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Are Print Books Doomed? Gone Like the Dodo Bird, the 8 Track Tape?

Is reading in danger? Are print books doomed? As a reader all of my life, I would be devastated if that was so.

I remember the exact moment I learned to make sense of the printed word, and I remember witnessing that moment in my students, but I could never put it better than Alberto Manguel:

“At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book—that string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning, and at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader.”

In A History of Reading, Alberto Manguel covers reading as ‘seduction, as rebellion, and as obsession’ and goes on to trace the history of the reader’s passage from ‘clay tablet to scroll, codex to CD-ROM’.

I couldn’t imagine a world in which all of the benefits of reading, from improved mental stimulation, to vocabulary expansion, to increased understanding of humanity were taken away and replaced with an entirely different type of communication based on technology, such as Instagram or Snap Chat.

Is reading dangerously in decline?

Only recently, reports like Reading at Risk (2004) and To Read or Not to Read (2007), conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts predicted the demise of print media, relegating it to the graveyard.

These surveys clearly documented a decline in both reading and reading ability in the first generation of teenagers and young adults raised in a society full of video games, cell phones, iPods, laptops, and other electronic devices.

Maybe those years were an anomaly— a siren call to the first, compelling wave of irresistible technology to hit the reading population. Because now, the NEA has changed its tune.

An about face

For the first time in over a quarter-century, they now say, their most recent survey shows that literary reading has risen among all adult Americans, whites, African Americans and Hispanics.

Pew research agrees. A recent major study, using people who read at least one book a year as a baseline, released these results:

-The percentage of adults who have read one book in the last 12 months is essentially unchanged from 2012, moving from 72 percent to 73 percent.

-the typical (median) American has read 4 books in the last 12 months.

-A full 80 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds read a book in the last year, sticking to at least a partial diet of physical books.

-Fully 65% of Americans have read a print book in the last year, more than double the share that has read an e-book (28%)

Does this mean print books are here to stay?

So, the good news is that reading, and especially reading of print books, is here to stay at least for now— It means that as long as there are people, some significant portion of them will be reading, since reading books seems to be an enduring part of our culture.

Now, I am not a Luddite—I appreciate the benefits of technological delivery of the printed word. Digital books give the reader many advantages, the access of selection, the convenience of payment and delivery, the ability to adjust the size of printing. But for the moment, I am stuck in my love affair with print books. They are the real thing, in my opinion. I like the feel of the book in my hand, the testimonials, the handy flyleaf, where I can flip to find out about the author, with the sometimes added bonus of a picture.

If you are grieving for the inevitable transfer from print to electronic media, Lucas Jerzy Portela, commenting in a article by Elizabeth Oberg, offers this perspective:

“The way we read always changed through time: from verse to prose, from aloud to silent, from illustrated to plain text. “

But let’s ask Anna Quindlin, a successful author, who has written several bestsellers. She would have the pulse of the readers better than anyone I’ve read. As with everything she writes, this passage gives me a chill up my spine. Here is what she says:

“Reading is not simply an intellectual pursuit but an emotional and spiritual one. It lights the candle in the hurricane lamp of self; that’s why it survives. There are book clubs and book Web sites and books on tape and books online. There are still millions of people who like the paper version, at least for now. And if that changes—well, what is a book, really? Is it its body, or its soul? Would Dickens have recognized a paperback of A Christmas Carol, or, for that matter, a Braille version? Even on a cell-phone screen, Tiny Tim can God-bless us, every one.”

And here is a quote by Thomas à Kempis, which I am printing to pin on my bulletin board, because it applies so completely to me:

“I have sought peace everywhere and found it nowhere except in a corner with a book.”

36 thoughts on “Are Print Books Doomed? Gone Like the Dodo Bird, the 8 Track Tape?”

  1. I’m with you! I love turning pages, and seeing my progress measured by how far my bookmark is advancing. I belong to a gym as well as a bookclub. and get most of my reading done on the eliptical machine the gym. SOme times the only edition the library has is a hardcover. Much to my amusement I have found (not that I’m in the market) it’s a great way to meet men. Men always seem to be looking for a problem to solve, and I’ve become “gym friends’ with three who have broken the ice by suggesting I read e-books instead of lugging a book with me.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Virginia, you are always full of surprises! Hmmm, a great way to meet men…must tell the hundreds (no, thousands) of eligible single women in this female-rich government town! So funny, and refreshing!

  2. Thank you for such a heartening post. For me, reading is the soother, the companion, the teacher and provides an otherwise unavailable glimpse into so many different corners of humanity. Books in my home are a treasure and also a design element. The house looks empty without shelves of books and books sitting on bedside and coffee tables. While I do read the occasional book on my i-pad, I prefer the feel of a book in my hands. And don’t get me started on pager turning . . . 😉

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Since moving from my house, with its wall to wall bookcases, to a condo, where every square foot has to be justified, I can’t scatter my books about very much. But it is surprising how many a person can cram into odd places, like on a dresser between bookends, along a wall under my desk, in a bathroom. I have several on the go at once, and can’t imagine doing that with an i-pad or e-book, although there must be a way to open and close files, just as you open and close books!

