absolutely right, Chad. E-books and _Print On Demand_ have introduced us to authors, styles, and subjects that we would never have seen via traditional imprints.


----------



## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

ElLector said:


> "In any case, I grew up very poor on an Indian reservation and did not have access to the current technology of the 60s and 70s, and I worry that the Kindle and its like, and their future incarnations as reading and educational tools, will also not be widely available to poor kids. I have visited many, many schools in this country and the technology disadvantages are still vast. Many schools don't have enough current textbooks, let alone enough computers." - Sherman Alexie
> 
> After carefully reading this passage, I seriously had to question his motives. Although I understand what he's trying to say and the point he's trying to bring across, I can't see the connection between owning a Kindle and saving the worldwide educational system.
> 
> ...


Those are excellent points. Our friend may benefit from some critical thinking lessons. 
He seems to live in the too common worldview of: Put Random "Facts" Beside Each Other and They Make an Argument"


----------



## tashab (Apr 18, 2009)

Wow, this guy is a jerk. I completely understand how he feels that lots of children and adults are too poor to be able to afford a Kindle. However, do you remember how many people had laptops 10 years ago? Or cell phones 20 years ago? back then, lots of people couldn't afford those things. Now, however, it seems everyone has one if not both of these. You can buy a cell phone for $20 and get a pre-paid plan. With contract, you can get a lot of phones for FREE. I definitely see the Kindle (and other e-book readers) going down in price over the years. That's just the way electronics work. To worry that hard copies of books will be completely erased from the world in the near future is, in my opinion, ridiculous. There are always going to be people who prefer a book they can physically hold in their hands and show off on their bookshelf.


----------



## Danariel (Apr 30, 2009)

intinst said:


> Please let us know if you get a response to your well written and very accurate email.


I sure will!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

tashab said:


> Wow, this guy is a jerk.


And it's starting to feel more and more premeditated/orchestrated.

CK


----------



## Sanveann (May 16, 2009)

I'm a journalist, and I think a colleague of mine interviewed Sherman Alexie awhile ago. I seem to recall her thinking he was rather douchey -- I'll have to ask her ...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian"

Well that's one book I won't ourchase as I am a full-time Indian and Kindle elitist.
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## gdae23 (Apr 30, 2009)

Although I agree with most of what I've read on this thread,  I'm a bit torn because I already was familiar with Sherman Alexie's work, and have bought and read 2 of his novels in DTB form - "Reservation Blues", and  "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven".  The second one was the basis for a movie called Smoke Signals which I  own on DVD, and I liked both the novels and the DVD a lot. For the record, for those not familiar with him, he is a fairly well known author writing about Native American subjects. There most likely have been many requests to have his books in Kindle format, although I'm not sure it would be as many as he alleges. 

I saw the article about this incident in the paper, and my first reaction when he said his books weren't available in Kindle format was surprise. That's because several weeks ago, I had already looked for his novels in the Kindle store, with the hope of buying them for the Kindle. I didn't find them, but did find several books of his poetry and shorter pieces. I sampled one, liked it, and bought it, although I haven't read it through yet. I also clicked on the novels I liked and said the bit about wanting to read the books in Kindle format. 

So what do I think was going on here? I think he was being disingenuous. I believe the way he phrased it was that his novels weren't available in Kindle format, and that was absolutely true - only the poetry is here. But he certainly gave the impression that he was, for moral reasons, withholding all his books from this format. In fact, it seems he was willing to let the poetry books be Kindlized (sp?!), and I' m guessing that's because they weren't selling as well as the novels. He probably figured he could get more for the novels in DTB form. That's my take, anyway, and it certainly comes across to me in a negative light. And that's without even considering his comment about wanting to hit the “elitist” woman reading the Kindle. I'm also not taken with his current backpedaling on the whole issue.

So far this hasn't made me want to boycott his writing, but I'm certainly following the story (and this thread in particular) with interest.


----------



## cdchandler (Apr 30, 2009)

Danariel said:


> I sure will!


Thanks for keeping us in the loop. I honestly believe you can reach a person easier with a well thought out response than a ad hominem attack which solves nothing.
I also wanted to thank you for your quotes. Robert Heinlein will always be a hero to me. From Moon is a harsh Mistress to to the Rolling Stones, and Glory Road and, well although I have all of his works in DTB I will cheerfully get them all on my Kindle. One of my first purchases was Glory Road.

