I Thought of You While Reading This Novel
The article discusses the changing landscape of reading and writing in the digital age. It reflects on the impact of screens on children's reading habits and the importance of boredom in fostering a love for literature. The author shares personal experiences and concerns about the future of reading and writing amidst cultural shifts.
- ▪Reading aloud is now seen as a form of rebellion against digital distractions.
- ▪The author believes that schools have not effectively cultivated a love for reading among children.
- ▪Boredom has historically driven a love for reading, which is being lost in the current generation.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Reading aloud has become an act of punk rebellion. Something like listening to a recording of The Clash, flirting in a coffee shop at noon, or sitting down to watch John Wayne’s entire filmography. Rich Lowry complains that children no longer read. They say screens and smartphones are to blame. Lowry concludes that this is a major failure of the education system. But I don’t entirely agree.It’s true that the absence of paper books in classrooms is a tragedy. It prevents children from acquiring the mechanical habit of opening a book, reading it, and caressing its pages. The smell of printer’s glue is strangely addictive. But I think schools have never really managed to produce good readers. Required reading is necessary, but it has never made children fall in love with books.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.
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