thanks for all this input........I understand that one can download audio books also on the Kindle. Now, what is a Nook? and what is the difference......like can both be purchased at say Best Buy? I think I want one primarily for reading-(free, from Library)...altho now games might be interesting...see how easy it is to distract me!!!!! someone said the backlight is not good for your eyes.......just some comments I am gathering......I still don't know...maybe tomorrow I will go Best Buy and listen to the sales pitch.........where do you get free book lists......

I have a nook, just the regular e-ink one. Backlight can sometimes give me head pain due to a medical condition. Nook is by Barnes & Noble, but you can get it at Best Buy too. I think they're pretty comparable. My husband has the Nook Tablet and reads in bed with the backlit screen turned down to low. I have to read with a light. I find that the e-ink is easier to see outside in bright sun also, and I read outside a lot. We all have our preferences, so just decide what's the most important to you...there's no one perfect gadget, but I sure like mine!

My kids got me the Fire for Christmas and I really like it. I have read more books since I got it than I have in 10 years. I can get books from Amazon for free or buy them and also from the library. I went to the library as they had an overview on how to download books from them, it is so easy to do I don't even need my instructions anymore! I also downloaded my email account plus some games that my daughter thought I would like, I have other things loaded but can't think of them right now (old age). I'm sure you would enjoy having one no matter which one you get.

the libraries work with Kindle, they do not work with Nook. just keep that in mind.
look in Amazon .com and type free kindle books in the search bar for some free ones. or search by author. i just got five books there for free. they may not be good ones though, but time will tell.

i love my kindle! i bought hubby one for christmas- then he decided i should have one too & bought me one last month---
i used to read alot----then quilting kind of took over my (free time) and i would only read 3 or 4 books a year---then the kindle came into my world & i've read 6 books in a month!
it is not a fancy one- it is the touch ($99) one- now i'm not sitting here on the computer as much- or browsing quilting mags---i'm reading books again!
it is great!
and so far i am still getting my sewing done- so---very happy
hubby is an avid reader---was re-reading book after book on the shelves----now he can just buy a new one when ever he finishes one- he tend to buy 3 at a time...he loves it-
we don't do any internet stuff other than visiting the kindle store to buy books- it was a great buy for both of us :)

I use my Knidle every day. I am an audiobooks reader. I use it in my car, in my sewing room, in situations where you need to wait,. I pay about 8-9 bucks for best sellers in that format or as little as 5 bucks. I could use my computer for the same thing and sometimes I do.

For the difference in money I would get the Fire, I think the screen is better.

I love mine for the following reasons.....

No fuss, no muss. No more books, newspapers, magazines lying around.

You can share. My GF and I share.

You can get on the net, especially with the Fire so you can play games.

Oh yeah you can buy a book at 2am, get the one you want---not what is on the shelf in your small town and you dont waste gas going to the store.

You save money.

You can play games and do crosswords without caring half the library of Congress around with you....saved my sanity when I was waiting for my Mom's surgeries this last year.

Finally you can listen through audible or read.

I love my Kindle! I'm on my second one and I would never give it up. I like that it means fewer books sitting around the house that can't fit on my bookshelves. It's great for travel and I can get a book anywhere, anytime, instantly. I still read real books half the time, and I borrow both traditional books and Kindle books from the library. It doesn't feel any different to me to read a book on my Kindle than a traditional book.

I've given them to my DH and all my kids as gifts. We borrow books back and forth between our Kindles.

Kindle is one of my favorite applications of technology.

My DH gave me a Kindle Fire last Christmas and I love it! I do most of my browsing on it and save quilt instructions on it so I don't have to print them out. I can open anything in my sewing room and work on it. Also, have such a great selection of books to choose from. I can access two library systems and check out books to read on the KF. Anything you download can be accessed at anytime, whether you have wi-fi access or not. You do have to have wi-fi access to use the Internet. I can't imagine not having it now.

Love my Kindle - I would only want the capability to download whenever I wanted. It is worth the $$. One of my friends always has to go somewhere with WiFi in order to download a book and I personally couldn't be bothered with that. I use mine more than I thought I would as I love books!

I check out books from my library on my nook all the time, works great!