Reading Henry James

Amazon has started shipping its international Kindle. I wrote about it here, on my other blog, Kirkville, and I previously wrote here and here about using the Kindle on an iPod touch. (The international Kindle concerns me because I live in France.)

I’ve stated here that I’m planning to read all of Henry’s work in the Library of America editions – at least as long as I can, because they haven’t yet published the last two novels. But I also mentioned perhaps listening to some works as audiobooks, and why not reading some on a Kindle.

For I haven’t yet decided whether I want to buy a Kindle. If you check out Kirkville, you’ll see that my day job is writing about computers and technology. As such, it’s only natural that I get a Kindle to learn more about ebooks. (Actually, ebooks aren’t new to me; I did a fair amount of work for a French ebook publisher more than ten years ago.) But the Kindle does what ebook readers didn’t do before: it makes it possible to buy books easily. It’s the iPod of ebook readers; for now. And that’s why I’m hesitant about buying one. Rumors about Apple releasing a tablet have been floating around the Internet for some time, and intensifying in recent months, and if anyone can do it right, it’s Apple. With the iTunes Store to distribute books, an Apple ebook reader / tablet would be a true game-changer.

Anyway, I’m thinking about getting a Kindle, and if I do, I would certainly read some Henry James on it. I’ll post more if I decide to buy it, and if I start reading some Henry on it.

Meanwhile, I plan to start my reading soon, with Henry’s first story, A Tragedy of Error. Stay tuned.