  3. I know that many people don’t read, as the surveys show, but I can’t imagine a world without real books. I order one or more books almost every week from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. It’s good news that reading is on the increase!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Ordering one or two books each week would qualify you as a reader extrordinaire! I hope reading of print books continues its upward trend, but can’t help but think that technology will have an impact sooner or later!

  4. As you probably already know, I am a voracious reader and depend on Amazon mostly to keep me supplied with my needs. Since storage space is at a premium, I have discarded a lot of my collection and have retained only those that I go back to for reference. I prefer buying Kindle versions as then the storage problem does not crop up. I still buy hard copies when I believe that I will be sharing them with other readers and / or when I want to go back to read or refer to them. Since currently I am mostly reading fiction, it makes more sense to buy kindle versions.

    I don’t think that the publishing industry will shut down but more and more people will prefer reading ebooks like I now do.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I agree, Rummuser. Progress is inevitable!I hope you have been able to find a good ‘home’ for the books you no longer can keep. We have many outlets for used books, but the one I like best is a second-hand store that gives you a percentage for books that are in good condition. Of course, what I usually do is spend the money in their store—buying more books!

      1. I gave them away to an animal welfare group which sold them at a popular restaurant on “pay what you want and take as many as you want” basis which was a total hit. They raised enough money to plan for other fund raising events in the neighbourhood.

        1. Still the Lucky Few

          We have a book drive in my city, in which people bring their used books, and buy others at a reduced price. It is very popular, with thousands of books donated ans sold. The staff is volunteer, and the profit goes directly to a charity. A win-win for all!

  5. How happy I am that I decided to spend time with your blog this morning. First Anne of Green Gables and now this, another post that went straight to my heart and enriched my mind with its thoughtfulness, research and apt quotes. I, too, love the feel of a book in my hand and get shivery when I read Anna Quindlan. Thank you once again, Diane, for your fine blog.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Thank you, Aunt Beaulah! I just discovered Anna Quindlan this spring, and can’t believe it took me so long! I immediately took out every book I could find in the library, then searched our secondhand bookstore for more. I have almost completed the collection, which I am voraciously reading now. I’ve read ‘Blessings’, and am now completing ‘Black and Blue’. “Still Life with Bread Crumbs’ will be next. Her writing is flawless!

        1. Still the Lucky Few

          I think you, like me, appreciate her work from the perspective of a writer—always looking for her unique turn of phrase, the images she paints. Sometimes she stops me in my tracks!

  6. I believe that reading is the cornerstone of any Lifelong Learning program. Books and reading materials are available in different formats where the reader has the power to choose how they want to get any information. Before I got a personal computer I went to the local library to do some research work for my Seniorpreneur Project. I went on a daily basis for a few years until I gathered enough material for my own project. At the same time I was observing other seniors to see what they were doing in the library. The activities ranged from reading the local daily journals and finding ‘large print’ books to sitting down at a library computer to do some reading & research. It seemed like the seniors were searching for a purpose but didn’t have one, and nobody was available to give them some real help. To alleviate this situation I suggest that libraries, community centers and senior centers need to bring seniors together to discuss how they can use books in the different formats and computers (the Internet) to find their own purpose and have a meaningful journey in their retirement life.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      So true, Joe! Not all seniors have been lifelong readers, having been too absorbed or busy all of their lives to really spend time with a book. And e-books and computers have further complicated their retirement choices. I like your idea of groups to bring current knowledge to them, and develop their skills. I know we have such services in our city, but have no idea how extensively they are used. Thank you for this, Joe!

  7. I have loved to read for as long as I can remember (or, at least since that “string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning”). My preferred method is a printed book, but I just purchased a Kindle for travel. It’s a little hard to get used to reading on a screen rather than a page, but I love being able to download books from my library, through BookBub (at $1.99 each, the price is hard to beat), and through Amazon. I also like the idea of not having to cut down trees in order to feed my habit. I’m happy to know that reading is on the increase, but it’s hard to imagine only reading a single book a year… who does that?

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      e-books have so many advantages! I know I will eventually gravitate toward using one, since I find I am constantly enlarging print on my computer. I was puzzled when I read that the research was based on only one book a year, but I know just enough (very little) about doing a study, and realize they used one book as a year as a baseline. They had to start somewhere, I guess!

  8. My husband isn’t real techy, but he’s reading almost exclusively on his Kindle now. Partly it’s because he can adjust the text size bigger. His Paperwhite model is small. He takes it everywhere. We both still read paperbacks, too. I like being able to buy a book on the spur of the moment and have it within seconds. I also send my manuscript to my kindle, so I can see what it reads like as a “real” book. If I do a giveaway, my readers might download my books and not remember them for a year, after which they might review them, thus extending the shelf life of my promo.

    I might get stuck standing in line at the pharmacy or something, but I can pull out my smartphone, tap the Kindle app, and resume reading a current book. My phone picks up wherever I left off while using the Kindle.

