Amazon’s Kindle and Lt. Colonel Dennis Foley

I am playing catch-up after working almost 6 weeks of straight 12 hour days and I finally have time to write about a few things that have stirred my interest.

I bought an Amazon Kindle 3!

Before I get into what I think about it, let me explain how it came about.  I was reading a book that I bought in 1995, but for some reason never read named “Special Men – A LRP’s Recollections” by retired army colonel Dennis Foley.

I really enjoyed the book and I had a few observations and questions for the author, so I looked around and sure enough, Dennis Foley has a website, so I wrote him. This started a dialogue that has continued via email for the last so many days.

He encouraged me to continue my writing efforts and to take a look at his latest book, which at this time is only in Kindle format, albeit, you can purchase it from Amazon and read on your PC through an “App” from Amazon – so I did.  Aw, heck, to make a long story shorter, I took the plunge and bought the Kindle too, even though I am stubbornly resistant to advertisers and gimmicks.

Well, let me tell you, the second I turned the Kindle 3 on (after charging it), I was hooked solid.  Wow, this thing is everything they said and more and I say that sincerely.  I was wondering how I was going to get the e-book I bought  “A Requiem for Crows” by Dennis Foley onto the Kindle 3, but following the simple instructions included with the device, I connected to my Wi-Fi router and watched the book appear before my very eyes.

Incidentally, I have the Wi-Fi model, not the 3G, which was $50 less or $139 shipped to my address.  Over the next 2 days I flew through “A requiem for crows” just like a paperback book, making the flawless transition painlessly.  I am totally hooked on the Kindle, but will continue to read printed books when the titles I crave are not available.

I went ahead and bought Colonel Foley’s 3 other text books online also, which are: “Long Range Patrol”, “ Night work”, and “Take back the night”.  Colonel Foley tells me “Well, get your fill of mine. No more military books from me. I’m on to other worlds other characters live in.”, but I am hoping he will follow up on a character in “A requiem for crows” named Ace.  He also tells me he hopes to have all 5 of his Vietnam books in e-text soon.

Two nights ago, I surfed to Amazon.com and “purchased” over 40 free full length classic books written before 1923 which I plan to read.  Now, using my Kindle, if I fill it up with all the books it will hold and read 100 books this year, I will still have 34 years of books to go and seeing how the battery stays charged for one month at a time, I won’t have to plug it in every other day and mess up my readin' time.

Lt. Colonel Dennis Foley’s Bio       See his books here       The Kindle 3