At first I wondered why she'd do that, since she received a complementary print copy when the book was published. But then I remembered that she's my mom, and that's what good moms do.
My second thought was: How's the book going to translate to a Kindle's tiny black and white screen? I have to admit that as much as I want to save trees and love technology, I'm still a good old-fashioned book guy. I love good book cover design (Chip Kidd comes to mind). I see books as little packages, treasured artifacts, timeless works of art.
When working on my book, I sourced the photos from my rock heroes, provided illustrations, information and graphic designs, and in some cases, shot my own photos. This design process was probably more fun than actually writing the book itself. I provided all of the book's images not just because I'm a designer myself, but because I see the artwork as an integral part of what the book is. It's not just a "how to" about indie rock and audio production, but a celebration of indie rock itself, of expressing oneself creatively by making your own music.
I see more and more Kindles on my daily commute, and my mom purchasing anything electronic is a sure indicator that a new technology is finally catching on. Or in her case, maybe a year or two ago. I think I like the idea of reading on a Kindle, but for me I'm still not sure it could match the satisfaction of opening up my book, or any book, and seeing the text and design exactly as it was meant to be seen: in print.
Also, when one downloads an e-book, you can't crack it open to the center and take a long whiff of that pulpy, nice new book smell. But that's probably not a concern except for those weirdos who do such things.
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