Thoughtful stranger gives Kindle to homeless man who repeatedly read the same book

The Good Samaritan said he too had been down on his luck in the past

Kashmira Gander
Monday 02 February 2015 15:04 GMT
Comments
A homeless man named Paul holds the Kindle a stranger gave him
A homeless man named Paul holds the Kindle a stranger gave him (Mjuad/Reddit)

An anonymous do-gooder has shunned praise after he gave a homeless man his Kindle.

The man from San Diego, California, was visiting Las Vegas last month, when he met a homeless man named Paul, who had read the same, worn book, each time he passed.

In a Reddit post, the man using the username ‘mjuad’ said he had also been down on his luck in the past, and decided to give Paul his Kindle e-reader.

A moving photo showing Paul with his Kindle has been viewed over 2 million times on Imgur.

He wrote that the device is packed with around 200 books, including works by the American writers William Falkner, Ernest Hemmingway, Cormac McCarthy, and George R.R. Martin as well as Irish novelist James Joyce.

The Good Samaritan added that he has given Paul a charger, as well as his address so he can send him the device to add more books, when he has finished devouring the works already on his Kindle.

"I make really good money and I have been at the bottom. I try to help out the homeless whenever I can with non-monetary means.

"I couldn't just go on having it in my pack knowing someone could get so much enjoyment out of something that, to me, costs so little.

"I've never seen someone so happy to receive something and it brings me so much joy to see him every day reading from it," he wrote on Reddit.

Users of the popular website called the man's gesture "amazing", and offered to give Paul gift cards and tips for downloading free books.

He went on to ask Reddit users with premium accounts not to gild his post, a service which costs money, but to instead give the money to those in need.

"Would gladly sponsor a month for him," said eire9.

"You should know you're amazing, but here's me telling you: You're amazing," said user amorousCephalopod.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in