Just wanted to say thanks for the memory


----------



## Greg Banks (May 2, 2009)

Is it me, or does Alexie's message make him sound like the holy lord of the land who has suddenly had a change of his mighty heart and decided to consider bowing to the will of his lowly, unwashed readers like a master throwing a scrap of food to a starving, mangy dog?

Man, what a great guy!


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

You can also download .pdf books from DailyLit for free.  Mostly, the older classics etc, but fun reads.  They are downloaded into your email then you can USB-em to your Kindle DX.  At least, I hope so.  Get my DX soon.  Yeah!!!


----------



## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

Alexie made it onto Amazon's Daily Blog today:

_One of the incendiary comments (maybe the only one) from BookExpo this year was Sherman Alexie's remark on an author panel that when he saw a woman on his plane reading a Kindle he "wanted to hit her." (He said the "expensive reading devices" (the Times' words) were "elitist" (his word), and he hasn't yet let his books be digitized.) Fair enough (though those metal-backed devices might double pretty well as a weapon if the Kindle reader wanted to fight back)--we Seattleites know our neighbor Alexie as a heartfelt, shoot-from-the-hip advocate for what he loves (e.g. the former SuperSonics) and hates._

_On his own site, Alexie has posted a note about the responses he's gotten to the quote:
In the aftermath of my recent public comments about my fear and loathing of Kindle and its kind, I have received a few dozen amazing, passionate, and compelling emails about the power and beauty of electronic books (and many more hilarious ones questioning my sanity, my morality, my anger management ability, and my writing skills). I have been especially humbled by those Kindle readers who, because of various physical issues, can only read with the machines. While I still have serious qualms about the technology, I have been challenged and emotionally moved enough to take a long-requested meeting with the folks at Amazon and Kindle and listen to their arguments for the machines. I'm on Amazon's list of most-requested authors whose fiction is not available electronically, so now, thanks to the beautiful emails I received, I will do my best to enter the meeting with an open mind. And I definitely promise that I will not beat up anybody at Amazon or Kindle._

_And following comments by Kassia Kroszer, among others, Edward Champion (no stranger to rhetorical pugilism himself) took the initiative to ask Alexie to expand on his sound bite, and the result was a more nuanced and surprising exchange (Alexie "loves" both his iPod and Amazon.com, for one thing, but ebooks still cause a visceral reaction):
People are eager to portray me as being anti-technology, but that's not the case at all. I think the iPod is as vital as the fork and wheel. So I'm not even sure why I have this strange, subterranean fear and loathing of the Kindle and its kind. I think it's really about childhood. Books saved my life, Edward. I rose out of poverty and incredible social dysfunction because of books. And all of my senses-sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste-come into play when I think and read about books. Books are tactile and eccentric. An eBook will always be a gorgeous but anonymous box.

Would that I could sit in on that Alexie-Kindle meeting... --Tom_

Being familiar with his name from this thread, I clicked on the article and was in the middle of reading about his willingness to hear Amazon plead with him to convert his much-requested books to Kindle format when LyBerry (for the first time in months!) froze and refused to show me the rest of his quote  sending me scrambling out of my armchair in search of a paperclip.

After resetting LyBerry, I skipped the rest of the article. Clearly, my Kindle wants nothing to do with Alexie's words. 

N


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Neekeebee said:


> Clearly, my Kindle wants nothing to do with Alexie's words.


From the mouths silicone-chips of babes machines oft time come gems.


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Greg Banks said:


> Is it me, or does Alexie's message make him sound like the holy lord of the land who has suddenly had a change of his mighty heart and decided to consider bowing to the will of his lowly, unwashed readers like a master throwing a scrap of food to a starving, mangy dog?
> 
> Man, what a great guy!


That sounds like a pretty accurate description.


----------



## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

Greg Banks said:


> Is it me, or does Alexie's message make him sound like the holy lord of the land who has suddenly had a change of his mighty heart and decided to consider bowing to the will of his lowly, unwashed readers like a master throwing a scrap of food to a starving, mangy dog?
> 
> Man, what a great guy!


I thought something similar myself.


----------



## jaylynn (Feb 2, 2009)

Well, reading this thread isn't really keeping up with the story, except as it related to KBers opinions. There are some interviews on Booksquare and elsewhere where Alexie has clarified his statements. He's a very good author, and I hate to just dismiss him out of hand. The other stories are interesting. Some can be linked from the Amazon blog, and the Booksquare story here:

http://booksquare.com/bea-2009-a-bit-of-deja-vu-all-over-again/

I think that the Kindle could be considered "elitist" in that it's quite expensive and that does limit access to some people, and especially young people. Alexie comes from a poor background and his Native American roots also contribute. I fully realize that I am lucky to be able to shell out the money for a Kindle and many cannot. His remarks tend to fall back to the old "not a real book, blah blah blah" stuff, and I certainly disagree with many of his opinions (obviously. I'm on a Kindle message board.) But I also think it's wrong to just bash him out of hand and not think that some of his points might be valid. He certainly has backed down some esp with re to the fact that ereaders can help people with disabilities read again. Maybe he's educable....!