    I might be reading this passage: “she heard the call of a grackle” and I can tap the word “grackle” and hear what it sounds like. Also get definitions of words.

    I sound like I sell Kindles for a living, right?

    I think the measurement of “who is still reading” should be separate from “who is still reading paper books.” But this is really encouraging. Glad to know people are still reading.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      A good sell, Lynne! I’m tempted to dash right out and buy a Kindle, something others having been telling me to do for ages. I know I would love the ability to enlarge print, since I constantly do that when reading on the computer. But being able to look up how a “grackle’sounds, especially while being in line at the pharmacy? Priceless! You are right about the separation of readers into two categories—it should have been clearer. Glad you have your books on Kindle!

  9. Ma read to us every night, until I was about 11 and she gave up parenting. The first two books I bought myself, at 8 were Rascal, and The Incredible Journey. I always got books, as my sister refused to read anything sad. without books or newspapers, my life would be null and void. great post Diane.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Like you, reading has always transported me away! I remember both of the books you bought at 8.

  10. I browse a lot of books, often just for reasons to do with my art – I’ve a book due back this week, which I’ve not been able to get into (travel as well, usually they inspire me no end) – and that meant I should tackle whatever is here, I’ve now down the book I just got last week – so there is a nice pile to return (some of the browsing art arena).

    I’ve I think at least 3 books on order one is a novel, which is somewhat in a long queue but it’s something I want to read…because it’s a teen novel author who I have read other books of.

    I like reading teen novels because they basically cover this “new world” that I’m not really part of – interesting seeing where they take you story wise, some of course right at my level (not deep or hard to understand words)

    I have a problem with vocabulary – but please don’t assume that I’m dumb – it’s a leftover unedible from my childhood which I just can’t change…

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It’s interesting to me that you enjoy reading the new ‘teen’ novels, since I’m sure they include vocabulary and content that takes in tech terms, and new ways of doing things.Teen lingo is hard for me to understand though—you almost need a translator!

  11. Unlike Thomas à Kempis, I don’t need or want a corner, just a book.
    I cannot envision a world without books. Who in their right mind would give up the feeling of turning the page?
    There can be no intimacy reading anything from an electronic device, whether fact of fiction.
    You become part of the book and disappear into its pages.
    When my children suggested that I might like one of those kindle(?) things as a birthday present I just looked at them, they got the message!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Brian, if you eyes become weaker (may that never happen!), you might be enticed to buy one of those gadgets, just so you could enlarge the print, as needed. I often take ‘large print’ books out of the library, but find their selection very unsatisfactory!

  12. I still love holding the book in my hand and read lots of actual books! But I also read many books on my Kindle, and the reason is that I never need to have that upsetting feeling of not having a book to read. With the Kindle, I can download a new read in a matter of seconds. I finished my hard-copy book yesterday, picked up my Kindle and ordered two more in a whipstich! I don’t think actual books will disappear anymore that paintings disappeared when photography came into vogue. Those of us who love to read (and your post speaks of that love so beautifully) will always read!
    Pam Mangene from richlyaged.com

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Pam, I love the example you give. Paintings are more in demand than ever, they offer a different perspective and use. E-books offer unparalleled convenience, but not the appeal to the senses that comes with print books. It’s great to have those choices! Thanks, Pamela.

  13. I just purchased three books at Barnes & Noble yesterday,using my emailed coupon as well as my membership discount. I also order large numbers of used books from Powells. I would be lost without a book to hold and read.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Me too! It’s not unusual for me to have three or four books on the go. I have a variety of sources—library, second hand bookstore, online ordering. I’m constantly trying to find the best prices. Maybe it’s time for me to buy a Kindle!

  14. Yeah, Another Blogger

    I wonder if the number of hours weekly that people read has changed over the decades. It’s possibly hard to measure. Most jobs, for instance, involve a fair amount of reading. But do studies take that kind of reading into account?

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Any study I’ve read about seems to focus on recreational reading, Neil. But it would make sense to make allowances for job-required reading.

  15. Books have been important in my life at all ages. I, too, enjoy the local used book store and can buy books at my local library. Some of my books can earn credit at the used book store but mostly they carry regular sized paperbacks with fiction varieties I don’t care that much about. Our library donated books can be more inviting and I donate some of my books to that Friends of the Library book sales. I need to downsize my books but feel as though I’m parting with part of me so it’s difficult to let go of them. I have Kindle app on my iPad Mini where I keep a few books to read if I know I may be in a waiting room for an appointment. Otherwise, after the e-book novelty wore off for me, I find I prefer paper books — mine are hardback and usually large size paperbacks feature mostly my preferred writings.

    It’s so wonderful audio books are so readily available now as I recall learning about Talking Book back in the fifties which I was able to obtain for my mother who had become legally blind. She always had enjoyed reading, so this meant much to her for both magazines and books that were on records then. Later years they became tapes.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I understand what you mean by not wanting to part with some of your favorite books. They are like old friends, part of the family. I allow myself to keep 20, forcing myself to weed them out regularly. I just don’t have room for more!

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