Alan Jacobs’ slim little book explores the fate of reading in the 21st Century. Ebooks, multi-media, the current publishing crisis, and the multi-tasking of Blackberry, iPad, and laptop users are changing the way people think about reading. Jacobs writes about how reading has evolved over time, how writers changed their writing styles, and how the reading public’s tastes changed. Yes, Jacobs deals with Stephen King and J. K. Rowling as well as Tolstoy and Faulkner. I found Jacobs’ analysis thought-provoking. GRADE: B+
Sounds like my kind of book. I just read Nina Sankovitch’s book that you recommended a couple of weeks ago. Though it was more about her reactions to her sister’s death than the books in part it was still interesting and I did get a few book recommendations from it.
Glad you enjoyed TOLSTOY AND THE PURPLE CHAIR, Jeff. Diane read it (and liked it), too.
I have become a very distracted reader. I need help in how to deal with that. I used to be able to read for hours, now a lot less. My brain has been rewired by the Internet, I think.
Alan Jacobs agrees with you, Patti. The Internet and all the devices–cell phones, iPods, iPads, etc.–have rewired our brains. It’s harder to focus with all that distraction. There are no easy solutions.
Growing up with only one (very quiet, 6 yr. older) sibling, I never learned to tune things out. If the TV is on, I can’t read in the same part of the house. If the neighbor has music playing (it isn’t ever classical) I have trouble reading, I need a quiet place. Once I have that, though, I can read all day, the electronic-computer-internet-wired things don’t “call” to me. I didn’t turn on the iMac from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening and didn’t even think about it until I got a phone call asking a question that had first been asked by email Saturday morning.
I’m with you, Rick. I try to isolate myself from phones and computers when I read. I want to focus on the words and the story. As Alan Jacobs points out, we live in an Age of Distraction.
I agree with Jeff. This sounds like my kind of book. Thanks for the recommendation.
THE PLEASURE OF READING IN AN AGE OF DISTRACTION is a quick read, Beth. You’ll find some interesting book suggestions from the author.
Rick, I agree with you – I need quiet (mostly) to read. If the music is on I would not be able to concentrate on both the music and the book, but I can read and ignore the music. The real distraction to me, however, is the television. No way can I read and watch at the same time, so generally when we’re watching I’ll put down the book. If it’s something I am not interested in I will go in the other room to read, as the TV is too distracting.
And yes, I need quiet and a dark room to sleep.
Diane usually watches TV with a book in her hand, Jeff. As soon as the commercials start, she reads. When the program starts up again, she puts her book down. I’ve been amazed by this for years. I can’t do it. Like you, I can only do one thing at a time. And I require a quiet, dark room to sleep, too.
Jackie can read and watch at the same time too. Maybe it’s a female thing.
Diane is much better at multi-tasking than I am, Jeff. I usually stick to doing one thing at a time.
Yep. I do that too, but so does Phil. Probably more a magazine than a book now though–since I am distractable. I am also able to completely screen commercials out. I learned that trick from long sermons in my youth.
We DVR almost everything, Patti, just so we can skip the commercials. But, if we’re watching a program with commercials in Real Time, Diane can read her book and I usually leave the room to exercise my new knee or to grab a handful of frozen chocolate chips (my favorite quick snack!).
And how are you and your new knee doing, George?
The new knee is getting stronger every day, Drongo. I go to Physical Therapy twice per week and that helps plenty, too. I’m hoping to attend BOUCHERCON without my cane. But, major surgery does exhaust you. I’m building up my stamina although it’s a slow process. Thanks for asking!