----------



## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

thank you Jaylynn

sylvia


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

jaylynn said:


> But I also think it's wrong to just bash him out of hand and not think that some of his points might be valid. He certainly has backed down some esp with re to the fact that ereaders can help people with disabilities read again. Maybe he's educable....!


Your point is well taken but his comment about wanting to hit a woman because she was reading a Kindle was foolish.


----------



## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

jaylynn said:


> I think that the Kindle could be considered "elitist" in that it's quite expensive and that does limit access to some people, and especially young people. Alexie comes from a poor background and his Native American roots also contribute. I fully realize that I am lucky to be able to shell out the money for a Kindle and many cannot. His remarks tend to fall back to the old "not a real book, blah blah blah" stuff, and I certainly disagree with many of his opinions (obviously. I'm on a Kindle message board.) But I also think it's wrong to just bash him out of hand and not think that some of his points might be valid. He certainly has backed down some esp with re to the fact that ereaders can help people with disabilities read again. Maybe he's educable....!


I don't buy it.....I see "poor people" all the time who manage to have a big screen TV, Cable, and Xbox and an iPhone....because that is what is important to them. They may have a single wide trailer and a 15 year old car....but at least in America, much of what we call poor means you have to pick your luxuries. I would spend $350.00 on a Kindle long before the other 3 items I mentioned because reading is more important to me. So maybe preferring reading over "boob tubing" is "elitist" but its not because of the price of the Kindle. I don't buy many DVDs or CDs but I do buy books.

I could totally see someone without much discretionary income, who liked to read, deciding a Kindle which allows access to many free and inexpensive books and free basic internet to be more cost effective than a TV/DVD player.

I can afford both and I'm this close to canceling my Cable TV because I rarely watch it anymore. I have too many books on my TBR list!


----------



## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> I don't buy it.....I see "poor people" all the time who manage to have a big screen TV, Cable, and Xbox and an iPhone....because that is what is important to them. They may have a single wide trailer and a 15 year old car....but at least in America, much of what we call poor means you have to pick your luxuries. I would spend $350.00 on a Kindle long before the other 3 items I mentioned because reading is more important to me. So maybe preferring reading over "boob tubing" is "elitist" but its not because of the price of the Kindle. I don't buy many DVDs or CDs but I do buy books.
> 
> I agree.
> I could totally see someone without much discretionary income, who liked to read, deciding a Kindle which allows access to many free and inexpensive books and free basic internet to be more cost effective than a TV/DVD player.
> ...


----------



## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I haven't read any of his books, but I just looked at his books on Amazon and realize I had considered one of them before and I'd seen the movie that was based on on of them.  Some of them do look interesting, but I'm not buying any dead tree books of his.  I might consider for kindle if he comes around, but I did think he was a jerk to make those statements.

I do have an interest in Native American culture and have several N.A. flutes and some jewelry.  Guess I'm too elitist to buy his DTBs.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Your point is well taken but his comment about wanting to hit a woman because she was reading a Kindle was foolish.


Exactly. . . .I have no problem with him having not yet come around to the Kindle. Heck, neither has JK Rowling. But he said he wanted to hit "a woman reading a kindle" that he saw on his flight. When he 'clarified' on his website, he said he should have said a "man reading a kindle" instead. THAT is what makes me shake my head whenever I think of it.


----------



## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Exactly. . . .I have no problem with him having not yet come around to the Kindle. Heck, neither has JK Rowling. But he said he wanted to hit "a woman reading a kindle" that he saw on his flight. When he 'clarified' on his website, he said he should have said a "man reading a kindle" instead. THAT is what makes me shake my head whenever I think of it.


The idea that none of it happened, he just made it up as part of his speech as a "joke." Sad, sad, sad. He lost whatever chance he had with respect or sales with me.


