True bookworms know how important it is to have a number of books lined up, sitting there, waiting to be read. It brings a different kind of joy to know that there is a safety net of books waiting to catch you once you fall out of the one you are currently reading. And then there is the joy of just browsing through bookstores, bumping into new books, and buying them or even just marking them in their head because let’s face it, adding books to your “to read” list is just as important as reading them.
Which is where the humble bookstore comes in. You go to the store, browse around, pick up some books (if you want to) and make your way back. The ongoing pandemic has however robbed book lovers of this simple pleasure. Most bookstores are either shut or open only for a very limited period of time.
A bookstore with millions of books, which is always open.
Well, except one. There is a place where you can browse books all you want. A bookstore that keeps getting new books everyday. A bookstore that never closes. It has millions – yes, millions of books. Almost every new title gets released on it. It lets you browse books and delivers them to you. It is often right in your pocket or on a table. And you have probably heard of it.
We are talking of Amazon’s Kindle Store.
One of the biggest names – heck, the biggest name – in the e-book industry is Amazon Kindle. A number of people tend to associate the name Kindle with the e-reader, completely oblivious to the fact that the Kindle brand has actually much more to it than just the e-reader. But there is more to Kindle than just a device to read books. It is also the name of the Kindle e-book store. The bookstore that literally never closes.
You don’t need a Kindle reader
Many have this misconception that one can only access the Kindle e-book store if they own a Kindle e-bopok reader. But that is not correct, you can access the bookstore with an Internet connection and a device that can run that Internet. You do not necessarily need a Kindle e-reader to browse and buy books at the Kindle e-book store. Actually some would even say that browsing the store is easier on a phone, a tablet or a PC than on the Kindle, whose e-ink display does not show colours and can be a little sluggish.
To browse and buy books on the Kindle e-book store, all you really need is an Amazon account (you can get one for free if you do not have it) and download the Kindle app on your device. The app is available for free on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android platforms. The Kindle app is only for reading books, though – you can browse the Kindle book store on your Internet browser itself (Chrome, Safari, Edge or whatever you prefer). In fact, you can even read books within the browser using the Kindle Cloud Reader, but we would recommend downloading the app – it is a way cleaner experience.
And that is because the Kindle apps let you do a lot as well. You can have the pleasure of marking, highlighting and making notes and even changing font size or the font, without the fear of ruining your favourite book. You can even share passages from the book on your social networks. Of course, if you do not wish to install an app, just use the Kindle Cloud Reader on your browser.
Browse, read…at any time at any place
The Kindle e-book store not only allows you to browse books but you can also download a sample of the book you might feel is interesting before buying it. These samples are pretty big – you often get a chapter or fifteen to twenty pages. And they are totally free! You can then decide to buy or ditch the book as per your experience. To top this off, Amazon also offers discounts on books and even offers some reads for free every now and then which means if you are vigilant enough you can actually get books without paying a penny.
What’s more, as the Kindle e-Book Store is extremely popular and has a massive database and collection of books, the chances of new books arriving on the Kindle e-Book Store first are much higher than getting available on other platforms. And well, as these are digital books, they are never out of stock.
You will actually be able to find more books on the Kindle e-Book Store than you might be able to find at a regular book store. Thousands of books, literally clicks away! And you can visit at any time, no matter where you are. You literally carry it with you on your phone or any other Internet device.
A (e)bookstore that should be bookmarked?
Most definitely!
You can visit the Amazon Kindle Store – it is always open, as long as you have an Internet connection. Everyone is allowed. You can browse as long as you wish. There is no compulsion to buy.