At a party recently, somebody commented, “Sounds like you do a lot of reading.â€
This made me wonder if I was spouting off too much about books and coming off as a know-it-all. The truth is I don’t know much at all, but if the topic happens to be rats, or whaling and cannibalism, Benedict Arnold, or dozens of other obscure things I’ve read books about, then I can actually contribute something to the conversation.
But reading is getting harder, or more accurately, staying awake is getting harder. Time is short, and more often than not the only opportunity to read is at bedtime. This is not very efficient, because you’ll get through a page, or a paragraph, or sometimes even a single sentence and nod off.
Hours later you wake up with the light still on and your book askew somewhere. The same way toast always lands butter side down, your book is never on the page where you left off.
Enter the Kindle.
Many people who love books are resisting e-readers, but one attractive advantage is emerging: they will remember the page you were on. This way, when you pick up the book there will be no searching for the spot where you were  overcome by slumber. Unless the cat came along and walked on the page advance button. Then you are out of luck.
Freaking cats.
I myself want a Kindle or iPad or what have you in the worst way for exactly the reasons you stated.
The nice thing about the Kindle is that it doesn’t hurt as much when it falls on your face as you nod off. The iPad really hurts.
Falling asleep while reading = danger! I’ve had books land on my face, but also dropped them off the side of the bed onto the pets.