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Kindle is not a new technology.  I haven't followed the market, but haven't ereaders in some form been around for quite a few years?  Did the other ereaders get a similar response from anyone?  Just curious.
deb


----------



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> I don't buy it.....I see "poor people" all the time who manage to have a big screen TV, Cable, and Xbox and an iPhone....because that is what is important to them. They may have a single wide trailer and a 15 year old car....but at least in America, much of what we call poor means you have to pick your luxuries. I would spend $350.00 on a Kindle long before the other 3 items I mentioned because reading is more important to me. So maybe preferring reading over "boob tubing" is "elitist" but its not because of the price of the Kindle. I don't buy many DVDs or CDs but I do buy books.
> 
> I could totally see someone without much discretionary income, who liked to read, deciding a Kindle which allows access to many free and inexpensive books and free basic internet to be more cost effective than a TV/DVD player.
> 
> I can afford both and I'm this close to canceling my Cable TV because I rarely watch it anymore. I have too many books on my TBR list!


There are actually people in the US that are homeless. There are also ones that manage to keep a roof over their heads but don't have enough money for food. Your example is limited, and not really indicative of the true poverty many people face.


----------



## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

Personally I am really tired of everyone using their background as an excuse or as an OH I AM SO WONDERFUL look where I came from -- I grew up in the projects, I grew up on a reservation, _whatever_ - You know what I grew up poor too - and in fact even now we are just squeaking above the 2009 poverty level - so don't pull that card on me! I grew up poor in money only - I was among the wealthiest people out there in love and fun though.

I'm not saying that growing up in either of those places isn't hard - just saying that I am tired of folks pulling the I was poor card or the I had a hard life card out as one of two things - either as a crutch of why they haven't done anything with their life and we should feel we owe them - or - as a look at me I am so wonderful - look what I have accomplished in spite of my background card.

And the so called joke about hitting - bleech .. another rant - people *think before* you speak or accept responsibility for what you said -

ummm can you tell he wrapped up my two biggest sore points in one little speech.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

drenee said:


> Kindle is not a new technology. I haven't followed the market, but haven't ereaders in some form been around for quite a few years? Did the other ereaders get a similar response from anyone? Just curious.
> deb


The earliest e-readers are only about 10 years old. They had the usual backlit type screens and the ones I looked at were WAY more than I wanted to spend. I think Sony was the first to use the e-ink (in the US at least) and they introduced the Reader around 2005 or 2006, maybe. . .don't remember exactly. The Kindle (late 2007) was the first one with the WhisperNet and of course connected to Amazon's huge library which kind of raised the bar.

And, of course, Harvey started 'KindleBoards' not SonyE-readerBoards. . .which, come to think of it, pretty much explains everything.


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

So, in other words, Kindle is not just an e-reader, but an icon of sorts?  
deb


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

drenee said:


> So, in other words, Kindle is not just an e-reader, but an icon of sorts?
> deb


Hard to say. . . there's a strong bias here, of course. But I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years or so, "Kindle" means e-reader no matter who makes it. Much the way, for many people, Xerox means copier even if it's a Canon or Ricoh.


----------



## Kristena (Nov 18, 2008)

What I find odd is that I do have _Parttime Indian_ on my Kindle and I really don't think it's a bootleg. I bought it from Amazon last fall when my son needed a book for a book report. The formatting is excellent, illustrations are present though difficult to see on the Kindle, has all of the copyright info etc. I see now that this book is not available in K format. I guess it's just another of those unanswered Amazon question.


----------



## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> There are actually people in the US that are homeless. There are also ones that manage to keep a roof over their heads but don't have enough money for food. Your example is limited, and not really indicative of the true poverty many people face.


I agree, there are significant numbers of those and my example was not all inclusive. On the other hand, the standard of living of most considered "poor" in the U.S. is far higher than in developing countries.

But is the fact that I have a Kindle (or a TV or a car) "elitist" because these people exist? 
To be consistent he would have to feel the same about his iPod or his TV.

People purchase "Home Theater" systems because it improves their enjoyment of TV and Movies. To me, the Kindle vastly improved my reading experience for significantly less money. The fact that I could read for less is the same as the fact that you could watch a movie on a 13" TV instead of 40" LCD with surround sound. Is he angry enough to hit people who watch Hugh Jackman  on their big screen TV?

(Kindle as Reading Theater System.....I like it!)


----------



## akpak (Mar 5, 2009)

Am I still an elitist if I'm reading a trashy, pulpy romance novel on my Kindle?


----------



## Danariel (Apr 30, 2009)

cdchandler said:


> Thanks for keeping us in the loop. I honestly believe you can reach a person easier with a well thought out response than a ad hominem attack which solves nothing.
> I also wanted to thank you for your quotes. Robert Heinlein will always be a hero to me. From Moon is a harsh Mistress to to the Rolling Stones, and Glory Road and, well although I have all of his works in DTB I will cheerfully get them all on my Kindle. One of my first purchases was Glory Road.
> 
> Just wanted to say thanks for the memory


cdchandler, I know what you mean. I have so many Heinlein books on my shelves. When I first got Gay Deceiver (my Kindle's name!) my first thought was "Ok, now how do I get all the books I have on the shelves onto my Kindle?"

