During my lunch break today on my first day of work placement in the city I stumbled across a neatly tucked away little bookshop on my walk back to the office. I wondered in and began to look around. I soon found myself lost in an array of titles, authors and blurbs. Fifteen minutes later I dragged myself out of the store before I did my savings account some serious damage.
The second I walked into the store it was like I had walked into another world, it was quiet and peaceful and even the light seemed different. However there was a huge lack of customers inside the store (which is probably why it was so peaceful) which prompted me to ask, what happened to reading? Personally I love nothing more than spending an hour or two on the couch with a cup of tea and a good novel, or wondering around a book store in the search for my next read.
Why is it that people will no longer devote any time to reading? Is it a lack of time, or merely a lack of interest? So many people I know haven't read a novel since they were in school. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't able to take some time out, away from the real world, getting lost in someone else's world.
I suppose reading is my escape... When reading a good book I find myself completely absorbed in the story and the lives of the characters. In a way I suppose reading keeps my imagination alive, giving me a chance to make believe as though I was a child again.
Are you aware of the irony in saying people don't read anymore while having your complaint in a written form?
ReplyDeleteOr is it meant to appeal to those of us that still read?
Either way, it's a good piece..
Clever title aswell.
I guess perhaps I didnt make it clear enough that I was refering to books rather than just text in general. It seems that people today are so wrapped up in all this new technology (blogging, social networking, etc.) that they've forgotten that good old fashioned books still exist.
ReplyDeleteI find that reading something online or in a magazine just isn't the same as reading a novel.
And thanks, thinking of a suitable title for my blogs is just as hard as writing them. If I don't have a catchy title, why would people bother to read the rest?
Spending hours meandering through a bookstore is a very worthy pursuit, i commend you for it. I've always thought that with all the books that have been published in the modern age, how could everyone not have something to read for most of their life?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe same could be said for say classical music. Why is it that it is perceived, and well pretty much is, a dead art form. There is SO much out there, and I'm not talking your traditional ooompah ooompah cliched generecism, yet people just seem to not care about it. Rather than wanting music that moves them and that makes them feel a certain way, they just want a lazy old four to the floor house beat [which is mad when you're mackered drunk at a club though] but I couldn't imagine living off it.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's just like it's much "easier" to read a New Idea and spend a night reading Facebook Updates than a literary work.
But hey, that's the new world,it's not particularly a bad thing, but it's slightly disettling.
And by the way, if you like books, you HAVE to get to the BEST bookstore I have EVER been to; It's this really really really huge second hand bookstore on King st in Newtown, it has the most amazing stuff you'd never think you'd find and you end up paying $5-7 a book