Reading's different on a Kindle

Life's Compline: A Journey Just Begun ~ by Betty Creamer, 2020, 

This book uses the term "Compline Years" because the order of Compline in the Daily Office (Episcopal Book of Common Prayer) provides prayers at the end of the day, and the Compline years provide seniors with time for prayerful reflection in the latter days of life.  While the Compline prayers embrace the hope and faith that the faithful sleep and then awaken to a new day, the Compline of life embodies and animates the hope and faith of the deep sleep of death as part of the journey just begun in the light and love of God in eternity.

I started reading this book today, on August 5th, even though I bought it for my Kindle on August 1st, one day after the first edition (the Kindle edition) was published on July 31st.  I wanted to finish another book I was reading before jumping into this one.

In a note immediately following the front mater, the author has added "A Word in Time of Pandemic," saying, "I conpleted the body of this book in February, 2020 with a vision ... Enter COVID-19."  It was the first time I've seen "COVID-19" in a published book, so I tapped to highlighted it so I could see what Wikipedia had to say about it.  After three sentences about the origin of this virus, I read this:

"As of 5 August 2020, more than 18.5 million cases have been reported across 188 countries and territories, resulting in more than 701,000 deaths.  More than 11.1 million people have recovered."

Wow!  Published books in our time are amazing!  The facts keep getting updated.  I was shocked to see reference to TODAY in a book I bought four days ago.  I used to say I prefer holding a "real" book in my hands, rather than an electronic one.  But this sort of thing is changing my mind.  I like being able to look things up without doing anything more than tapping the screen.  I like highlighting quotes and typing notes into the book exactly where I'm reading.

Word of the Day

com·pline / ˈkämplin / noun = a service of evening prayers forming part of the Divine Office of the Western Christian Church, that is traditionally said or chanted before retiring for the night.

Example:  The author says, "I use the term 'Compline Years' because the order of Compline in the Daily Office provides prayers at the end of the day, and the Compline years provide seniors with time for prayerful reflection in the latter days of life" (p. 16).

She was specific on page 12:  "the Compline Years (ages 65 and older)."  So what I've learned today is that, even in my "Compline Years," I can keep learning and being excited about new things.  Now I'm off to bed where I'll read more of this book before I sleep.