New books are fabulous, but at LEAST as important to me are the books I already own. I go back and re-read, and Heinlein I re-read about every 6 months. My favorites are the books linked to _The Number of the Beast_, starting with _Methuselah's Children_, and including _The Rolling Stones_, _Stranger In A Strange Land_, _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Time Enough for Love, _ _The Cat Who Walks Through Walls_, and _To Sail Beyond the Sunset._

Other particular favorites are _Friday_ and its precursor _Gulf, Lost Legacy_, _Glory Road_, _Job: A Comedy of Justice, I Will Fear No Evil, Farnham's Freehold, The Door Into Summer, Podkayne of Mars_, and _Sixth Column_. I have ALL of these on my Kindle now (as well as on my shelves.)

All my computers are named after Heinlein's sentient computers. My desktop: Athene; laptop: Minerva; iPod Touch: Dora; and Kindle: Gay Deceiver. No Mycroft Holmes IV (Mike) yet, though. And poor Minerva is awaiting a video card after a black screen last week.

I also appreciate the opportunity to connect with readers who share more than a format with me, too. I love talking about my favorite author.

And, to keep it on topic, I haven't had any response to my email. I may post it over on the Amazon forums, just to see if I get a nibble, there.


----------



## Bibliophile (Mar 2, 2009)

vsch said:


> Sherman Alexie
> FallsApart Productions
> PMB 2294
> 10002 Aurora Avenue North, #36
> ...


I regularly and conspicuously read my Oberon-clad Kindle every day in my travels throughout Seattle. Should this pompous dreamer take a swing at me during one of my relaxing reading escapes, my biggest problem will be deciding whether to a). sue, or b). hit back (I'm 6'6", 270# and am fairly competent in a fight). Either way, it'll be extremely cathartic should this whiner decide to act on his little fantasy. 'Till then, I'll be slowly working my way though Ulysses - freely downloaded from feedbooks.

One parting thought - it goes without saying that I will _never_ purchase anything containing the field "*Sherman Alexie*". Way to go, alienating a chunk of your potential market! LOL


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Danariel said:


> I have so many Heinlein books on my shelves.


Thank you for listing them; I realized that there is actually one of his I don't own!!  

Off to remedy that immediately.


----------



## Greg Banks (May 2, 2009)

I think the Kindle is no more "elitist" than a new car or a home. There are people who cannot afford them, but that in itself does not mean they are denied access to either. There are starving people in this world that would probably think junk food is elitist, since we treat food as a pleasurable item when they can't even get it just to sustain their lives.

Most people who hate the Kindle are, in my opinion, hypocrites. Why? Because the very same people likely own a $400 iPod, a $400 video game system, an $1000 + computer or notebook (or both), a nice home, a decent if not new car, etc., etc., or some variation thereof. They only look down on the Kindle because the idea of paying so much for a reading device just seems strange and unnecessary to them. In a way I can't blame them, but I just think they aren't seeing the bigger picture of the revolution the Kindle represents.

For full disclosure, I own computers, a video game system, an iPod, one Kindle (with a DX on the way), and other tech stuff. I'm a disabled person who has only found the means to earn an appreciable income in the last few years, and because I don't have to worry about such things as a mortgage, I've spent the money I've made on the things I've wanted but couldn't afford before. And the Kindle has changed my life for the better. I'm in no way rich, and the idea of being referred to as an elitist is quite offensive.

While perhaps we shouldn't be so harsh on Mr. Alexie, he in turn should have been more respectful of the fact this is far more than a luxury item, and I think that is exactly what made the Kindle such a success where other ereaders have floundered. He opened himself up to the hostility many feel toward his remarks, so he's reaping what he sowed, whether rightfully so or not.


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Even if it is a luxury item it still is a bit odd to think a small group of people are elitists.  I can think of many more items I would consider elitist items.  And what I might think of as an item that only those with a higher income can easily afford, many others would consider a normal part of their daily life.  Everything is relative.
deb


----------



## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

akjak said:


> Am I still an elitist if I'm reading a trashy, pulpy romance novel on my Kindle?


Oh, you belong to the super-elitist club with me, because I have the same sort of books on my Kindle.  

L


----------

