The Future of Reading
Literature will always be important to society. It influences us and guides our decisions, both from the shadows and in the light. There is no denying the impact that literature in any form has on humanity, but it is undeniable that the written book is one of the most effective means of using literature. It allows for in-depth development and analysis of a topic that allows for many different interpretations. Books let people from all backgrounds and walks of life come to their own conclusions about important issues that need to be addressed in many different genres and forms (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, thriller, drama, mystery, horror, etc). In our growing age of technology, however, books are becoming less common in favor of other means of delivering information, such as eBooks, online articles, podcasts, videos, memes, and social media posts. Video games, TV shows, movies, and social media have come to take up the time that used to be spent reading. The question–one that should be interesting to scholars, writers, and readers alike–is, will book-reading one day vanish completely?
As I conducted my research, I was surprised to learn that the general consensus is that print books, and therefore reading itself, are far from being in danger of dying out. An article by Kristen Ludwigsen described her debut into the publishing industry and her (and her family’s) fears that the industry was shrinking and pointless to join. She found that the publishing industry has simply adapted with the times and adopted audiobooks and eBooks to expand accessibility. Celebrity book clubs are making a comeback and book sales across many genres are increasing, including juvenile and young adult fiction, which is encouraging to hear since children have much easier access to the distractions of technology than they ever have before. Print books still outsell eBooks, and audiobooks provide an easy way to keep reading while on road-trips or doing menial tasks. Despite so much availability of technology and alternatives to books, they are continuing to thrive.
In fact, most articles agreed that while eBooks are becoming popular because of their ease of access, the majority of people still prefer print books. The article “Stop Saying Books Are Dead. They’re More Alive Than Ever“ was written by Lisa Lucas, who believes that whenever someone says books are dying, that proves that they would like to be convinced otherwise which is what Lucas is there to do. Lucas uses facts to back her argument, saying that a study found that 24% of Americans did not read a book in 2017, which means that 76% did. A quarter of the country may have abandoned reading, but three quarters of it still holds on strong. The American Booksellers Association, for example, said in 2018 that its membership grew for the ninth year in a row. Despite the prevalence of eBooks, physical book sales continue to grow every year. The article “Paperback vs Ebook: The Best Of Both Worlds“ by André Klein mentions how eBooks are popular because they tend to be cheaper (and available to read much faster since there is no need for shipping), but he also points out that only 2% of sold books in Germany are eBooks, with 12% in the UK and 25% in the US. That is still a very significant amount of sales going towards regular print books.
It is easy to see why books are so popular. The article “5 Reasons Why Books Aren’t Dying Out“ captures the feel of reading in the quote “Reading a well-written book you are instantly transported to a completely immersive world full of color, texture, shapes, smells, sounds, feelings and relationships . . . And, while the plot, characters and dialogues are fixed by the author, it’s the reader who creates this world in his mind.” While eBooks do not get rid of this intimacy and imagination, sometimes they can take away from it, especially if the digital version elects to include photos and thereby contradict the idea in the reader’s head. The human mind creates images that are unmatched by any technology, which is why many people prefer books over their movie counterparts if they have been adapted into film. The article, also written by André Klein, goes on to say that the print book as we know it may evolve into something more, but nothing will ever truly replace the stories that print books tell. In his article “The Death of Print Doesn’t Have to Mean the Death of Publishing“, Steve Haber rightly says that “in a world of social networks, video games and mobile handsets that do everything imaginable, Americans have maintained their interest in reading.”
Of course, there are some who believe that reading itself does have an expiration date. Haber’s article, while it focuses on the ways publishing is still thriving, does mention how it could still vanish if publishers are not careful. Some publishing companies are refraining from publishing content as eBooks, which alienates loyal customers that have already started adopting the new technology. This encourages piracy, which could mean the end of the publishing industry if publishers do not catch on. A New York Times article further discussed the possible death of reading, pointing to the belief that the radio would kill reading when it was first introduced. In 1966, some people equated books with antiques like clotheslines and stocking seams. Many futuristic dreamers and writers believed that bookshelves would be a thing of the past.
It was surprisingly difficult to find people that truly thought books were disappearing. Most articles that argued that books were dying were very old and therefore obsolete. The essay “The End of Books“ by Robert Coover demonstrates the author’s view that books will soon be gone, but it was written in 1992 and things have changed drastically since then. With the rise of different technologies that present different ways of reading, books are more popular than ever. As Lisa Lucas said, “Storytelling is fundamental to human beings. It is how we explore and make sense of this world and understand one another.” To lose books would be to lose a vital form of communication and tool for growth, so it is comforting to hear that reading is not dying out like some may think.
When I initially approached the topic of books and their prevalence today, I thought many people would say that books are vanishing. In my experience, it has felt as though no one reads anymore and instead spends all their time on YouTube, various social media platforms, or streaming services like Netflix. I thought I was a member of a very small club of people my age that still sought out books for entertainment rather than (or in addition to) movies and TV shows. Once I really started exploring the question, however, I found that to be far from true. So many people are still reading as many books as they can get their hands on, just in different formats. While I will never stop reading print books, I myself love eBooks because of the ability to take them with me almost anywhere, especially when it comes to big textbooks for school. Lots of people enjoy audiobooks during work commutes, road-trips, workouts, or even in the kitchen while cooking. There are many different mediums through which people read, but reading itself is not going anywhere anytime soon.
This is the subject I would like to explore for my final multimodal project. My question is whether or not book-reading is relevant to our society today, and I believe that it still is. The research I have done supports this claim, but I will also look harder for the initial idea that reading is disappearing and why people think so in order to discuss both sides of the question. I will most likely do this as a website, but I have not settled on a host yet. I have never used wix.com before, but after using WordPress the entire semester, I am eager to try something new. My plan is to include a few pages describing the purpose of the website and my perspective on the matter, with different sections providing the facts that back my argument. One section will focus on the rise of eBooks and audiobooks and how they have affected the publishing industry in regards to price, availability, and interest. Another will discuss social media, video games, and streaming services and the impact those have had on reading. I am interested to continue exploring this topic and excited to see where it will take me.
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