Literary Snobbery and the Kindle in The New York Times

The New York Times has an interesting article about how the Kindle and other e-readers are affecting the literary snobbery that goes with displaying shelves full of books or carrying the latest best-seller on the train. One comment by Sara Nelson, the former editor of Publishers Weekly says

It’s really expensive. If you’re going to pay that, you’re giving a statement to the world that you like to read.

On the other hand, the article posits, does a Kindle full of books appear as impressive as a shelf full of the same books? Does reading the latest best-selling novel on the Kindle feel less satisfying because you’re not broadcasting your good taste to the world? I’ve written about the exact opposite situation before – using the Kindle to hide the trashy romance novel or the latest self-help book you’re reading.

The article goes on to talk to people in the literature industry about what the Kindle means for the book world, both positive and negative. One surprise is the author who is happy her book isn’t available for the Kindle and specifically hopes that readers won’t click the “Tell the publisher you’d like to read this book on Kindle” button on Amazon.

You can read the whole article at NYTimes.com.

Personally I feel like more of a spectacle with the shiny new Kindle than with a book whose cover everyone can clearly read. What do other Kindle owners think? Do you feel like less or more of a literary snob when reading your Kindle in public?